How Contract and Perm Revenue Fueled Our £2.6M Growth in Two Years, with Stuart Barnes

Why has your LinkedIn reach dropped even though your content is better and your audience is growing? You’re not imagining things. LinkedIn changed the rules in 2025, and in this episode, LinkedIn algorithm expert Richard van der Blom breaks down exactly what’s changed—and how recruiters can adjust to stay visible and competitive. You’ll discover why organic reach is down by 50%+ for most users and how LinkedIn has shifted focus from virality to relevance. Richard shares how to realign your content strategy based on your goals—whether you’re looking to increase reach, drive engagement, or generate client and candidate leads. We also unpack the five content pillars that top-performing recruiters use, the formats that LinkedIn is rewarding right now (like vertical native video and carousels), and why relying solely on job posts or text-only content can quietly kill your visibility. Richard goes even deeper, revealing his proven process for creating “hybrid” content—written by humans but enhanced by AI—to dramatically improve structure, hooks, and engagement without losing authenticity. Episode Highlights: [3:25] How Richard reverse-engineered LinkedIn’s algorithm manually [8:35] LinkedIn confirms reach is down 50%+—here’s why [12:37] The 5 content types that drive performance in 2025 [18:42] Why recruiters need variety to maintain reach and engagement [21:21] Post formats that are working best and which are declining. [26:10] When selfies help—and when they hurt your reach [28:07] Using polls to generate leads and market insights [32:02] Why hybrid content (human + AI) outperforms both extremes [35:51] Why LinkedIn’s built-in AI tools aren’t your best option Key Takeaways for Recruiters: Fix Your Reach: The algorithm now values relevance > reach. Focus on content that fits your audience and objective. Diversify Formats: Don’t just post jobs. Use video, polls, carousels, and storytelling to stay visible. Hybrid Content Wins: Human + AI = stronger structure, better hooks, and more engagement. AI-only content often fails, and human only content often lacks polish. Combine both for maximum impact. If you’re a recruiter or agency owner looking to build your brand, attract inbound leads, and stay ahead of LinkedIn’s changes—this episode is your roadmap. Resources & Links Download Richard’s 2025 LinkedIn Algorithm Report: [Insert link] Richard’s website: https://www.richardvanderblom.com Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardvanderblom Connect with Mark Whitby Book your free strategy session: https://www.recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markwhitby Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach Twitter: @MarkWhitby Subscribe for more recruiter-focused episodes Like this video if it helped clarify LinkedIn’s algorithm

What if your growth path wasn't adding more clients, but working fewer, higher-quality roles with people who genuinely value your service? Allicia Birch, founder of 4tify Recruitment, built a six-figure recruitment firm in her first year — without cold calls, without compromising on fees, and without chasing every job. Her success came down to discipline: working to a structured 12-hour day in 15-minute blocks, building a reputation-based BD strategy, and walking away from bad-fit clients. You'll hear how she transformed underperformance into consistent high billings, created multi-division revenue from single clients, and productised her approach to business development — including how she sells high-ticket projects, runs invite-only roundtables, and uses market intelligence to position herself as a trusted partner, not just a vendor. 4tify is based in Manchester and specializes in construction industry recruitment. After 8 years in the industry, Allicia has become a leading voice in the residential new build market. Episode Highlights [03:20] How she struggled during the first three years with plenty of lessons [14:11] Breakdown to Breakthrough - turning things around from 250k to 350k billings [20:25] What inspired the launch of 4tify [26:10] Key success factors in the first 12 months of business [35:19] Her idea of a cold call - how she does BD without 'cold calling' [44:26] Best practices on being organized and creating a Day Plan [48:30] How market intelligence helps provide custom-fit solutions to clients [58:21] The round-table engagement strategy [1:03:04] What's next for the team Key Takeaways Training Makes the Difference: Her first three years brought zero earnings until proper training at Anderson James turned everything around. A breakthrough coaching session helped her jump from struggling to billing £250,000–£350,000 per year. Client Selection Strategy: "If you're trying to beat me down to 10%, I'm not your