The Recruiter's Recruitment Podcast

Hosted by Lysha Holmes

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200

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Nov 2026

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About the show

Welcome to The Recruiter's Recruitment Podcast! The Recruiters Recruitment Podcast is listened to from all corners of the globe. Created in the global lockdown of 2020, our audience drop in knowing that they are going to listen to a guest who is a knowledgable leader in their industry willingly sharing their professional and often personal journeys to enable YOU, our precious listener, a chance to learn, self-development and above all else, reflect on your own life and experience. A safe place where we hope to allow you to learn something. Our host - Lysha Holmes has been in the recruitment industry for almost a quarter of a century and for most of that duration, has championed best practise in the Rec2Rec sphere. A vocal advocate for well-being, Lysha talks openly about sobriety, and her life as a solo parent all whilst running a recruitment business. Here we are now in 2026- with Season 7 which will focus on the holistic approach to leadership with more experts and inspiring voices from across the recruitment industry and beyond, sharing their experiences with you, our cherished listener! The Recruiter's Recruitment Podcast is for those who are aspiring future leaders, those who want to improve themselves on their recruitment journey and also those who are running companies now to learn from their peers. Above all else, we hope you find the podcast to be a positive inspiring place to be. Watch all the episodes over on our YouTube channel- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEiVMynhdhSz4Qzu2gguHG TRRP is now part of The Recruitment Podcast Network - https://recruitmentpodcastnetwork.com/ ---------- The Recruiter's Recruitment Podcast is proudly sponsored by Paiger and Atlas, and partnered with Bristow & Hardy and Keybridge IT Solutions. Our sponsors: Paiger - Making Recruiters Smarter and Faster. Paiger helps recruiters build personal brands, identify new business opportunities, attract candidates, and have better conversations. Find out more about Paiger: https://paiger.co/ Atlas - Imagine a recruitment platform that was built from the ground up using the latest in generative AI technology. A platform that combines your favourite 10 tools into one simple UI with perfect integration out of the box. Imagine all your mundane tasks automated. The result? You'll generate 50% more revenue. Find out more about Atlas: https://recruitwithatlas.com/ Our partners: Bristow & Hardy partners with SME recruitment agencies to accelerate growth through sales enablement and recruitment marketing. With over 7 years’ experience, we specialise exclusively in the recruitment sector, delivering strategy, branding, websites, marketing campaigns, and sales support. Our proven growth suite of products helps agencies attract more clients, win more business, and scale efficiently. https://www.bristowandhardy.co.uk/ Keybridge IT Solutions is a London-based Fully Managed IT Support and solutions Provider - Providing 24×7 Support to all Customers. Specialities include Microsoft Cloud, including Office 365, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure, Security, Internet Connectivity, VoIP, and much more. https://www.keybridgeit.com/ Don't forget to like and subscribe to our podcast and stay tuned for our episodes! ***Add your placement song to our podcast playlist! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0MJf3d4gnZNeBjtPqhAfrW?si=pOELhntxSYuPNyWRLHbhgg

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November 9, 202646 min

EP345: Why Trust Wins in Recruitment - Benjamin Mena, Managing Partner, Select Source Solutions

What separates the elite recruiters from everyone else? Is it sales, marketing, AI, personal branding, or simply working harder? According to Benjamin Mena, Managing Partner of Select Source Solutions and host of the Elite Recruiter Podcast, the answer is a combination of all these things — but there's one ingredient that matters more than ever: trust . In this episode of The Recruiter's Recruitment Podcast, Lysha Holmes sits down with Benjamin for a genuinely insightful conversation about what it takes to succeed in recruitment today, and what the future might look like as we head towards 2027. Benjamin shares his experience across both internal and external recruitment, challenging the outdated assumption that internal recruiters are somehow failed agency recruiters. With experience supporting major government programmes and filling critical roles across the data and cyber space, he explains why understanding the client's internal mission can make you a far more valuable recruitment partner. They also explore why the recruitment industry is moving from an attention economy to a trust economy, and how recruiters can build businesses that generate inbound opportunities rather than relying on endless cold outreach. From using podcasts to manufacture trust and build meaningful relationships, to the power of personal branding, community, AI and authentic conversations, Benjamin shares what he's seeing among the recruiters who are genuinely thriving. 🔗 Connect with the guest Benjamin Mena: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminmena/ Select Source Solutions: https://www.selectsourcesolutions.com/ 🔗 Connect with the host Lysha Holmes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyshaholmesr2r/ Qui Recruitment: https://www.quirecruitment.co.uk/ The Recruiter’s Recruitment Podcast is part of the Recruitment Podcast Network: https://recruitmentpodcastnetwork.com Follow the podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@therecruitersrecruitmentpod https://the-recruiters-recruitment-podcast.captivate.fm/ —————— The Recruiter's Recruitment Podcast is proudly sponsored by Paiger and Atlas , and partnered with Bristow & Hardy and Keybridge IT Solutions . Our sponsors: Paiger - Making Recruiters Smarter and Faster. Paiger helps recruiters build personal brands, identify new business opportunities, attract candidates, and have better conversations. Find out more about Paiger: https://paiger.co/ Atlas - Imagine a recruitment platform that was built from the ground up using the latest in generative AI technology. A platform that combines your favourite 10 tools into one simple UI with perfect integration out of the box. Imagine all your mundane tasks automated. The result? You'll generate 50% more revenue. Find out more about Atlas: https://recruitwithatlas.com/ Our partners: Bristow & Hardy partners with SME recruitment agencies to accelerate growth through sales enablement and recruitment marketing. With over 7 years’ experience, we specialise exclusively in the recruitment sector, delivering strategy, branding, websites, marketing campaigns, and sales support. Our proven growth suite of products helps agencies attract more clients, win more business, and scale efficiently. https://www.bristowandhardy.co.uk/ Keybridge IT Solutions is a London-based Fully Managed IT Support and solutions Provider - Providing 24×7 Support to all Customers. Specialities include Microsoft Cloud, including Office 365, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure, Security, Internet Connectivity, VoIP, and much more. https://www.keybridgeit.com/ #Recruitment #RecruitmentPodcast #RecruitmentLeadership #RecruitmentBusiness #RecruitmentFounders #EliteRecruiter #PersonalBranding #TrustEconomy #RecruitmentMarketing #AIinRecruitment #TalentAcquisition #BusinessDevelopment #RecruitmentTechnology #Leadership #Entrepreneurship

