

The Recruitment Mentors Podcast
Hishem Azzouz
The #1 Most Practical Recruitment Podcast In the World
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 15, 2025 • 1h 15min
The Hard Truths From Year One of Running a Recruitment Business With Genie Founder of We Are Refyne
In this episode, I sit down with Genie, founder of We Are Refyne, to unpack the hard truths from her first year running a recruitment business.From launching with no logo and limited experience, to turning over £364K and building a six-person team, Genie shares both the highs and the brutal lows, losing staff, unpaid invoices, and moments of doubt.We dive into the resilience it takes to keep going, the tactical wins that worked (like WhatsApp BD and SourceWhale), and why vision and culture matter even in year one.Connect with Genie here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/genie-burgess-a1342487/-------------------------Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/SHuIcTRWYfA-------------------------Sponsors - Claim your exclusive savings from our partners with the links below:Sourcewhale - Check Out Sourcewhale & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.Raise - Check Out Raise & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.-------------------------Extra Stuff:Learn more about our online skills development platform Hector here: https://bit.ly/47hsaxeJoin 5,000+ other recruiters levelling up their skills with our Limitless Learning Newsletter here: https://limitless-learning.thisishector.com/subscribe-------------------------Get in touch:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hishemazzouz/-------------------------

Sep 8, 2025 • 1h 10min
The Hard Lessons From Each Stage of Building a Recruitment Business: Chaos, Growth & Clarity with Conor from Quest Personnel
In this episode, I sit down with Conor from Quest Personnel to unpack the hard lessons from every stage of building a recruitment business. Conor started at just 23, completely self-funded, and went from scraping by in a WeWork to leading a £1.4M agency. We walk through the scrappy early days, the lifestyle-business trap, and the mindset and leadership shifts that brought clarity and growth. Connect with Conor here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conor-boland-81555284/-------------------------Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/cxNfpwj6AYU-------------------------Sponsors - Claim your exclusive savings from our partners with the links below:Sourcewhale - Check Out Sourcewhale & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.Raise - Check Out Raise & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.-------------------------Extra Stuff:Learn more about our online skills development platform Hector here: https://bit.ly/47hsaxeJoin 5,000+ other recruiters levelling up their skills with our Limitless Learning Newsletter here: https://limitless-learning.thisishector.com/subscribe-------------------------Get in touch:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hishemazzouz/-------------------------

Sep 1, 2025 • 1h 10min
Mastering Contract Recruitment: How to Scale From Ones & Twos to Big Project Wins with Jack Proctor
In this episode, I sit down with Jack Procter, Regional Director at Opus, to unpack what it really takes to master contract recruitment. Jack shares how he scaled from fast-paced “ones and twos” deals to building predictable, project-based client partnerships. We dive into his playbook for hitting £17K weekly GP, the systems behind scaling beyond ad-hoc wins, and the leadership lessons he’s learned along the way.Connect with Jack here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-procter-a20439a3/-------------------------Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/e_8p6fknMbU-------------------------Sponsors - Claim your exclusive savings from our partners with the links below:Sourcewhale - Check Out Sourcewhale & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.Raise - Check Out Raise & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.-------------------------Extra Stuff:Learn more about our online skills development platform Hector here: https://bit.ly/47hsaxeJoin 5,000+ other recruiters levelling up their skills with our Limitless Learning Newsletter here: https://limitless-learning.thisishector.com/subscribe-------------------------Get in touch:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hishemazzouz/-------------------------

Aug 28, 2025 • 26min
Golden Nugget #87 | Ashley Jones: Expert Market Knowledge, Process Control & Candidate-First Selling
Sponsors - Claim your exclusive savings from our partners with the links below:Sourcewhale - Check Out Sourcewhale & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.Raise - Check Out Raise & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.-------------------------Extra Stuff:Learn more about our online skills development platform Hector here: https://bit.ly/47hsaxeJoin 4,000+ other recruiters levelling up their skills with our Limitless Learning Newsletter here: https://limitless-learning.thisishector.com/subscribe-------------------------Get in touch:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hishemazzouz/-------------------------