recruiter. I don't get out of bed for that." She only works with clients who respect her values, turning down low-fee roles and walking away from companies that don't align. Daily Structure: Speaks to 30 people per day (150 per week) - all warm calls through referrals Plans the day in 15-minute increments the night before at 9 PM Works closest to money first: live processes, then candidates, then client development Uses Excel spreadsheets with checkboxes and color coordination Market Intelligence: Uses reputational analysis to provide custom-fit solutions to each client. Her genuine, relationship-first approach thrives on meaningful partnerships – no cold calling, just honest conversations and deep understanding of what makes great teams work. About Allicia Birch Allicia Birch is the Managing Director of 4tify, a specialist recruitment company with 8 years in the industry, though it didn't start easily. The first three years brought zero earnings, but plenty of lessons. Once things clicked, she went on to consistently break records year after year, becoming a leading voice in the residential new build market. Her genuine, relationship-first approach thrives on meaningful partnerships – no cold calling, just honest conversations and deep understanding of what makes great teams work. With operations expanding in both the UK and US, she's on a mission to connect market leaders to the market. Connect with Mark Whitby Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter

How do you grow a high-margin recruitment business without hiring a big team—or chasing every lead? And what happens when you go all-in on yourself, right before a global pandemic? In this episode, I’m joined by Jordana Matsos, founder of Higher Equity, who shares how she launched a solo sales recruitment agency with no prior agency experience—and grew it into a $500K+ business by being radically transparent, highly organized, and boldly direct. We discuss why blunt messaging often works better than polished sales talk, how Jordana systematized her entire operation to run lean, and the lessons she learned after scaling too quickly. She also shares how she created an online academy for job seekers, turning inbound candidate traffic into an additional revenue stream. Episode Highlights: [03:43] From sales leader to recruiter: Jordana’s career pivot [11:16] Building the business: pricing, tools, and tech stack [14:28] Leveraging video and short-form content to attract talent [21:58] What went wrong when she scaled too fast [28:45] Creating the HireQuity Academy to serve job seekers [40:46] SOPs and templates that saved time and ensured consistency [45:48] Business development: blunt pitches, smart triggers, and warm referrals [58:30] Why transparency builds trust with both clients and candidates Blunt Messaging That Converts Jordana’s “blunt honesty” approach is one of her biggest differentiators. She shares full job details upfront—company name, comp, and expectations—which earns her 55–70% candidate response rates. For clients, her pitch deck goes out in the first message, including fee structure and recent placements, eliminating unnecessary back-and-forth and building immediate trust. Systematizing Solo Success Coming from a corporate sales background, Jordana knew she had to create repeatable, efficient processes. She templatized everything—from client onboarding to follow-ups and outreach. Tools like Google Sheets, Taplio, Otter.ai, and Aspect helped her automate and scale as a solo operator. Lessons from Scaling Too Fast After a strong first year billing nearly $300K solo, Jordana hired a full-time recruiter, BD rep, and sourcer. But expenses skyrocketed, margins plummeted to 20%, and client relationships suffered. She course-corrected by downsizing, letting go of low-margin clients, and doubling down on her niche—bringing her gross margins back to 60%+. Creating a Revenue Stream with Purpose Unable to serve every candidate personally, Jordana built the HireQuity Academy—an online course that gives job seekers an inside look at how recruiters think. With templates, interview prep, and real-world advice, it helps candidates stand out—and gives Jordana an additional income stream without trading time for money. About Jordana Matsos Jordana spent 15 years leading sales teams before founding Higher Equity in 2021. She now helps companies hire high-performing sales talent while running the HireQuity Academy to support job seekers. Tools & Resources Mentioned: Taplio | Otter.ai | Aspect | Cliff AI – now part of Quantive. Connect with Jordana: LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube | HireQuity Academy | HireQuity Recruitment Connect with Mark Whitby: Free 30-Minute Strategy Call | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter and leave a review if you found value in this episode!