November 2, 202629 min

EP344: How AI Can Put Your Top Biller on Every Desk - Roheel Ahmad, Founder, Imagine AI

What if your CRM didn't just make recruiters faster, but actually made them better at recruitment? In this episode of The Recruiter's Recruitment Podcast, Lysha Holmes welcomes back Roheel Ahmad , CEO and Founder of Imagine AI , for a fascinating conversation about how AI is changing the way recruitment businesses operate, develop their people and drive performance. Having built and led successful recruitment businesses, including Forsyth Barnes, Roheel understands the frustrations recruiters face with traditional CRM systems. Too much data entry, too many disconnected platforms and too much valuable information sitting in databases without ever being turned into business. That's why he created Imagine AI: a platform designed to go beyond automation and deliver what he calls CRM improvement . Roheel shares how Imagine AI is helping recruitment businesses put their best practices into action, identify buying signals, improve candidate matching and use real conversation data to develop recruiters. The ambition? To put your top biller on every desk. But this conversation goes much deeper than technology. Lysha and Roheel explore why so many recruitment leaders have never received formal management or leadership training, why businesses need to get their expectations out of their heads and onto paper, and how structured playbooks can transform everything from business development to interviewing and performance management. They also discuss the importance of retaining great people, the future of AI in recruitment and why the real opportunity isn't replacing recruiters, but helping them become better at the parts of the job that matter most. Roheel brings a unique perspective to the AI conversation because he's not just building technology. He's lived the challenges of running a recruitment business and understands what recruiters actually need from their systems. If you're a recruitment founder, owner, leader or consultant thinking about how to get more from your people, your data and your technology, this is an episode you won't want to miss. 🔗 Connect with the guest Roheel Ahmad: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roheelahmad/ Imagine AI: https://www.imagine-ai.com/ 🔗 Connect with the host Lysha Holmes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyshaholmesr2r/ Qui Recruitment: https://www.quirecruitment.co.uk/ The Recruiter’s Recruitment Podcast is part of the Recruitment Podcast Network: https://recruitmentpodcastnetwork.com Follow the podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@therecruitersrecruitmentpod https://the-recruiters-recruitment-podcast.captivate.fm/ —————— The Recruiter's Recruitment Podcast is proudly sponsored by Paiger and Atlas , and partnered with Bristow & Hardy and Keybridge IT Solutions . Our sponsors: Paiger — Making Recruiters Smarter and Faster Paiger helps recruiters build personal brands, identify new business, attract candidates and have better conversations. https://paiger.co/ Atlas — Recruitment powered by the latest in generative AI A recruitment platform that combines your favourite ten tools into one simple user interface with perfect integration out of the box. https://recruitwithatlas.com/ Our partners: Bristow & Hardy works exclusively with SME recruitment agencies on growth through sales enablement and recruitment marketing, including strategy, branding, websites, campaigns and sales support. https://www.bristowandhardy.co.uk/ Keybridge IT Solutions is a London-based provider offering 24×7 support, specialising in Microsoft Cloud, Microsoft 365, Azure, security, connectivity and VoIP. https://www.keybridgeit.com/ #Recruitment #RecruitmentPodcast #RecruitmentTechnology #ArtificialIntelligence #RecruitmentAI #ImagineAI #RecruitmentCRM #RecruitmentLeadership #RecruitmentBusiness #RecruitmentFounders #TalentAcquisition #RecruitmentTraining #RecruitmentPerformance #BusinessGrowth #TheRecruitersRecruitmentPodcast

