#166 - William Spengler on Building a Scalable Recruiting Firm, Incentives, and Leading with Accountability

How do you build a people-first business that actually scales, without bloated bureaucracy, misaligned incentives, or empty culture talk?

In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, host Mark Perkins sits down with William Spengler, founder and principal of Frederick Fox, a high-growth, equity-driven recruiting firm redefining how staffing agencies operate. William shares the real-world lessons he's learned scaling Frederick Fox to nearly $10 million in revenue, growing a national team of recruiters, and building a model centered on ownership, accountability, and operational discipline.

William explains why small companies win by having a clear and confident vision, how incentives directly drive performance, and why "revenue cures all" is one of the most dangerous myths in business. Drawing from his background in accounting, finance, and sales, he breaks down what entrepreneurs often misunderstand about cash flow, leadership development, and the hidden operational complexity of growing a service-based business.

This conversation also explores:

• Why incentive structures determine culture and outcomes

• The difference between revenue growth and healthy scale

• How accountability unlocks performance in teams

• Why leadership and learning were his most underestimated challenges

• The role of recruiting in building bench strength and execution

• How small companies attract top talent without competing on size

This episode is a must-listen for entrepreneurs, founders, operators, and executives building service businesses, scaling teams, or navigating the transition from individual contributor to true business leader.

🎙️ The Necessary Entrepreneur, hosted by Mark Perkins, features real conversations with founders and leaders who've built businesses worth studying. 📌 Connect With Us:Website: https://www.thenecessaryentrepreneur.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenecessaryentrepreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryentrepreneur/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNecessaryEntrepreneurPod X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/MPerkinsTNE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnepod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tneclips Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6xhGUE1yzy2N0AemUOlJPx?si=d1c5c316af404f15 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/the-necessary-entrepreneur/id1547181167 📌 Find Out More About William Spengler & Frederick Fox:https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-spengler-2193433a/ https://frederickfox.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/frederick-fox/ https://www.facebook.com/FrederickFoxGroup/