What’s the most innovative way to scale a recruitment firm—especially in a fast-changing, competitive market? For Stuart Barnes, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Navitas Recruitment Group, the answer was combining quick-turn perm revenue with recurring contract income. That dual strategy helped Navitas grow from zero to over £2.6M in net fee income within just two years. In this episode, Stuart shares the real story behind launching a VC-backed recruitment firm in the renewable energy sector. He opens up about the early pressure, the emotional rollercoaster, and the systems that made rapid growth possible—from his blended revenue model to their structured approach to business development. You’ll also hear how Stuart returned to hands-on billing after years in leadership, personally generating over £100k in placements while laying the foundation for a high-performance culture. If you're a recruitment founder or team leader looking for real-world strategies that scale, this episode is packed with insights you can put into action. Episode Highlights: [01:43] How Stuart’s international experience shaped his mindset as a founder [06:22] From startup to £2.6M: how Navitas scaled in under 3 years [10:22] Why he chose renewables and what made it the right niche [13:41] Inside their aggressive 5-year growth plan [18:00] The “key ingredients” that powered their rapid start [29:24] Why BD should never stop—and how Navitas approaches it [37:57] The Channels they use for BD (and how Teams invites help book meetings) [46:09] Team structure and growth philosophy [53:40] Lessons from scaling too fast [55:52] Why KPIs should be meaningful, not just numbers [1:02:00] What’s next: expansion, strategy shifts, and Austin plans Key Takeaways: ✅ Balanced revenue model – Contract = recurring cash flow. Perm = speed. Together = sustainable growth. ✅ Structured BD system – The “3 buckets, 300 hiring managers, 1 hour daily” method that drives consistency. ✅ Hands-on leadership – Stuart led by example, returning to billing and setting the tone for scale. Connect with Stuart: 🔗 Stuart Barnes on LinkedIn 🌐 Navitas Recruitment Group People and Resources Mentioned Paul Taffe on LinkedIn Connect with Mark Whitby Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call Mark on LinkedIn Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby Mark on Facebook Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter

What if you could place nearly every candidate you represent—and do it at premium fees, without racing to the bottom? In this episode of The Resilient Recruiter, Mark Whitby is joined by Lysha Holmes, founder of QUI Recruitment and host of The Recruiters Recruitment Podcast. With over 20 years in Rec2Rec, Lysha shares how she’s built a values-led, inbound-only business with zero cold calling. You’ll discover: Why Lysha insists on exclusive candidate representation How she consistently achieves a 1.15:1 interview-to-placement ratio The values behind QUI: Quality, Urgency, and Integrity Her approach to relationship-driven BD and building through referrals How sobriety and wellbeing became business superpowers Whether you're a recruitment agency owner or solo operator, this episode is a playbook for building a more sustainable, high-margin, and meaningful business. Episode Highlights [00:45] Why Lysha rejects cold calls and how she builds BD differently [02:32] Her journey from failing A-levels to founding QUI Recruitment [13:24] Building a solo business while raising children [16:18] How she kept placing during maternity leave [17:19] Why exclusivity is non-negotiable for candidate control [24:27] Origin of QUI’s core values and how they shape every decision [24:56] A 1.15 placement ratio—how it’s done [26:38] The win-win case for exclusive representation [34:01] Attracting premium clients with consistency and care [38:25] BD through conversations, not spam [46:11] Using referrals and warm intros to win business [50:54] What clients are actually using AI for (hint: it’s not automation) [59:03] How sobriety transformed her leadership and mindset [01:04:18] Going sugar-free and protecting health as a growth strategy 💡 Key Takeaways Candidate Exclusivity Works Lysha explains how exclusivity leads to calmer processes, stronger placements, and better outcomes for all parties. She makes the case for exclusivity as a differentiator that drives results and reduces risk. 1.15:1 Interview-to-Placement Ratio By focusing on quality and alignment, Lysha’s ratios are among the best in the industry. Candidates are carefully vetted, and most are introduced to just one or two clients. Personal Brand + Warm BD = Sustainable Growth QUI Recruitment runs 100% on inbound business via referrals, podcasting, and LinkedIn presence. Lysha treats every interaction as business development and never spams. 👤 About Lysha Holmes Lysha began her career in sales and marketing, then transitioned into recruitment in 1998. After working with top agencies and discovering Rec2Rec, she founded QUI Recruitment in 2005. She is also the host of The Recruiters Recruitment Podcast, a mental health advocate, and a leader in the Women in Recruitment Leadership movement. 🔗 Connect with Lysha LinkedIn: Lysha Holmes Website: QUI Recruitment Connect with Mark Whitby Free 30-Minute Strategy Call LinkedIn: Mark Whitby Instagram: @recruitmentcoach X: @MarkWhitby Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter for weekly interviews with top-performing recruitment agency owners and thought leaders.