October 26, 202646 min

EP343: Why Transactional Recruitment Is Dying - Kirk Evans & Ant Davidson, Co-Founders, Nter Talent

What does it take to build a recruitment business that stands out in a crowded market, wins long-term client partnerships and scales without losing sight of its people? In this episode of The Recruiter's Recruitment Podcast, Lysha Holmes is joined by Kirk Evans and Ant Davidson , Co-Founders of Nter Talent , for an honest, funny and refreshingly direct conversation about building a recruitment business differently. Having launched Nter Talent in 2023, Kirk and Ant have built their business around a clear belief: transactional recruitment is dying, and clients need more than another agency competing on fees. Their approach focuses on embedded partnerships, tailored talent solutions and transparent data that demonstrates real value. In this episode, they share: - Why transactional recruitment is losing its appeal: How moving beyond individual placements to embedded partnerships can help recruiters become indispensable to their clients. - Building a recruitment business with purpose: Why they chose external investment, the importance of shared values and how complementary leadership styles have helped them grow together. - Scaling through specialisation: How their central delivery team, sector-focused approach and land-and-expand strategy help clients recruit across functions and international markets, including the US. - Creating accountability as a founder: Why leaders should remain hands-on, generate revenue and avoid becoming bottlenecks as their teams develop. - Rethinking recruitment training: Why Nter Talent is investing in a three-month cohort-based training programme for people new to recruitment, prioritising resilience, personality and potential over experience alone. Kirk and Ant also discuss the realities of launching in a challenging market, the importance of being transparent with clients, and why keeping recruitment simple can be far more effective than overcomplicating the sales process. If you're a recruitment founder thinking about your growth strategy, a leader looking to build a stronger team, or a recruiter questioning whether the traditional agency model is still fit for purpose, this episode offers plenty to consider. 🔗 Connect with the guests Kirk Evans: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirk-evans-5b6685270/ Ant Davidson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ant-davidson-ntertalent/ Nter Talent: https://www.ntertalent.com/ 🔗 Connect with the host Lysha Holmes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyshaholmesr2r/ Qui Recruitment: https://www.quirecruitment.co.uk/ The Recruiter’s Recruitment Podcast is proud to be part of the Recruitment Podcast Network: https://recruitmentpodcastnetwork.com Follow the podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@therecruitersrecruitmentpod https://the-recruiters-recruitment-podcast.captivate.fm/ —————— The Recruiter's Recruitment Podcast is proudly sponsored by Paiger and Atlas , and partnered with Bristow & Hardy and Keybridge IT Solutions . SPONSORS Paiger — Making Recruiters Smarter and Faster Paiger helps recruiters build personal brands, identify new business, attract candidates and have better conversations. https://paiger.co/ Atlas — Recruitment powered by generative AI A recruitment platform combining 10 tools in one integrated UI and automating mundane tasks. Its stated result: “You'll generate 50% more revenue.” https://recruitwithatlas.com/ PARTNERS Bristow & Hardy — Recruitment growth specialists Working exclusively with SME recruitment agencies on growth through sales enablement and recruitment marketing, including strategy, branding, websites, campaigns and sales support. https://www.bristowandhardy.co.uk/ Keybridge IT Solutions — Managed IT support and solutions A London-based provider offering 24×7 support, specialising in Microsoft Cloud, Microsoft 365, Azure, security, connectivity and VoIP. https://www.keybridgeit.com/ #Recruitment #RecruitmentBusiness #RecruitmentFounders #RecruitmentLeadership #EmbeddedRecruitment #TalentSolutions #BusinessGrowth #RecruitmentTraining #TalentAcquisition #NterTalent #RecruitersRecruitmentPodcast

October 19, 202649 min

EP342: Building a High-Performance Recruitment Business with AI - Dave Radford, Founder, 7X Partners

