Blake Thompson & Declan Kluver: From Competitors to Partners — The Birth of XRecruiter

In this episode of 'The Wisdom Of' Show, host Simon Bowen speaks with Blake Thompson and Declan Kluver, co-founders of XRecruiter. From their fascinating journey as childhood friends turned competitors, to their eventual collaboration during COVID that led to one of Australia's fastest-growing companies, Blake and Declan share the unfiltered truth about building a business that's achieved 1540% growth in a single year. Discover how these young entrepreneurs rewrote the rules of the recruitment industry, their strategies for exponential scaling, and their vision for global expansion as they prepare to enter the US market.

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Episode Breakdown

00:00 Introduction and XRecruiter's remarkable growth story

05:18 The genesis: How COVID crisis turned competitors into collaborators

12:36 Creating community in a fiercely competitive industry

18:52 Technology's role in transforming the recruitment landscape

25:44 Building a successful partnership with complementary strengths

33:29 The psychology of positioning: Marketing to recruiters without alerting employers

38:22 The mathematics behind exponential growth and international expansion

45:36 Focus on sales: Why cost-cutting can't solve growth challenges

52:12 Personal insights and wisdom from Blake and Declan's journey

58:43 Future vision and the strategic move to Austin, Texas

About Blake Thompson & Declan Kluver

Blake Thompson (CEO) and Declan Kluver (Chief Business Officer) are the co-founders of XRecruiter, Australia's fastest-growing company, and winner of the 2024 AFR Fast Starters award with over 2,300% growth. Childhood friends who reconnected during the COVID pandemic, they transformed their separate recruitment agencies into a revolutionary platform that empowers recruiters to start and run their own businesses.

The Brisbane-based company has grown from $975,000 in revenue in 2023 to $16 million in 2024, with projections to reach $55 million in 2025. Their proprietary SaaS platform provides branding, marketing, accounting, payroll, licensing, advisory, and technology services to 66 partner agencies across Australia, New Zealand, and soon the United States.

In early 2025, Blake will relocate to Austin, Texas to spearhead XRecruiter's entry into the US market—a strategic move targeting a recruitment industry 25 times larger than Australia's.

Connect with Blake Thompson & Declan Kluver

XRecruiter Website: https://www.xrecruiter.io/

LinkedIn (Blake): https://www.linkedin.com/in/startarecruitmentagency/

LinkedIn (Declan): https://www.linkedin.com/in/declan-kluver/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/xrecruiter/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xrecruiter/

About Simon Bowen

Simon has spent over two decades working with influential leaders across complex industries. His focus is on elevating thinking in organizations, recognizing that success is directly proportional to the quality of thinking and ideas within a business. Simon leads the renaissance of thinking through his work with global leaders and organizations.

Connect with Simon

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonbowen-mm/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialsimonbowen/

Website: https://thesimonbowen.com/

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