Hiring great recruiters should be second nature for recruitment business owners—after all, it's what we do for clients daily. But when it comes to growing your own team, the stakes are higher, the risks are real, and the margin for error is razor-thin. In today’s episode, we dive into what it really takes to attract, hire, and retain high-performing recruiters—especially in a competitive market where top talent has options. You’ll hear the inside story of how one firm scaled from 7 to 50 people and 7X’d its revenue in just five years—not by chance but by building a values-driven hiring and retention strategy. Whether you're hiring your first or your fiftieth recruiter, this episode will give you the mindset, methods, and metrics to do it right. Episode Outline and Highlights [03:21] From psychology to recruitment - Andy shares how he started his recruitment career, leading to the foundation of Brainworks. [07:34] How making and learning from many mistakes are key to Andy’s success. [10:20] Factors that lead to growth and scaling. [20:05] What can help you decide when considering investing in a high-compensation recruiter joining your team? [26:17] Andy reveals their hiring process when recruiting a recruiter. [31:32] How to retain top recruitment talent. [35:49] Fostering a collaborative and supportive culture - Andy elaborates on their specific action points. [43:50] Thoughts on remote work and performance management. [48:34] What the next five years look like for Brainworks. [50:53] Andy shares their tech stack that paid off. Andy Miller Bio and Contact Info Andy Miller started BrainWorks in 1991 and continues to lead the Consumer Products practice, placing talent ranging from mid level to general management and presidents, with an eye for impacting the business regardless of the level or function. Andy’s client roster ranges from large Fortune 50 companies to smaller entrepreneurial organizations that are looking to grow and believe that finding the right talent makes a difference. Andy received a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology and spent 3 years in social services settings. After transitioning to business, Andy spent 10 years in the Telecommunications field, winning numerous sales awards including 5 consecutive years in the Gold Club and Salesman of the Year in 1987 and 1988. His passion and experience from competitive sports in addition to his psychology background provides a unique blend of competitiveness and people skills which has influenced how he works with both clients and candidates. This background is the basis of his philosophy -- to help clients win the competitive wars for talent by assessing, training and developing people towards greater productivity. Andy on LinkedIn Brainworks website link DRM Foundation Pinnacle Society Connect with Mark Whitby Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call Mark on LinkedIn Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby Mark on Facebook Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter

If you're struggling to hire high-performing recruiters across multiple cities or regions, the issue might not be your comp plan—it’s your value proposition. In this episode, I sit down with Lisa Dixon of FIFTEEN WEST to unpack a strategy that more recruitment agency owners need to use: customizing your EVP (Employee Value Proposition) based on location. Lisa shares hard-won insights from helping dozens of UK recruitment firms expand into the U.S. market. She reveals what actually moves the needle when it comes to attracting top talent, from wellness perks in New York to parking subsidies in Houston. If you want to build a high-performing team across multiple geographies, this episode is a must-listen. Episode Outline and Highlights [03:25] Lisa shares how they founded FIFTEEN WEST. [09:45] Discussion on strategies for US Market entry. [18:59] Compensation differences and challenges between the UK & US recruitment markets. [29:59] An Attractive employee value proposition to attract the best talent. [32:57] Discussion on tech stack and offshoring certain delivery functions as an option for recruitment companies. [37:55] How 11 Investments recently acquired FIFTEEN WEST. [46:27] Aha moments: Key learnings from working with a bigger business that has been further in the journey. Strategies When Expanding to the US Market As a rec-to-rec firm, FIFTEEN WEST initially focused on helping UK-headquartered businesses to expand to America. They have eventually moved to the US as a strategic effort to become an embedded recruitment partner across their clients’ global operations. Doing so is not easy, so I wanted to pick the strategies that Lisa and her team applied when transitioning to the US market. If you are also planning to establishing an office physically within the US, below are the things that Lisa learned that you may want to keep in mind: Leadership Deployment: One proven method was sending a founder or long-tenured employee to launch the U.S. office, ensuring the company’s DNA and values were transplanted effectively. This model was described as the most successful—helping set culture, hire locally, and scale faster. Tailored Unique Value Proposition: One main differences that Lisa pointed out is the commission and base salary structure. To get the best recruiters and talents, they adapted their commission structures and incentives for the U.S. market, realizing early on that what worked in the UK didn’t translate directly. Market Culture Adaptation: Lisa recognized that the U.S. market is more pragmatic and transactional—clients care less about past success and more about current candidates delivery. Overall, Lisa emphasized cultural embedding, leadership presence, and operational agility to navigate the distinct dynamics of the American recruitment market.