What does it take to build a high-performance recruitment business in the age of AI? On this episode of The Recruiter’s Recruitment Podcast, Lysha Holmes speaks with Dave Radford, Founder of 7X Partners, about building, scaling and leading recruitment businesses — and what he has learned from doing it more than once. Dave shares his journey from Nike and retail into recruitment, launching his first recruitment business, navigating the extraordinary post-Covid boom and crash, scaling larger teams, and ultimately returning to entrepreneurship with 7X Partners. They discuss why getting a recruitment business beyond 10 people can be so difficult, why niche specialisation is increasingly important, and how recruiters can build deeper relationships with a defined market rather than trying to be everything to everyone. Dave also shares his vision for combining traditional recruitment values with modern AI and technology. From smarter CRMs and automated workflows to identifying market signals such as funding, leadership changes and new hires, he explains how technology can create a platform for recruiters to perform at a higher level — without losing the human element. The conversation also explores high-performance culture, wellbeing, empowering recruiters to approach CEOs and senior decision-makers, working with VC-backed businesses, and the lessons Dave has taken from his previous ventures into building 7X Partners. Who this episode is for: • Recruitment business owners and founders • Recruiters looking to scale their careers or businesses • Leaders navigating growth beyond 10 employees • Recruiters interested in AI and recruitment technology • Anyone interested in recruitment culture, leadership and high performance 🔗 Connect with the guest Dave Radford: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-radford-57a096138/ 7X Partners: https://7xpartners.ai/ 🔗 Connect with the host Lysha Holmes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyshaholmesr2r/ Qui Recruitment: https://www.quirecruitment.co.uk/ The Recruiter’s Recruitment Podcast is proud to be part of the Recruitment Podcast Network: https://recruitmentpodcastnetwork.com Follow the podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@therecruitersrecruitmentpod https://the-recruiters-recruitment-podcast.captivate.fm/ —————— The Recruiter's Recruitment Podcast is proudly sponsored by Paiger and Atlas , and partnered with Bristow & Hardy and Keybridge IT Solutions . Our sponsors: Paiger - Making Recruiters Smarter and Faster. Paiger helps recruiters build personal brands, identify new business opportunities, attract candidates, and have better conversations. Find out more about Paiger: https://paiger.co/ Atlas - Imagine a recruitment platform that was built from the ground up using the latest in generative AI technology. A platform that combines your favourite 10 tools into one simple UI with perfect integration out of the box. Imagine all your mundane tasks automated. The result? You'll generate 50% more revenue. Find out more about Atlas: https://recruitwithatlas.com/ Our partners: Bristow & Hardy partners with SME recruitment agencies to accelerate growth through sales enablement and recruitment marketing. With over 7 years’ experience, we specialise exclusively in the recruitment sector, delivering strategy, branding, websites, marketing campaigns, and sales support. Our proven growth suite of products helps agencies attract more clients, win more business, and scale efficiently. https://www.bristowandhardy.co.uk/ Keybridge IT Solutions is a London-based Fully Managed IT Support and solutions Provider - Providing 24×7 Support to all Customers. Specialities include Microsoft Cloud, including Office 365, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure, Security, Internet Connectivity, VoIP, and much more. https://www.keybridgeit.com/ #Recruitment #RecruitmentPodcast #RecruitmentBusiness #RecruitmentLeadership #AIRecruitment #RecruitmentTechnology #RecruitmentEntrepreneur #Leadership #CompanyCulture #7XPartners

October 5, 202637 min

EP341: Building a PROPA Lifestyle Business in Recruitment - Sophie Booth, Co-Owner, We Are PROPA

In this episode of The Recruiter’s Recruitment Podcast, host Lysha Holmes chats with Sophie Booth, co-founder of We Are PROPA, about recruitment, entrepreneurship, building a business around your life, and why the traditional recruitment model is changing. Sophie shares her journey into recruitment and the personal circumstances that ultimately led her to launch a business with Sarah Hardy. They discuss the realities of balancing recruitment leadership with life outside work, the importance of flexibility, and why building a “lifestyle business” can be something to be proud of. Sophie explains how Hardy Booth evolved into We Are PROPA after recognising that property recruitment was where their expertise, clients and passion naturally aligned. She also talks about the thinking behind the rebrand, the PROPA framework — Pursuit, Reality, Options, Pinpoint and Actions — and how it reflects their more strategic approach to recruitment and people consulting. The conversation also explores the impact of recent changes to tenants’ rights and employment legislation on property businesses, including changing workforce requirements, property management recruitment and the challenges facing independent landlords. There’s plenty of discussion around why transactional recruitment is becoming less relevant, the value of genuine consultation, attraction, hiring, onboarding and retention, and how recruiters can build deeper relationships with clients. And, of course, Sophie and Lysha talk about We Are PROPA’s brilliantly entertaining social media content, networking, personal branding and the importance of finding the right people around you when building a business. 🔗 Connect with the guest Sophie Booth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiepropa/ We Are PROPA: https://www.wearepropa.com/ 🔗 Connect with the host Lysha Holmes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyshaholmesr2r/ Qui Recruitment: https://www.quirecruitment.co.uk/ The Recruiter’s Recruitment Podcast is proud to be part of the Recruitment Podcast Network: https://recruitmentpodcastnetwork.com Follow the podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@therecruitersrecruitmentpod https://the-recruiters-recruitment-podcast.captivate.fm/ —————— The Recruiter's Recruitment Podcast is proudly sponsored by Paiger and Atlas , and partnered with Bristow & Hardy and Keybridge IT Solutions . Our sponsors: Paiger - Making Recruiters Smarter and Faster. Paiger helps recruiters build personal brands, identify new business opportunities, attract candidates, and have better conversations. Find out more about Paiger: https://paiger.co/ Atlas - Imagine a recruitment platform that was built from the ground up using the latest in generative AI technology. A platform that combines your favourite 10 tools into one simple UI with perfect integration out of the box. Imagine all your mundane tasks automated. The result? You'll generate 50% more revenue. Find out more about Atlas: https://recruitwithatlas.com/ Our partners: Bristow & Hardy partners with SME recruitment agencies to accelerate growth through sales enablement and recruitment marketing. With over 7 years’ experience, we specialise exclusively in the recruitment sector, delivering strategy, branding, websites, marketing campaigns, and sales support. Our proven growth suite of products helps agencies attract more clients, win more business, and scale efficiently. https://www.bristowandhardy.co.uk/ Keybridge IT Solutions is a London-based Fully Managed IT Support and solutions Provider - Providing 24×7 Support to all Customers. Specialities include Microsoft Cloud, including Office 365, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure, Security, Internet Connectivity, VoIP, and much more. https://www.keybridgeit.com/ #Recruitment #RecruitmentPodcast #RecruitmentBusiness #RecruitmentLeadership #PropertyRecruitment #RecruitmentEntrepreneur #Entrepreneurship #LifestyleBusiness #WeArePROPA #RecruitmentStrategy

