Episodes

In this episode of The 1 Percent Better Recruitment Podcast, I’m joined by Leon Mitten, Founder & Director of Agnes Cole Consulting, to unpack a topic that divides the recruitment industry: 👉 Is recruitment a sales job? Leon started his career in hardcore software sales, making 100–150 calls a day, before moving into recruitment and building his own specialist tech recruitment business operating across the UK, Europe, and the US. This conversation is raw, honest, and practical. We break down ...

What if the biggest threat to your recruitment business isn’t the market… but your financial discipline? In this episode, I’m joined by Pav, also known as The Boring Accountant, to break down the financial mistakes that quietly damage recruitment agencies every single year. Pav works closely with recruitment founders on tax, cashflow, and long-term financial planning. That gives him a front-row seat to the patterns that repeat, surprise tax bills, poor cashflow management, directors taking too...

What if recruitment isn’t just a sales job anymore… but a marketing job? In this episode, I’m joined by Kris Holland, Founder of Kitto, to unpack a debate that’s dividing recruiters right now, has recruitment fundamentally shifted from pure sales to sales enabled by marketing? Kris works with growth-focused recruitment agencies on brand, positioning, demand generation, and revenue enablement. That gives him a front-row seat to how agencies are actually winning business in 2026, and why cold ca...

What if the biggest problem in recruitment business development isn’t the market, tech, or competition… but forgetting what actually works? In this episode, I’m joined by Martin Crapper, Managing Director at Redline Group, to unpack the business development lessons that still win after 40 years in recruitment. Martin has spent four decades building and evolving a specialist recruitment business in the electronics sector. That longevity gives him a rare, grounded perspective on how BD has chang...

What if AI isn’t the silver bullet recruiters think it is? In this episode, I’m joined by Derry Holt, Founder & CEO of OneUp Sales, to break down where AI actually helps recruiters, and where it causes more problems than progress. Derry works closely with recruitment founders and leaders on sales performance and execution, giving him a front-row seat to how agencies are really using AI and automation day to day. We talk candidly about what’s working, what’s not, and why many agencies are panic...

What if the future of recruitment isn’t better recruiters… but fewer humans altogether? In this episode, I’m joined by Alex Odwell, founder of Referment, to explore one of the most challenging and controversial ideas in recruitment today, the rise of the zero-human recruitment agency. Alex has spent nearly two decades building and scaling recruitment businesses and is now operating an agency powered almost entirely by agentic AI. From job intake and candidate qualification to engagement and sh...

What if the biggest mistake recruiters are making right now isn’t the market, AI, or competition… but forgetting the fundamentals that actually drive sales? In this episode, I’m joined by Rohit Kapoor to break down what really works when you combine old-school sales discipline with new-school recruitment technology. Rohit has spent his career across agency recruitment, tech sales, and building recruitment tech, giving him a rare, practical perspective on what helps recruiters win and what simpl...

What if the biggest mistake recruiters are making as we head into 2026 isn’t the market, AI, or competition… but believing automation alone will drive success? In this episode, I’m joined by Dougie Loan, CRO at SourceWhale, to break down what recruiters, leaders, and founders actually need to get right as technology, automation, and AI continue to reshape the industry. Dougie has spent his career working at the intersection of recruitment, sales, and tech, partnering with agencies of all sizes ...

What if the real reason some recruiters thrive long-term while others burn out, stagnate or disappear isn’t market conditions, AI, or competition… but the way they think, work and serve people? In this episode, I’m joined by Sarah Leete, Co-Founder of Lawrence Dean Recruitment, a business she has grown and led for over 15 years through recessions, market crashes, COVID, and now the rise of AI. Sarah is one of those rare operators who didn’t “fall into” recruitment, she chose it, and built her c...

What if the biggest milestone in building something meaningful isn’t the downloads, the sponsors, or the stats… but realising how many people you’ve helped along the way? In this special end-of-year episode of the The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast, there’s no guest and no script, just a raw reflection on 2025, the journey so far, and what’s coming next in 2026. Recorded at home, this episode starts with Marshall making an appearance, who’s become a bit of a regular star on recordings done from...

What if the biggest problems holding recruitment agencies back right now aren’t bad markets, lack of candidates or not enough tools… but the simple truth that most agencies are running on broken processes? In this episode, I’m joined by Saeed Bor, Founder of Embedded Ops, and one of the most respected operators in the industry. After a career that spans enterprise tech recruitment, agency leadership, COO roles and now consulting across dozens of recruitment businesses, Saeed has developed a rep...

What if the biggest opportunities in recruitment right now aren’t about more clients, more jobs or more tools… but about shifting how you position your service so you’re seen as a partner, not a CV supplier? In this episode, I’m joined by Nicholas Thomas, CEO and Founder of Everhire, who has built one of the fastest-growing civil engineering and renewable energy recruitment agencies operating across the UK, US and Scandinavia. After starting his career in a corporate environment, Nicholas went o...