Why do most recruitment companies stall at 10 to 20 people, while others scale to 100+ across continents? In this episode, you’ll hear directly from someone who’s done it. STR Group is a family of specialist recruitment brands focused on STEM sectors. As co-founder, Clive Hutchings has spent over two decades growing the business to more than 120 staff across the UK, Europe, and the US—all while staying profitable, adaptable, and values-driven. In this interview, Clive breaks down what it really takes to build a multi-brand, international recruitment group, the leadership philosophy behind STR’s culture, and the gritty truths behind scaling a business beyond yourself. Episode Outline and Highlights [3:05] The early days: how Clive started in recruitment and his story of practicing his pitch in front of a mirror in the office. [11:37] The operational and leadership shifts needed to grow from 10 to 100+ employees [19:19] Why many recruitment founders plateau—and how to avoid it [21:09] Discussion on the best approach to train a new recruiter. [27:33] The value of having a support network around you. [32:50] What is the formula for knowing when to make your next hire? [40:00] Impact of AI: “Sales people being more sustainable, resourcing people less so.” [41:45] Clive reveals their tech stack and how AI impacts their current operations. [45:00] The relevance of cold calling in the age of AI. [52:00] Big differences between hiring in the US and the UK. [1:02:10] Learnings on expanding globally. [1:07:00] Culture and mantra that work. Leadership That Scales One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation is the importance of evolving your role as a founder. Clive credits much of STR’s growth to the fact that he didn’t try to do everything himself. Instead, he and his co-founder took on complementary leadership roles, allowing each to focus on their strengths while building out a business that could scale beyond them. If you’re stuck juggling billing, management, and strategy, this is your sign to rethink your leadership structure. Building a scalable firm means building scalable leadership, and that starts with letting go of being the bottleneck. He also elaborated on the following: 1. Multifaceted Leadership Structure 2. Team Composition and Talent Strategy 3. High Energy and Personal Drive 4. Resilience Through Early-Stage Challenges 5. Realistic Growth Mindset Clive’s success as a leader came from building a balanced team, maintaining high personal energy, fostering a resilient and realistic culture, and adapting roles and structures to match the stage of the business. Decision Factors When to Make Your Next Hire With Clive’s success in scaling his team globally, I wanted to pick his brains on his thought process when deciding to make a new hire. As a recruitment business owner, this is a critical decision to make, as doing it too slowly can impede your business’s growth, while doing it too rapidly can lead to longer-term problems that cost more to fix. Clive shared the following decision factors: Strategic Forecasting & Business Planning - Hiring plans are based on quarterly forecasts developed by each brand’s leadership. Critical Mass & Team Size Considerations - A certain headcount is needed to reach operational momentum, but hiring must be sustainable. Smaller teams (e.g., <10 people) can’t absorb too many new hires without harming billing output. Billing Readiness - No new hires are made until existing team members are up and billing effectively. Managerial Capacity - Avoids spreading leadership too thin and ensures productivity isn't sacrificed. The team or brand must have a strong leader with the capacity to onboard, mentor, and support new hires. Avoiding Headcount for Vanity - Growth is measured by gross profit, not headcount, ensuring hires contribute to revenue, not just size.Culture You Can ReplicateCulture isn’t just lip service, it’s a competitive advantage. At STR, the “Make it Happen” and “D.I.N (Do it NOW)” mantra became more than a slogan; it was a daily mindset that helped the team stay focused, take ownership, and remain commercially sharp as the business scaled.As you grow beyond a small team, you’ll need a culture that can travel across desks, offices, and even continents. A clear, replicable culture creates alignment without micromanagement, making it easier to scale while maintaining high standards.