Aug 25, 2025 • 1h 23min
Why Most Recruitment Companies Fail to Scale: The Hard Truths From Marc & Graeme (Achieved an 8-Figure Exit & Advised 40+ Founders Since)
In this episode, I sit down with Marc Cohen and Graeme Hubert, the founders of ConSol Partners, who achieved an 8-figure exit and have since advised over 40 recruitment founders.We unpack why most recruitment companies never scale beyond 20 heads, the common blind spots that stall growth, and the hard truths founders need to face if they want to build something valuable.You can connect with them both here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/graeme-hubert-a0a140/https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcdcohen1/-------------------------Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WBJbolWeIkA-------------------------Sponsors - Claim your exclusive savings from our partners with the links below:Sourcewhale - Check Out Sourcewhale & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.Raise - Check Out Raise & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.-------------------------Extra Stuff:Learn more about our online skills development platform Hector here: https://bit.ly/47hsaxeJoin 5,000+ other recruiters levelling up their skills with our Limitless Learning Newsletter here: https://limitless-learning.thisishector.com/subscribe-------------------------Get in touch:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hishemazzouz/-------------------------

Aug 21, 2025 • 18min
Golden Nugget #86 | Sam Langford: How to Build a Standout Recruitment Brand in a Transactional Market
Sponsors - Claim your exclusive savings from our partners with the links below:Sourcewhale - Check Out Sourcewhale & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.Raise - Check Out Raise & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.-------------------------Extra Stuff:Learn more about our online skills development platform Hector here: https://bit.ly/47hsaxeJoin 4,000+ other recruiters levelling up their skills with our Limitless Learning Newsletter here: https://limitless-learning.thisishector.com/subscribe-------------------------Get in touch:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hishemazzouz/-------------------------

Aug 18, 2025 • 1h 8min
The Contract Recruiter’s Comeback: How Nick Chambers Rebuilt His Desk & Doubled His Weekly GP
Nick shares how his weekly GP dropped from £16K to £5.5K, the strategies he used to bounce back to £8.5K, and the mindset shifts that made the difference.We dive into the client and candidate journeys that actually work, the power of community in contract recruitment, and how to turn a dip into your biggest growth phase yet.Connect with Nick here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-chambers-4aa60114b/-------------------------Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Qr4dK0AjM6I-------------------------Sponsors - Claim your exclusive savings from our partners with the links below:Sourcewhale - Check Out Sourcewhale & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.Raise - Check Out Raise & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.-------------------------Extra Stuff:Learn more about our online skills development platform Hector here: https://bit.ly/47hsaxeJoin 5,000+ other recruiters levelling up their skills with our Limitless Learning Newsletter here: https://limitless-learning.thisishector.com/subscribe-------------------------Get in touch:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hishemazzouz/-------------------------

Aug 14, 2025 • 23min
Golden Nugget #85 | Sade Turner-Moise: Resilience, Focus & Quality – How to Stay & Succeed in Recruitment Long-Term
Sponsors - Claim your exclusive savings from our partners with the links below:Sourcewhale - Check Out Sourcewhale & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.Raise - Check Out Raise & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.-------------------------Extra Stuff:Learn more about our online skills development platform Hector here: https://bit.ly/47hsaxeJoin 4,000+ other recruiters levelling up their skills with our Limitless Learning Newsletter here: https://limitless-learning.thisishector.com/subscribe-------------------------Get in touch:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hishemazzouz/-------------------------

Aug 11, 2025 • 1h 19min
The Systems, Culture & Strategy Behind Alex Woodhead’s $1B Goal for Apera
Alex Woodhead helped scale Strativ Group to 120 people, £13M NFI, and £3.5M EBITDA in just four years then walked away.In this episode, we unpack why he made the bold move to start again with Apera, his $1B vision, and the systems, culture, and strategy he’s building from day one.If you’re thinking about starting over or building something big, this one’s for you.Connect with Alex here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderwoodhead/-------------------------Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/XG6P4meBBY0-------------------------Sponsors - Claim your exclusive savings from our partners with the links below:Sourcewhale - Check Out Sourcewhale & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.Raise - Check Out Raise & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.-------------------------Extra Stuff:Learn more about our online skills development platform Hector here: https://bit.ly/47hsaxeJoin 5,000+ other recruiters levelling up their skills with our Limitless Learning Newsletter here: https://limitless-learning.thisishector.com/subscribe-------------------------Get in touch:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hishemazzouz/-------------------------

Aug 7, 2025 • 26min
Golden Nugget #84 | Jack & Zac: The Sales Skills That Actually Matter, Curiosity, Control & Cold Calls
Sponsors - Claim your exclusive savings from our partners with the links below:Sourcewhale - Check Out Sourcewhale & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.Raise - Check Out Raise & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.-------------------------Extra Stuff:Learn more about our online skills development platform Hector here: https://bit.ly/47hsaxeJoin 4,000+ other recruiters levelling up their skills with our Limitless Learning Newsletter here: https://limitless-learning.thisishector.com/subscribe-------------------------Get in touch:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hishemazzouz/-------------------------