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 guestsKirk 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 hostLysha 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.comFollow the podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts:https://www.youtube.com/@therecruitersrecruitmentpodhttps://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.SPONSORSPaiger — Making Recruiters Smarter and FasterPaiger helps recruiters build personal brands, identify new business, attract candidates and have better conversations.https://paiger.co/Atlas — Recruitment powered by generative AIA 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/PARTNERSBristow & Hardy — Recruitment growth specialistsWorking 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 solutionsA 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

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 guestDave Radford: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-radford-57a096138/7X Partners: https://7xpartners.ai/🔗 Connect with the hostLysha 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.comFollow the podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts:https://www.youtube.com/@therecruitersrecruitmentpodhttps://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

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 guestSophie Booth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiepropa/We Are PROPA: https://www.wearepropa.com/🔗 Connect with the hostLysha 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.comFollow the podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts:https://www.youtube.com/@therecruitersrecruitmentpodhttps://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

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 guestJo 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 hostLysha 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.comFollow the podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts:https://www.youtube.com/@therecruitersrecruitmentpodhttps://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

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 guestMax Learmonth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-learmonth-17913782/Forge Talent: https://www.linkedin.com/company/forge-talent-rec/🔗 Connect with the hostLysha 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.comFollow the podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts:https://www.youtube.com/@therecruitersrecruitmentpodhttps://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

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 leadersIf 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 guestJohn Gaughan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johngaughanfja/It’s Just You: https://www.linkedin.com/company/it-s-just-you/🔗 Connect with the hostLysha 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.comFollow the podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts:https://www.youtube.com/@therecruitersrecruitmentpodhttps://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

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 assetsHow AI can turn conversations and activity into usable business intelligenceWhy CRM systems should help recruiters recruit rather than create more adminThe importance of structuring and retaining intellectual property when people leave a businessHow post-AI software is being built differently from legacy platformsRecruitment market trends, agency growth and what Jordan is seeing across Atlas customersThe future of AI-generated communication and personalised tone of voiceUsing CRM data to create more meaningful revenue forecastingWhy recruitment marketing and LinkedIn engagement matter more than many recruiters realiseHow Atlas’ data-driven leaderboards measure recruitment influence and engagementJordan 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 guestJordan Shlosberg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanshlosberg/Atlas: https://recruitwithatlas.com/🔗 Connect with the hostLysha 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.comFollow the podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts:https://www.youtube.com/@therecruitersrecruitmentpodhttps://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

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 FORRecruitment 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 guestDarren Westall: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrenwestall/Paiger: https://paiger.co/🔗 Connect with the hostLysha 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.comFollow the podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts:https://www.youtube.com/@therecruitersrecruitmentpodhttps://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

Season 6 has been an incredible journey, and in this special wrap-up episode, host Lysha Holmes reflects on the season, thanks the amazing recruitment community for its continued support, and shares what's coming next.Thank you to everyone who has listened, watched, shared, and supported the podcast—we can't wait to welcome you back for another season of inspiring conversations.Season 7 launches in September 2026 — don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode!🔗 Connect with Lysha HolmesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyshaholmesr2r/Qui Recruitment: https://www.quirecruitment.co.uk/Follow the podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts:https://www.youtube.com/@therecruitersrecruitmentpodhttps://the-recruiters-recruitment-podcast.captivate.fm/——————The Recruiter's Recruitment Podcast is proudly sponsored by Paiger, and partnered with Needi, Keybridge IT Solutions, Bristow & Hardy and Diversity in Recruitment.Our sponsor: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/Our partners:Needi is a concierge gift-matching service using psychology and AI, to pinpoint the perfect gifts and experiences for your recipient, from the best local independent businesses. Their team of expert gift finders save companies time and money with their complimentary corporate gifting service.https://needi.co.uk/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/Diversity in Recruitment helps recruitment businesses understand diversity, equity, and inclusion in a way that makes sense. Our training and advisory work is designed to attract diverse talent, recruit inclusively, improve your candidate journey and confidently partner with their clients. DE&I doesn’t have to be complicated and scary - it’s simply about fair, ethical and high-quality recruitment.https://diversityinrecruitment.com/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 #RecruitmentIndustry #Staffing #TalentAcquisition #RecruitmentLeadership #FounderStories #RecruitmentBusiness #Hiring #Recruiters

What if the biggest performance advantage in recruitment wasn’t another productivity hack, but better sleep?In this thought-provoking episode, Lysha Holmes is joined by Justin Hai, Co-Founder of Rebalance Health and author of Stress Nation, for a fascinating conversation about stress, cortisol, sleep, technology, loneliness and why our modern lifestyles are working against us.Justin explains why cortisol is the “master hormone”, how poor sleep impacts every aspect of our physical and mental wellbeing, and why protecting your sleep should be your number one strategy for long-term health and performance. Together, Lysha and Justin also explore social media, attention, burnout, leadership, recruitment, human connection and the growing loneliness epidemic, sharing practical ways to regain control in an increasingly distracted world.Whether you're leading a recruitment business, managing a busy desk or simply looking to improve your wellbeing, this episode is packed with actionable insights you can start applying today.Who this episode is for:Recruitment founders and business leadersRecruiters looking to improve resilience and performanceAnyone experiencing stress, burnout or overwhelmProfessionals interested in sleep, wellbeing and longevity🔗 Connect with the guestJustin Hai: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinhai/Rebalance Health: https://rebalancehealth.com/Learn more about Justin’s book, Stress Nation:https://www.stressnationbook.com/🔗 Connect with the hostLysha Holmes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyshaholmesr2r/Qui Recruitment: https://www.quirecruitment.co.uk/Follow the podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts:https://www.youtube.com/@therecruitersrecruitmentpodhttps://the-recruiters-recruitment-podcast.captivate.fm/——————The Recruiter's Recruitment Podcast is proudly sponsored by Paiger, and partnered with Needi, Keybridge IT Solutions, Bristow & Hardy and Diversity in Recruitment.Our sponsor: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/Our partners:Needi is a concierge gift-matching service using psychology and AI, to pinpoint the perfect gifts and experiences for your recipient, from the best local independent businesses. Their team of expert gift finders save companies time and money with their complimentary corporate gifting service.https://needi.co.uk/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/Diversity in Recruitment helps recruitment businesses understand diversity, equity, and inclusion in a way that makes sense. Our training and advisory work is designed to attract diverse talent, recruit inclusively, improve your candidate journey and confidently partner with their clients. DE&I doesn’t have to be complicated and scary - it’s simply about fair, ethical and high-quality recruitment.https://diversityinrecruitment.com/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 #Leadership #Wellbeing #MentalHealth #StressManagement #SleepHealth #Burnout #HumanConnection #RecruitmentLeadership