“Is what I’m doing right now making me money?” It’s a simple question—but it changes how people work.”Clive Hutchings Bio and Contact InfoClive Hutchings has worked in Technical Recruitment since 1996. he established STR Group in 2000, which has evolved into a collection of niche brands in STEM sectors operating across the UK, Europe, and the USA. STR’s brands deliver people solutions in Life Sciences, Technical Engineering, Automation and Robotics, Maritime & Architecture. Now with offices in Portsmouth, Gatwick, Detroit, and Switzerland, they provide various solutions from contingent contract and permanent, through to retained, managed services, MSP, and Project solutions.Aside from work, Clive is a family man with 5 children and a long-suffering wife. He enjoys football, hiking, being outdoors, and looking after his sheep, having recently taken a course in lambing.Clive on LinkedInSTR website linkPeople and Resources Mentioned• Blackfield Associates website link• Navis Consulting website link• Urban Recruitment website link• Insignis Talent website link• Talos Automation website link• James Caan on LinkedIn • Alex Elliot on LinkedIn • Bullhorn Connect with Mark Whitby• Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call • Mark on LinkedIn• Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby • Mark on Facebook • Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoachSubscribe to The Resilient Recruiter

What does the future look like for recruitment agency owners? In this episode, I’m joined by DeeDee Doke, Editor-in-Chief of Recruiter magazine. With over 20 years in the role, DeeDee has a unique view of the industry, both in the UK and globally. We recorded this live at the Recruitment Agency Expo in London, and talked about how recruitment is changing — fast. Whether it's AI, M&A trends, or the shift from start-up to scale-up, we cover what agency leaders need to know to prepare for the next five years. Episode Outline and Highlights [03:00] DeeDee’s journey from Seattle to London — and 20 years leading Recruiter magazine [08:00] Discussion on doing business in the US in 2025 from the perspective of UK recruitment companies. [09:30] US events and the economy impact the UK recruitment market. [19:04] The differentiator between the UK recruitment industry and the US [27:00] AI and the future of recruitment. [34:47] Advocating the professionalism and pride of the recruiting profession. [40:29] Redefining recruitment: professional pride, upskilling, and smarter hiring Innovation is King - Especially in a Saturated Market DeeDee and I had a very interesting conversation on the similarities and differences between the UK and US recruitment markets. One of the key differences I pointed out is how saturated the UK market is compared to the US, while the US offers more profitable potential due to fees generated from higher salaries. DeeDee pointed out one thing that sets apart the UK market as a differentiator - she believes that the UK recruitment agencies, especially SMEs, are often more innovative than their US counterparts, not because of scale, but because saturation forces creativity. The US tends to focus on scale, while UK firms focus on differentiation and doing things differently. But the key takeaway is this: You don’t need to be the biggest—you just need to do things differently, and better. Innovation is now a competitive requirement, not a nice-to-have. AI and the Future of Recruitment You will also enjoy DeeDee’s insightful take on the advent of AI and how it will impact recruiters globally. We agree that AI will be useful in freeing recruiters from administrative tasks to focus on human interaction and strategies. The integration of AI tools can also improve the candidate experience by providing timely updates and personalized communication, fostering a more engaging and supportive recruitment process. With the streamlining and efficiency potentials AI can offer, it is also important to shift the focus from the old model of scaling, where you would need to add more people. With AI tools evolving fast, firms may no longer need as many people to get the same—or better—results. Efficiency and smart use of tech will define the next wave of growth. It’s Time to Champion the Value of Recruitment DeeDee has always advocated the value and importance of the recruitment profession. Too often, recruiters don’t get credit for the work they do—whether it’s helping someone into a new career, reskilling talent, or supporting growth in client businesses. DeeDee encourages agency leaders to enter awards, tell their stories, and raise standards across the profession. Doing your part means being proud of what you do as a recruiter or recruitment business owner by making others know of the impact you are making. Is there value in doing so? Indeed, this can attract better clients and talent in the long run. DeeDee Doke Bio and Contact Info Long-time editor of Recruiter magazine, DeeDee has more than 20 years of experience as a recruitment/HR specialist journalist and editor. She also has significant international experience as a defence and aviation journalist and in entertainment (theatre, contemporary music) reporting and editing. Originally from Seattle in the US, she has been a proud UK subject/citizen since 2007. DeeDee on LinkedIn Recruiter Magazine website link Recruiter Awards website link Connect with Mark Whitby Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call Mark on LinkedIn Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby Mark on Facebook Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter

