How Agency Owners Can Scale Globally Without Losing Their Culture, with Nicholas Barton

Most recruitment agency owners hit a wall around 10–20 people. The culture that made you successful starts to crack, and the personal touch gets lost.

Nicholas Barton didn’t just avoid that wall he redefined what scaling could look like. From packing boxes in a warehouse to leading a 100-person global firm, Nicholas built The Barton Partnership into one of Forbes’ “World’s Best Management Consulting Firms,” with offices in London, New York, and Singapore.

He built a platform before headcount, gave away 35% of his business through share options, and kept his early hires for nearly two decades. While competitors chased quick wins, Nicholas played the long game scaling internationally without losing the cohesion that made his business special.

In this episode:
[03:40] How Nicholas found his niche in strategy consulting
[10:50] The “spray and pray” moment that launched his career
[13:04] The hires who’ve stayed 18 years — and why
[18:33] Why giving away 35% made his firm stronger
[29:08] The “airport test” and how to hire for culture
[35:20] Build your platform before you scale
[1:04:42] Why great service always beats great selling

🎙️ Hosted by Mark Whitby, The Resilient Recruiter Podcast