What if the biggest mistakes recruitment agencies make aren’t about BD, sourcing or billing… but about scaling too fast, carrying too much headcount, and forgetting the fundamentals that actually win business? In this episode, I’m joined by Austin Clark, Co-Founder of SCI Partners and Entrust Resource Solutions, who has spent over 15 years building, scaling, right-sizing and rebuilding life sciences recruitment teams across the UK and Europe. After growing SCI to 30 heads before the market cras...

What if the fastest way to grow in recruitment wasn’t by trying to do everything… but by building a name so strong that your market starts coming to you? In this episode, I’m joined by Roxanne Kirkhope-Winnan, Head of Bolt Technical, who built her reputation the hard way — through consistency, honesty, personality, and showing up online even on the days life felt chaotic. From cabin crew to recruitment, from starting again in engineering to launching Bolt Technical, Roxanne has built both a nam...

What if the difference between a failing trainee and a £1M biller isn’t talent… but sacrifice, environment, and expectations? In this episode, I’m joined by Brandon White, Founder of Volta Search and one of the most honest voices in the Rec2Rec space. With 11 years in the industry, Brandon has seen exactly why some trainees quit early — and why a small few go on to build huge careers. We dig into the realities of becoming a top performer in recruitment: long hours, consistency, culture, commun...

What if the real problem in recruitment today isn’t the market… but how people are working? In this episode, I’m joined by Sheldon Clottey — Founder of Charles & Charles Recruitment, who’s built a global business spanning London, Dubai, and the US construction market. We dig into what “real recruitment” looks like in 2025 — from data-driven BD and candidate marketing, to exclusivity, client control, and why most recruiters have forgotten the basics. Sheldon shares how he built his US desk from...

What if you expanded your recruitment business to America before everyone else thought it was cool? In this episode, I’m joined by Elliott Manning — Founder & Managing Director of Kayman Recruitment, who built one of the UK’s most recognised Rec2Rec firms, expanded into the US before it became the trend, and is now helping agencies scale globally through outsourcing and consultancy. Elliott lifts the lid on the reality of building in the US without a roadmap — from flying to New York ten times...

What if being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer completely changed the way you think, lead, and live? In this episode, I’m joined by Naz Harrison — Director, Coach & L&D Leader, who opens up about his battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, how it transformed his outlook on life, and why it shaped his mission to help recruiters and leaders think, coach, and perform differently. We unpack Naz’s journey from recruiter to global L&D leader, what real coaching actually looks like (and why most managers get it...

What if your dream job offer fell through the week before you started — and the world went into lockdown? In this episode, I’m joined by Jay Gurney, Director of Radiology at Projectus, who went from working warehouse shifts during COVID to becoming one of the company’s top global billers and leading its US expansion. Fun story, I actually interviewed Jay in 2020 to be my resourcer! We dig into Jay’s journey from rejection to resilience — from packing boxes and delivering food to billing hundre...

What if the best way to stand out in recruitment wasn’t about flashy KPIs or cold call sprints — but by being unapologetically yourself? In this episode, I’m joined by Adam, Director at At Talent, a Rec2Rec specialist helping recruiters find the right businesses, leaders, and environments to truly thrive in. We dive into Adam’s journey through recruitment and Rec2Rec, why authenticity is the ultimate sales advantage, and how too many recruiters still put clients on a pedestal. From finding the...

What if the best way to grow in recruitment wasn’t by chasing quick wins, but by mastering long-term relationships and persistence? In this episode, I’m joined by Fraser Graham, Founder of Nautic, a Rec2Rec business specialising in placing recruiters from consultant to director level across Manchester and the Northwest. We dive into Fraser’s journey from leaving football and sport behind at 18, to jumping into recruitment during the post-lockdown boom, and now launching his own agency. From th...

What if the best way to succeed in recruitment wasn’t to be everywhere, but to dominate a niche so well that clients had no choice but to come to you? In this episode, I’m joined by Emma April, Founder of HuntStart Consulting, a specialist recruitment agency for FX brokers and fintech companies across Cyprus, the UAE and beyond. We dive into Emma’s journey from HR in Cyprus to recruitment in London, the fear that held her back from starting her own business, and the personal challenges she face...

What if you started in recruitment when CVs were faxed across town — and now lead teams navigating AI, automation, and a new generation of recruiters? In this episode, I’m joined by Stuart Biggs, veteran recruiter and sales leader, who’s lived through the full evolution of recruitment — from fax machines and cold calls to CRMs, automation, and AI-driven sourcing. Recorded in March 2025, we dive into how the industry has changed, why sales culture has declined post-COVID, and what leaders can do...

What if recruitment wasn’t about transactions, but about making every client and candidate feel like a VIP? In this episode, I’m joined by Sam Green, Co-Founder & COO at Few&Far, one of Europe’s leading digital product recruitment firms. We dig into how Sam and his team built a reputation for creating a “celebrity experience” — from community-led business development and events, to consultative client meetings and a culture that’s kept average tenure at 4.7 years. We unpack how to stand out in r...