The RAG Podcast - Recruitment Agency Growth Podcast

On this weeks episode of The RAG Podcast Live, I will be joined by a friend, client and mentor - Leo Harrison MBALeo is one of the smartest guys I have ever had the pleasure to meetLeo founded Chapter 2 in Jan 2020 and after an obvious slow start, they are now one of the fastest-growing recruitment brands in the worldBut this isn't Leo's first venture, he was a founding member of the team at OLIVER, a Marketing Agency that builds in-house teamsDuring his time in the business, he helped shape the growth to over 2000 employees!An entrepreneur, husband, and father - Leo has had to build successful habits to manage all areas of his life!---Thank you to our brand new sponsor Volcanic.com - the best in class recruitment website provider delivering websites that look good and perform even better. Over 1800 recruitment websites globally, they supply 30% of the top 100 UK recruiters and integrate with our partners for efficiency, including Access Recruitment CRM, Access Profile, Access RDB, Broadbean, Logic Melon, Bullhorn, Salesforce, Idibu and morePerfect for start up, scale up and enterprise recruitment businessesLanding page is here:Hoxo · VolcanicVolcanic is offering RAG listeners an MOT of their current site – landing page is here (and embedded on the above page) The Access GroupAbout the MOT:A visual inspection undertaken by one of our senior website professionals in the business of your current site, analyse performance and identify areas for improvement. Leverage Volcanic's many years' expertise in designing, developing, and delivering recruitment websites to identify how your current site can be improved. Request your FREE, personalised visual 'MOT' website health check including an overview of your:- candidate attractiveness- client engagement abilities- brand-building capabilities- and more. This applies to any recruitment website.www.volcanic.com/hoxo---Thanks to our consistent sponsor from Season 4 - District 4Join the Recruitment Startup Experts at District4 for this exciting 5-day challenge “So you want to start your own recruitment business?”Over 5 days you will explore your why, your vision, your financials, your market and put together a business plan.This challenge is for experienced recruiters who have thought about going it alone and want to explore it at a deeper level.At the end of the challenge you will either be raring to go and start your business or have decided that it is not for you.Want to make 2022 the year that you finally take action? Join in from Mon 8th November to Friday 12th November 2021 and explore what being a recruitment business owner could mean for you.  The link to join the challenge is https://growyourrecruitmentbusinessevent.vipmembervault.com/products/courses/view/1110290

The RAG Podcast is BACK!What a first episode we have in store for you!Mark Znowski is a serial Recruitment EntrepreneurHe started, scaled, and sold Staffgroup UK & Europe over 12 years and has since invested in other recruitment agencies and started his latest venture EngTal - Engineering TalentA true family man as well as a businessman, Mark shared insights into the areas he has got right and other areas he has gotten wrong in his hugely successful career!Thank you to our friends and sponsor today - Odro.co.uk . These guys won an impressive three TALiNT tech star awards at their first in-person event since lockdown last month. Followed up just two weeks later with a much sought-after Recruiter award, best in innovation, and a special commendation for CEO Ryan McCabe for all his efforts over the last 18 months. It really is great to see such a brilliant company recognised, and so well deserved. So well done guys! Smashed it.And the good news is, they’re hiring - which they’ve asked me to let you know. So, if you’re listening and are looking for a move, I couldn’t recommend them highly enough. There are vacancies across their Sales and Customer Success departments right now, and they really are a great bunch. If you’re interested, get in touch with CRO Dougie on LinkedIn or email recruitment@odro.co.uk for more info.Thanks also to our second sponsor Vincere.io - A single tech platform to streamline the Front, Middle & Back office operations of Exec Search/Perm/Contract/Temp businesses. The technology that they have invested in is becoming a disruption in the space, more and more recruitment businesses are using this to give their recruiters a competitive advantage. For RAG listeners who you are thinking about changing CRM or you are a new business looking to launch with a new CRM then I would get in touch with these guys because if you mention that you are a rag listener you get an amazing deal- visit www.vincere.io/rag.

This is the LAST episode of the season!2020/21 has been epic for The RAG Podcast, interviewing over 120 amazing recruitment business owners throughout one of the craziest times we have ever seen!Before I begin my short break from recording, I am excited to be interviewing Jamie Woods, CEO & Founder of JCW Group - a 14 year old  international recruitment agency in London, Frankfurt, New York, Austin and LA.Starting the business from his living room at the age of 24 with 2 yrs recruitment experience, it is safe to say that Jamie has made lots of mistakes and learnt a hell of a lot on the way!In this episode we discussed:🎙The story of launching JCW after only 2 yrs in recruitment🎙How the business was flying going into the Global Financial Crisis🎙The challenge of managing managers at 30 staff and how he overcame this🎙How he doubled the business since 2018 when he went back into a hands on CEO role🎙The vision he has for the future and why he has no intention of selling 🎙His 3 major learnings for any other owners with aspirations of scaleGenuinely down to earth guy with an insane work ethic, if you would like to ask Jamie any questions directly then please DM him on LinkedInThanks so much for listening to the RAG this season, I value every single one of you!Back in Aug 21 for Season 5 -stay tuned!!---------Sponsors:District4: https://bit.ly/3rSuE01Vincere: https://bit.ly/2zOL43W 

Hannah is the Co-founder and CEO of Meet Recruitment - a 12 year old  international Life Science recruitment agency in London, Berlin, New York and San Francisco.Like many others I have interviewed, Hannah was a graduate of S3 and started Meet with her co-founders at the age of 26!In this episode we discussed:🎙The story of launching Meet from Charlotte St in London in 2009, just after the GFC🎙How they grew the business in the early days and decided to invest in their back office once they hit 10 staff🎙Launching the US business from London in 2013 and later moving to NYC in 2015🎙How 70% of the business NFI is now from the America’s and how the team adapted to make this a huge success🎙 Why they re-branded the back office to be known as ‘The Hub’ and the impact this has had on growth🎙How she has balanced becoming a mother and CEO and her outlook on this topic🎙Why she wants females in our industry to ASK their leadership teams to support them through building a family and not to turn their back on recruitment during this processSuper articulate and powerful, Hannah is an exceptional leader and it is easy to see why! If you would like to speak to Hannah directly, please feel free to DM her on LinkedIn!----Sponsors:Odro: https://bit.ly/35UrBKrVincere: https://bit.ly/2zOL43W

Today’s episode was EPIC! It was funny, serious, honest and inspiring all in one...Andy Larholt is the Founder and CEO of Montash - a 16 year old  international technology recruitment agency in LondonAn exceptional biller at S3 from 18-24 yrs old, Andy launched Montash from his bedroom in his mid 20’s! 16 years later, on his 42nd birthday he has over 50 staff working from London, servicing clients around the world. And what a journey he has had!In this episode we discussed:🎙The story of starting in recruitment at 18 and launching his agency at 24🎙How he spent his early commission on a rolex and a new flat in Canary Wharf (he laughs at this now)🎙The first 8 years of Montash being a small and hugely profitable agency which allowed him a lifestyle that not many people his age have lived!🎙How he decided to grow the business in 2011 and implement process and structure🎙Why he regrets not taking a huge offer to sell the business in 2015🎙HIs decision to step back after this and appoint an MD to grow the business to 3 offices and 100+ staff🎙Why he came back as CEO in 2019 and ‘cut the grass’ to grow a better more scalable business in the futureHigh energy and so many stories, you can’t help but love Andy when you listen! An all round great guy with incredible stories and experience, if you want to know more or ask for some advice then DM him on Linkedin!---------Sponsors:District4: https://bit.ly/3rSuE01Vincere: https://bit.ly/2zOL43W 

I was really excited about today’s episode as my guest was someone who I had heard so much about during my recruitment days.Daniel Fox is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Trilogy International, Forbes Testing and Quantum Six; all specialist businesses within the technology and business change & transformation marketsPrior to this he worked with the same people who trained me during my recruitment days in London, so we shared so many mutual contacts and stories!In this episode we discussed:🎙The story of Dan going from Football Agent to Recruitment Consultant🎙His rise to billing £1.4m per year in his mid 20s🎙Why he decided to leave and start his own company🎙How he and his partner were served a legal letter on day 10 which changed everything 🎙How sticking to a plan of being a contract first, profitable agency helped them ride the COVID wave without furloughing a single employee!Super experienced recruiter with an honest account of what it takes to be a successful recruitment agency founder, Dan is happy to give time to anyone who may want to speak directly!! If you have any questions for him then please contact him via LinkedIn!----Sponsors:Odro: https://bit.ly/35UrBKrVincere: https://bit.ly/2zOL43W

Pleasure to be joined live on LinkedIn with Sam, Co-Founder of Orama Solutions. A specialist agency helping high growth tech companies achieve their scaling ambitions across UK, EU and USA.Sam and his partner Paul started the business in their mid-20’s, in fact only weeks after having the ‘chat’ about a potential start up together, they had quit and were making it happen!In this episode we discussed:🎙The story of starting the business🎙Why they chose to focus on the scale up tech market🎙How they are investing in training and development at 25 people in order to reach the next milestones of 50+🎙How he and Paul split their roles and why it works🎙How they have mirrored their clients by building ‘inside sales’ teamsA young and hugely inspiring founder, any aspiring owner will get massive benefit from Sam’s story! If you have any questions for Sam directly then please contact him via LinkedIn!---------Sponsors:District4: https://bit.ly/3rSuE01Vincere: https://bit.ly/2zOL43W 

What a great chat I had with Andy today, a guy who at the age of 27 took over the helm of a loss making recruitment agency after running a successful contract division of another local recruitment company in Manchester.Now 14 years on, the business has just hit 100 staff and is on a trajectory for substantial growth moving forwardIn this episode we discussed:🎙Why he decided to join Oscar as opposed to starting his own agency 🎙How and why half the office quit when he took over🎙The up and down nature of the business growth🎙How Andy has learnt to balance the focus on immediate results with the patience of driving a long term vision through difficult times🎙Why he believes that the people who work for you should care as much about the business as youSuch a genuine guy with amazing passion for our industry, if you have any questions for Andy directly then please contact him via LinkedIn!-------Sponsors:Odro: https://bit.ly/35UrBKrVincere: https://bit.ly/2zOL43W

Today I was honoured to be joined on The RAG Podcast Live by Bradley, the leader of one of the most reputable recruitment firms in the world today! At the age of 37, Brad has achieved an incredible amount in the recruitment industry.In this episode we discussed:🎙His personal story of starting as  Graduate Recruiter at MatchTech on the south coast of England 🎙His move back to London and supporting Eximius in growing from 8 to 100 staff🎙His move to Spencer Ogden which took him on a plane to Singapore to open their ASIA PAC division🎙How the oil & gas industry crashed as he moved back to the UK to look after EMEA on top of his previous role🎙Taking the CEO role when the founder left the business and how he adapted to this huge position🎙The fight through COVID, the business today and his vision for future growth!Such a relaxed and relatable guy, you can see why so many people choose to work for him!  An incredible brand to learn from, if you would like to chat to Bradley directly please contact them via LinkedIn!---------Sponsors:District4: https://bit.ly/3rSuE01Vincere: https://bit.ly/2zOL43W 

Today I was delighted to be joined on The RAG Podcast Live with Jonathan Keen, the Founder & CEO of Cognitive Group, a 30+ staff recruitment agency experts in Microsoft talent acquisition & recruitment, based in London. Having met Jon on numerous occasions, I knew I was going to enjoy this one!Originally from South Africa, Jon moved to the UK with no recruitment experience and limited funds. Having grown up in a household full of entrepreneurs, he knew this was also going to be his future path.In this episode we discussed:🎙His early life in SA, working for his father’s business 🎙His move to London, staying in a single bedroom for £250 per month🎙How he climbed to top billing status in his previous agency 🎙His startup story and how he parted ways with his business partner in the recession🎙How the pandemic affected the business🎙Mistakes made trying to move into global markets and how he would approach this next time 🎙The business today and his vision for future growth!An articulate and charismatic leader with a clear vision for how he wants to grow his agency, if you would like to chat to Jon directly please contact them via LinkedIn!-------Sponsors:Odro: https://bit.ly/35UrBKrVincere: https://bit.ly/2zOL43W