September 28, 202648 min

EP340: People, Passion & Profit - Jo Gregory, Recruitment Training & Growth Advisor, CEO & Founder

Lysha Holmes welcomes back Jo Gregory to the Recruiter’s Recruitment Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about where recruitment is heading, how recruiters can stay relevant in an AI-enabled world, and what it really takes to build high-performing recruitment businesses. This episode explores why recruitment remains a people business, even as technology transforms how we work. Jo shares her perspective on using AI to enhance rather than replace human skills, why transactional CV-sending is becoming increasingly outdated, and why consultative recruitment, problem-solving and genuine relationships will remain essential. They also dive into the next generation of recruitment talent, including Gen Z and the future Gen Alpha workforce. What skills should recruiters be developing? How can businesses attract younger talent without trying to turn them into copies of existing recruiters? And why are coachability, curiosity, emotional intelligence and communication becoming increasingly important? Jo also discusses building high-performance teams, blended learning, recruitment and retention, creating stronger cultures and why founders should focus on maximising the people they already have rather than simply increasing headcount. Beyond recruitment, Jo talks about her work with The Hummingbird Project and its “Freetail” movement, exploring purpose, giving back and how lessons from building high-growth businesses can translate into the charity sector. 🔗 Connect with the guest Jo Gregory: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jogregory/ The Hummingbird Project: https://hummingbirdhubs.co.uk/ Baby Bank Alliance: https://babybankalliance.org/ i-intro: https://www.i-intro.com/ Add your “placement song” to our playlist — the more, the better! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0MJf3d4gnZNeBjtPqhAfrW 🔗 Connect with the host Lysha Holmes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyshaholmesr2r/ Qui Recruitment: https://www.quirecruitment.co.uk/ The Recruiter’s Recruitment Podcast is proud to be part of the Recruitment Podcast Network: https://recruitmentpodcastnetwork.com Follow the podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@therecruitersrecruitmentpod https://the-recruiters-recruitment-podcast.captivate.fm/ —————— The Recruiter's Recruitment Podcast is proudly sponsored by Paiger and Atlas , and partnered with Bristow & Hardy and Keybridge IT Solutions . Our sponsors: Paiger - Making Recruiters Smarter and Faster. Paiger helps recruiters build personal brands, identify new business opportunities, attract candidates, and have better conversations. Find out more about Paiger: https://paiger.co/ Atlas - Imagine a recruitment platform that was built from the ground up using the latest in generative AI technology. A platform that combines your favourite 10 tools into one simple UI with perfect integration out of the box. Imagine all your mundane tasks automated. The result? You'll generate 50% more revenue. Find out more about Atlas: https://recruitwithatlas.com/ Our partners: Bristow & Hardy partners with SME recruitment agencies to accelerate growth through sales enablement and recruitment marketing. With over 7 years’ experience, we specialise exclusively in the recruitment sector, delivering strategy, branding, websites, marketing campaigns, and sales support. Our proven growth suite of products helps agencies attract more clients, win more business, and scale efficiently. https://www.bristowandhardy.co.uk/ Keybridge IT Solutions is a London-based Fully Managed IT Support and solutions Provider - Providing 24×7 Support to all Customers. Specialities include Microsoft Cloud, including Office 365, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure, Security, Internet Connectivity, VoIP, and much more. https://www.keybridgeit.com/ #Recruitment #RecruitmentIndustry #RecruitmentPodcast #AI #FutureOfRecruitment #GenZ #RecruitmentTraining #TalentAcquisition #Leadership #HighPerformance #RecruitmentTech