What if discovering your neurodivergent could unlock a deeper sense of purpose—and make your recruitment business more impactful? In this episode, Adam Tobias shares how getting diagnosed with ADHD and autism in his 40s reshaped not only how he works, but why he works. That discovery ignited a new mission: helping organizations remove the hidden barriers that exclude brilliant, underrepresented talent. Adam Tobias is the co-founder of Inventum Group, a purpose-driven recruitment and consulting firm based in London and Johannesburg. With over 25 years in the industry, Adam has built a company that’s as values-led as it is commercially successful. Today, he advises clients ranging from FTSE 100 companies to fast-growth SMEs on how to recruit inclusively and build more resilient teams. Episode Outline and Highlights [02:40] How Adam got into recruiting, leading to his 20-year-old recruitment firm. [07:50] Avoiding ego-based growth: What Adam considers his lessons and learnings in his recruitment journey. [15:04] Key elements to success. [17:55] How finding out about his neurodivergence became a stepping-stone for inclusive consulting. [24:40] Adam’s discovery of his neurodivergence. [34:46] Strategies that help Adam manage ADHD and autism at work. [38:33] Channeling Adam’s advocacy as a differentiator. [45:57] Inventum’s business model. [48:38] The top hiring barriers for underrepresented candidates—and how to fix them. [56:39] Discussion on behaviour, cultures, and values. [59:00] The value of candidate experience. Turning Purpose into a Differentiator Being diagnosed with autism and ADHD past 40, Adam had a renewed perspective on how to help clients be more inclusive in their hiring process. Once he uncovered his neurodivergence, he stopped trying to fit a mold and started building around what actually worked for him, leading with empathy, structure, and a culture where people could just be themselves. This inspired him to develop The Inclusive Recruiter, a CPD-certified training program that’s now core to Inventum’s offering. It’s not just an add-on; it’s embedded into how they hire, train, and work with clients. “So what we're doing now is helping clients fix their hiring processes—not just make placements,” Adam shared. “It’s not about how well someone interviews. It’s about how well they’ll perform over time.” How did this benefit Adam’s recruitment firm? The ROI of Inclusive Hiring Adam believes that inclusive recruitment is more than a moral imperative—it’s a business advantage. Structured, unbiased interviews. Clearer job specs. Candidate experience that makes people want to re-engage. These aren’t just “nice-to-haves”—they improve long-term placement success. They also turned this mission into a consulting arm of the business. Inventum has added new revenue streams while deepening client relationships. Whether it’s through advisory, workshops, or training, Adam’s team is proving that purpose can drive profit. “I think we’ve done well in a tough market because we’ve stayed true to who we are,” he said. “That’s what’s made us resilient.” Top Hiring Barriers for Underrepresented Candidates Adam shared insights on the commonly observed barriers when it comes to underrepresented groups and how they would advise their clients in terms of solutions. Below are outlined common challenges and recommended solutions: Challenges • Limited Outreach & Narrow Channels • Overloaded Job Descriptions • Masculine-Coded Language in Job Ads • Reliance on Outdated Job Descriptions • Unclear Must-Haves vs. Nice-to-Haves • Unstructured Interview Processes • Culture Fit Bias Solutions • Proactive Candidate Engagement • Simplify Job Descriptions • Audit Job Ad Language • Start from Scratch with Job Specs • Ditch the “Desirable” List • Structured Interviews with Scoring • Reduces bias and makes evaluations more objective. • Use Multiple Independent Interviewers • Focus on Values, Not "Culture Fit" • Client Education & Conversations Adam Tobias Bio and Contact Info Adam is the co-founder of Inventum Group, a boutique recruitment and consulting firm focused on building inclusive workplaces. With teams in London and Johannesburg, Inventum partners with companies across finance, marketing, legal, and HR to deliver talent with purpose. Adam is also the creator of The Inclusive Recruiter—a CPD-certified training program—and a passionate advocate for neurodiversity and equity in the workplace. • Adam on LinkedIn• Inventum Group websitePeople and Resources Mentioned • The Inclusive Recruiter (CPD Certified)• Pinnacle Society Connect with Mark Whitby • Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call • Mark on LinkedIn• Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby • Mark on Facebook • Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter