The Resilient Recruiter How to Run Your Firm on Autopilot While Starting Something New, with Brian Gabay
What if you could run your recruiting firm on autopilot while launching a completely new business? Brian Gabay has mastered this balance—his 5-person team makes placements without him while he builds a tech startup.
Brian founded Brian Simon Associates (BSA) in 2016, specializing in PR and marketing recruitment. He built systems, transforming his business from constant attention to running independently. This freedom allowed him to launch Arrange AI, eliminating interview coordination, which consumes 70% of recruiters' admin time.
Brian reveals his framework: getting your entire team on client calls, his "hire two people" strategy, and the mindset shift to step away from daily operations. Plus, surviving a 6-month placement drought taught him the resilience needed to juggle multiple ventures.
Episode Outline and Highlights
[7:19] The reality TV opportunity that came at the worst time
[8:11] How a 3-year kidney donor search taught him resilience
[19:50] Why are placed candidates overlooked for new business
[20:27] Daily LinkedIn habit: One new connection PLUS one reconnection
[23:40] Surviving the drought: First placement took 5-6 months
[26:14] The 6-month cash cushion rule for going solo
[36:35] Hiring strategy: "If you like two people, hire them both."
[44:27] Why 70% of recruiting time is wasted on scheduling
[50:18] Game-changer: Getting your entire team on client calls
[52:58] Building systems: "Placements happen without me"
Building Through Setbacks
Brian's approach to adversity was forged through personal crisis. With his father on dialysis, Brian applied recruiting skills to find a kidney donor.
"I wasn't a blood match. Neither were my sisters. He's type O... I searched for three years. There was a dark world out there. People wanted money... My dad's life is on the line."
The breakthrough came through Jennifer Wolf, who responded to his outreach "just like we would do on LinkedIn." When Fox discovered his YouTube video and offered him a spot on "Home Free" to compete for a house for Jennifer, the timing couldn't have been worse.
The 6-Month Rule
Brian's practical approach began with planning: "I saved enough to pay rent for six months. That was my cushion... I need to make a placement within six months. If I can't, then maybe this is not for me."
His advice emphasizes transparency: "If you're starting your own firm and leaving your current one, have a transparent conversation... Even if these are connections you made yourself, it was created under someone else's umbrella. Leave on good terms."
From Solo to Scale
After three years solo, Brian began building a team. When he discovered an employee ignoring candidate emails, instead of retreating, he refined his approach:
"Out of 10 people, if there's two you really like and you're on the fence, hire both. If one doesn't work out, you still got a really good one."
The transformation came from one change: "Having them involved in all client calls... Now if it's a new business call, it's all five of us. They meet the client, ask questions, take notes... I've seen the ownership kick in."
This freed Brian to launch Arrange while BSA operated: "Sometimes there's placements being made and I'm not involved at all."
Brian Gabay Bio
Brian Gabay founded BSA in 2016, specializing in PR, Marketing, and Digital/Social recruiting. He's partnered with recognized PR agencies and brands nationwide. With over a decade of experience, Business Insider named him one of the top PR recruiters in the country. Earlier this year, he launched Arrange AI—a smart scheduling tool for recruiters coordinating meetings between external parties.
Brian on LinkedIn
Arrange AI: arrange.ai
Resources Mentioned
Tim Tebow on LinkedIn
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