September 21, 202635 min

EP339: Building a High-Performance Culture That Works - Max Learmonth, Founder of Forge Talent

The Recruiter’s Recruitment Podcast returns with Lysha Holmes joined by Max Learmonth , Founder of Forge Talent , for a candid conversation about recruitment, authenticity, culture and what it really takes to build a high-performing team. Max is known for his unapologetically honest presence on LinkedIn, so Lysha starts by exploring the thinking behind his content, why authenticity matters, and why recruiters and founders should focus on being themselves rather than copying what everyone else is doing. The conversation then moves into the foundations of Forge Talent’s growth, including Max’s relationship-led approach to business development and why face-to-face meetings remain such a powerful tool for understanding clients, their businesses and their cultures. Max shares why Forge Talent expects its team to meet 8–12 people every week and how getting out into the market accelerates industry knowledge, credibility and relationships. A major focus of the episode is high performance. What does it actually mean? How do you recognise high-potential recruiters? And how do you create a culture where ambitious people can challenge the status quo and grow together? Max discusses the qualities he looks for, including high energy, enthusiasm, curiosity, accountability, continuous learning and collaboration — while also sharing advice for people looking to break into recruitment and find the right company culture for them. The episode also looks ahead to Forge Talent’s plans for growth, including its new 30-person office, expanding team and ambition to become a dominant recruitment business in the North West. 🔗 Connect with the guest Max Learmonth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-learmonth-17913782/ Forge Talent: https://www.linkedin.com/company/forge-talent-rec/ 🔗 Connect with the host Lysha Holmes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyshaholmesr2r/ Qui Recruitment: https://www.quirecruitment.co.uk/ The Recruiter’s Recruitment Podcast is proud to be part of the Recruitment Podcast Network: https://recruitmentpodcastnetwork.com Follow the podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@therecruitersrecruitmentpod https://the-recruiters-recruitment-podcast.captivate.fm/ —————— The Recruiter's Recruitment Podcast is proudly sponsored by Paiger and Atlas , and partnered with Bristow & Hardy and Keybridge IT Solutions . Our sponsors: Paiger - Making Recruiters Smarter and Faster. Paiger helps recruiters build personal brands, identify new business opportunities, attract candidates, and have better conversations. Find out more about Paiger: https://paiger.co/ Atlas - Imagine a recruitment platform that was built from the ground up using the latest in generative AI technology. A platform that combines your favourite 10 tools into one simple UI with perfect integration out of the box. Imagine all your mundane tasks automated. The result? You'll generate 50% more revenue. Find out more about Atlas: https://recruitwithatlas.com/ Our partners: Bristow & Hardy partners with SME recruitment agencies to accelerate growth through sales enablement and recruitment marketing. With over 7 years’ experience, we specialise exclusively in the recruitment sector, delivering strategy, branding, websites, marketing campaigns, and sales support. Our proven growth suite of products helps agencies attract more clients, win more business, and scale efficiently. https://www.bristowandhardy.co.uk/ Keybridge IT Solutions is a London-based Fully Managed IT Support and solutions Provider - Providing 24×7 Support to all Customers. Specialities include Microsoft Cloud, including Office 365, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure, Security, Internet Connectivity, VoIP, and much more. https://www.keybridgeit.com/ #Recruitment #RecruitmentPodcast #TheRecruitersRecruitmentPodcast #RecruitmentLeadership #HighPerformance #RecruitmentCulture #TalentAcquisition #RecruitmentCareers #ForgeTalent #LinkedIn #BusinessDevelopment

September 14, 202645 min

EP338: £1m Months to Starting Again: Lessons Learned with John Gaughan, Founder of It’s Just You

What happens when a recruitment business that once looked unstoppable suddenly collapses? And what can you learn from rebuilding after it? In this episode of The Recruiter’s Recruitment Podcast, Lysha Holmes is joined by John Gaughan , Founder of It’s Just You and former CEO of Finlay James , for an unusually open and honest conversation about 31 years in recruitment. John shares the real story behind building Finlay James from two people in a small Manchester office into an international recruitment business with offices in San Francisco and Chicago — including £1m months and a £2m quarter — before the market changed and the business ultimately went into liquidation. They discuss: • The lessons John learned from failure and why he has no regrets • How Finlay James pioneered flexible working with “Project Freedom” • Why John favoured developing rookie recruiters rather than relying on experienced hires • The 1:80 blended recruitment model and the importance of getting collaboration right • Why daily team communication and “processing cadence” can uncover placements that technology can miss • The two recruitment ratios every agency should know: job-to-placement and first-interview-to-placement • How understanding your numbers can empower recruiters and remove micromanagement • What AI can and cannot replace in recruitment • Building career development plans and creating opportunities for the next generation • John’s transition from running a large recruitment business to advising other recruitment leaders If you’re a recruitment founder, leader, manager or recruiter looking to improve your processes, understand your numbers, develop talent and build a more resilient business, this is a must-listen. Who this episode is for: Recruitment business owners, agency leaders, recruitment managers, experienced recruiters and anyone considering a career in recruitment. 🔗 Connect with the guest John Gaughan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johngaughanfja/ It’s Just You: https://www.linkedin.com/company/it-s-just-you/ 🔗 Connect with the host Lysha Holmes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyshaholmesr2r/ Qui Recruitment: https://www.quirecruitment.co.uk/ The Recruiter’s Recruitment Podcast is proud to be part of the Recruitment Podcast Network: https://recruitmentpodcastnetwork.com Follow the podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@therecruitersrecruitmentpod https://the-recruiters-recruitment-podcast.captivate.fm/ —————— The Recruiter's Recruitment Podcast is proudly sponsored by Paiger and Atlas , and partnered with Bristow & Hardy and Keybridge IT Solutions . Our sponsors: Paiger - Making Recruiters Smarter and Faster. Paiger helps recruiters build personal brands, identify new business opportunities, attract candidates, and have better conversations. Find out more about Paiger: https://paiger.co/ Atlas - Imagine a recruitment platform that was built from the ground up using the latest in generative AI technology. A platform that combines your favourite 10 tools into one simple UI with perfect integration out of the box. Imagine all your mundane tasks automated. The result? You'll generate 50% more revenue. Find out more about Atlas: https://recruitwithatlas.com/ Our partners: Bristow & Hardy partners with SME recruitment agencies to accelerate growth through sales enablement and recruitment marketing. With over 7 years’ experience, we specialise exclusively in the recruitment sector, delivering strategy, branding, websites, marketing campaigns, and sales support. Our proven growth suite of products helps agencies attract more clients, win more business, and scale efficiently. https://www.bristowandhardy.co.uk/ Keybridge IT Solutions is a London-based Fully Managed IT Support and solutions Provider - Providing 24×7 Support to all Customers. Specialities include Microsoft Cloud, including Office 365, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure, Security, Internet Connectivity, VoIP, and much more. https://www.keybridgeit.com/ #Recruitment #RecruitmentPodcast #RecruitmentLeadership #RecruitmentAgency #RecruitmentTraining #RecruitmentTechnology #AIRecruitment #RecruitmentIndustry #RecTalk

September 7, 202649 min

EP337: How AI & Data-Driven Leaderboards Let Recruiters Recruit! - Jordan Shlosberg, Founder, Atlas

What happens when you stop forcing recruiters to work around their CRM and instead build technology around how recruiters actually work? In this episode of The Recruiter’s Recruitment Podcast, host Lysha Holmes chats with Jordan Shlosberg , Founder of Atlas , about the future of recruitment technology, the value of recruiter conversations and why the human side of recruitment still matters in an increasingly AI-driven industry. Jordan shares the story behind Atlas, from his previous businesses and lessons learned to identifying a fundamental problem in recruitment: recruiters need systems to scale, but traditional CRMs can take valuable time away from revenue-generating activity. They discuss: Why recruitment data is one of an agency’s most valuable assets How AI can turn conversations and activity into usable business intelligence Why CRM systems should help recruiters recruit rather than create more admin The importance of structuring and retaining intellectual property when people leave a business How post-AI software is being built differently from legacy platforms Recruitment market trends, agency growth and what Jordan is seeing across Atlas customers The future of AI-generated communication and personalised tone of voice Using CRM data to create more meaningful revenue forecasting Why recruitment marketing and LinkedIn engagement matter more than many recruiters realise How Atlas’ data-driven leaderboards measure recruitment influence and engagement Jordan also explains where Atlas is heading next, including forecasting technology designed to help recruiters and founders understand what revenue could be coming down the line. 🔗 Connect with the guest Jordan Shlosberg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanshlosberg/ Atlas: https://recruitwithatlas.com/ 🔗 Connect with the host Lysha Holmes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyshaholmesr2r/ Qui Recruitment: https://www.quirecruitment.co.uk/ The Recruiter’s Recruitment Podcast is proud to be part of the Recruitment Podcast Network: https://recruitmentpodcastnetwork.com Follow the podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@therecruitersrecruitmentpod https://the-recruiters-recruitment-podcast.captivate.fm/ —————— The Recruiter's Recruitment Podcast is proudly sponsored by Paiger and Atlas , and partnered with Bristow & Hardy and Keybridge IT Solutions . Our sponsors: Paiger - Making Recruiters Smarter and Faster. Paiger helps recruiters build personal brands, identify new business opportunities, attract candidates, and have better conversations. Find out more about Paiger: https://paiger.co/ Atlas - Imagine a recruitment platform that was built from the ground up using the latest in generative AI technology. A platform that combines your favourite 10 tools into one simple UI with perfect integration out of the box. Imagine all your mundane tasks automated. The result? You'll generate 50% more revenue. Find out more about Atlas: https://recruitwithatlas.com/ Our partners: Bristow & Hardy partners with SME recruitment agencies to accelerate growth through sales enablement and recruitment marketing. With over 7 years’ experience, we specialise exclusively in the recruitment sector, delivering strategy, branding, websites, marketing campaigns, and sales support. Our proven growth suite of products helps agencies attract more clients, win more business, and scale efficiently. https://www.bristowandhardy.co.uk/ Keybridge IT Solutions is a London-based Fully Managed IT Support and solutions Provider - Providing 24×7 Support to all Customers. Specialities include Microsoft Cloud, including Office 365, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure, Security, Internet Connectivity, VoIP, and much more. https://www.keybridgeit.com/ #Recruitment #RecruitmentPodcast #RecruitmentTechnology #AI #RecruitmentCRM #Recruiters #RecruitmentBusiness #TalentAcquisition #LinkedIn #Atlas

September 1, 202638 min

EP336: How Intelligent Businesses are Winning in Recruitment - Darren Westall, Co-Founder, Paiger

Lysha Holmes welcomes back Darren Westall , Co-Founder of Paiger , for a wide-ranging conversation about business development, recruitment technology and what it really takes to thrive in the next phase of the industry. Darren shares his journey from becoming a CTO at 28 to founding Paiger, and explains how the platform has evolved into an AI-powered revenue layer focused on helping recruiters improve productivity, business development and GP per recruiter. The conversation explores why quality BD still matters, why “smile and dial” is dead, and how recruiters can use AI to research prospects, prioritise the best opportunities, identify hiring signals and create more targeted outreach. Darren also demonstrates Paiger Intelligence, including ideal customer profiles, market signals, research, contact discovery, personalised outreach and LinkedIn content. But this episode goes beyond technology. Lysha and Darren discuss the growing importance of KPIs, strategic hiring, productivity over headcount, and the dangers of building too much technology internally around a single employee. They also tackle the big question around AI: how do recruitment businesses use it to enable great people rather than replace them? With recruitment businesses beginning to grow again after a challenging period, Darren and Lysha look at why this could be the start of a healthier, more sustainable cycle for the industry — one built around expertise, better processes, smarter technology and keeping recruitment human. WHO THIS EPISODE IS FOR Recruitment business owners, agency leaders, recruiters, BD teams, operations leaders and anyone thinking about how AI, technology and better processes can drive sustainable growth. 🔗 Connect with the guest Darren Westall: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrenwestall/ Paiger: https://paiger.co/ 🔗 Connect with the host Lysha Holmes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyshaholmesr2r/ Qui Recruitment: https://www.quirecruitment.co.uk/ The Recruiter’s Recruitment Podcast is proud to be part of the Recruitment Podcast Network: https://recruitmentpodcastnetwork.com Follow the podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@therecruitersrecruitmentpod https://the-recruiters-recruitment-podcast.captivate.fm/ —————— The Recruiter's Recruitment Podcast is proudly sponsored by Paiger and Atlas , and partnered with Bristow & Hardy and Keybridge IT Solutions . Our sponsors: Paiger - Making Recruiters Smarter and Faster. Paiger helps recruiters build personal brands, identify new business opportunities, attract candidates, and have better conversations. Find out more about Paiger: https://paiger.co/ Atlas - Imagine a recruitment platform that was built from the ground up using the latest in generative AI technology. A platform that combines your favourite 10 tools into one simple UI with perfect integration out of the box. Imagine all your mundane tasks automated. The result? You'll generate 50% more revenue. Find out more about Atlas: https://recruitwithatlas.com/ Our partners: Bristow & Hardy partners with SME recruitment agencies to accelerate growth through sales enablement and recruitment marketing. With over 7 years’ experience, we specialise exclusively in the recruitment sector, delivering strategy, branding, websites, marketing campaigns, and sales support. Our proven growth suite of products helps agencies attract more clients, win more business, and scale efficiently. https://www.bristowandhardy.co.uk/ Keybridge IT Solutions is a London-based Fully Managed IT Support and solutions Provider - Providing 24×7 Support to all Customers. Specialities include Microsoft Cloud, including Office 365, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure, Security, Internet Connectivity, VoIP, and much more. https://www.keybridgeit.com/ #Recruitment #RecruitmentPodcast #RecruitmentTechnology #BusinessDevelopment #AI #RecruitmentAI #TalentAcquisition #RecruitmentLeaders #Paiger #TheRecruitersRecruitmentPodcast