Talent Matters Podcast

The UK's driver shortage isn't a new problem — it's a challenge that the transport and logistics industry has been facing for decades. In this episode of Talent Matters, Dave Jenkins sits down with Noz Miah , Founder and Managing Director of Aim Recruit, to explore why the shortage of HGV drivers continues to persist and what the wider recruitment industry can learn from a market that...

Starting a recruitment agency is something many recruiters think about — but far fewer actually do. In this episode of Talent Matters , Dave Jenkins sits down with Nathalie Janger , Founder of Crystal Clear Recruitment, to talk about what it really takes to leave a long-term role and build a recruitment business from scratch. After nearly 15 years working in the same agency, Nathalie made the leap...

Most recruitment agencies claim to be specialists. But what does it actually take to build — and scale — a truly niche recruitment brand? In this episode of Talent Matters , Dave Jenkins sits down with Ian Whitear, Co-Founder of White Space Recruitment, to explore how a long-term specialist approach in architecture and design recruitment has shaped a resilient, internationally expanding business....

Most recruitment agencies believe they’re different — but in a crowded market, many still look, sound, and operate the same. In this episode of Talent Matters , Dave Jenkins is joined by Ksenia Molodych, Founder of XOO, to explore what really makes recruitment businesses stand out. Drawing on experience across SaaS, marketing, and revenue operations, Ksenia explains why recruitment often takes ins...

Most recruitment agencies are using just a fraction of the tech they’re already paying for—and many are being upsold by MSPs (Managed Service Providers) on tools they don’t need. In this episode of Talent Matters, we’re joined by Kan Mallawathantri, Founder of Avensys Tech and former in-house IT leader for recruitment businesses like MSI and DRC. Kan breaks down what most MSPs don’t tell you, the...

In this episode of Talent Matters, Rupert McSheehy, Director at RMG Digital, shares how his journey from billing recruiter to agency founder shaped a new way of working — one that prioritises trust, autonomy, and long-term value over old-school sales culture and vanity metrics. Rupert reflects on the lessons he took from his time at S3, what he kept and what he left behind, and how he's built a le...

In this episode of Talent Matters, Tamar Avakian, Co-Founder – Property & Surveying at Invictus Group, shares how 20 years in real estate recruitment has shaped her approach to building lasting relationships, specialist knowledge, and long-term impact in the built environment. From engineering placements at Wimbledon to helping clients navigate a post-pandemic world, Tamar explains how her tea...

In this episode of Talent Matters, Heidi Bannister, Founder and Managing Director at Arthur Edward, shares how a deep understanding of the beauty industry has helped her build a trusted recruitment agency that partners with global brands to deliver top talent. Starting out in product development, sales and marketing, Heidi brings hands-on experience to recruitment – and it shows. She talks about t...

In this episode of Talent Matters, Mark Cox, Director & Partner at PiC, shares how building strong relationships and adapting to change has helped him grow a trusted recruitment business into a global success story. Starting out in recruitment by chance, Mark talks about the lessons learned from 20+ years in the industry — from the days of faxing CVs to leading international teams across 15+ c...

In this episode of Talent Matters, Duncan Seward, Managing Director at IRG Law, shares how niching down into legal recruitment helped him build a high-integrity agency that clients and candidates come back to. Again and again. Starting out in IT recruitment, Duncan talks about the moment he realised trying to be everything to everyone wasn’t working, and why legal felt like the right fit for a mor...

In this episode of Talent Matters, Ellie Cree, Managing Director at Savvy Recruitment, shares how her journey from junior recruiter to qualified therapist to MD shaped her people-first approach to leadership. Ellie opens up about leaving Savvy to go travelling, training in psychodynamic therapy, and returning to help run the business with honesty, empathy, and a clear focus on personal growth. We...

Marketing in recruitment isn’t just about making things look good. It’s about driving real business results. But what happens when you’re a one-person marketing team managing multiple brands, juggling content, data, tech, and strategy all at once? In this episode of Talent Matters , we sit down with Gemma Garcia Gamble, Marketing Manager at Murray McIntosh, to talk about the realities of being a f...

In this episode of Talent Matters, Dave Jenkins sits down with Ashby Jenkins, CEO of Ashby Jenkins Recruitment, to discuss the challenges facing recruiters in 2024. From the pressure to lower fees to the growing role of AI, Ashby shares her insights on what it takes to run a successful, relationship-led recruitment business. She breaks down why cutting fees can backfire, how recruiters can improve...

In this episode of Talent Matters , Dave Jenkins sits down with Suzie Butler , Communications Director at Philosophy Education, to dive into the fast-paced world of education recruitment. Suzie shares her journey from being a supply teacher to shaping recruitment strategies that help schools find the right staff, often at a moment’s notice. Discover the unique challenges of education recruitment,...

In this episode of Talent Matters, Dave Jenkins sits down with Chris Everitt , co-founder and director of Techfueld, to explore his journey in building a successful recruitment business. Chris shares how he and his team scaled Techfueld globally, the importance of client retention, and why being a consultative recruiter is key to long-term success. Discover how Chris and his business partner turne...

In episode 307, Wave CEO and Founder, Dave Jenkins sits down with Simon Malpass of TRS Media to debate the reoccurring question of, are job boards are dead? The conversation delves deep into the relevance of job boards, the impacts of AI on recruitment, and some practical tips on how to improve job board ROI. Before founding TRS Media in 2022, Simon spent over 20 years in recruitment, including 6...

In episode 306, Wave CEO and Founder, Dave Jenkins sits down with Richard Caldicott of Caldicott Consulting to discuss the top things that recruitment agencies get wrong about IT. From robust CRM system to the future impact of AI on the recruitment industry, this episode is a goldmine for recruitment business owners looking to optimise their tech stack, enhance security, and prepare for the future...

In Episode 305, host Dave Jenkins sits down with Holly Langley, founder of ReStack and Automation Station, to discuss the complexity of recruitment technology, common pitfalls in tech adoption, the importance of continuous training, and the role of automation in making businesses more profitable. Holly is one of the leading voices in recruitment technology, known across the industry as a trusted s...

In episode 304, Wave CEO and Founder, Dave Jenkins is joined by Jade from Branded by Aquila, to discuss how recruitment agencies can build and manage effective sub-brands across different sectors. Jade offers insights on building effective campaigns, the importance of sub-brands, and how to strategically create and manage them. Jade is a commercially-savvy business leader with a proven marketing t...

Episode 303 of Wave’s Talent Matters podcast features Wave CEO, Dave Jenkins talking with RecConnect Co-Founders Simon Lewis and Grant Bristow as they dig recruitment community, leadership and the power of learning. From recruiter to supplier to RecConnect co-founder, Grant has worked from both angles of the industry for over a decade and a half. With a specialism in marketing and customer service...

Episode 302 of Wave’s Talent Matters podcast features Wave CEO, Dave Jenkins talking with RecTools founder and RecTalk host, Nitin Sharma, as they dig into the crucial role of community in the recruitment industry.  From recruitment consultant to agency owner and now a rec tech business founder and podcast host, Nitin knows the industry inside and out. With a passion for building recruitment commu...

Episode 301 of Wave’s Talent Matters podcast features Wave CEO Dave Jenkins talking with College Recruiter’s Founder and Chief Visionary Officer, Steven Rothberg, as they delve into the pros and cons of job board pricing models and what the future holds for them. Having started College Recruiter in 1991, Steven has overseen the graduate-focused job board, which has grown into a database of 20 mill...

Episode 218 of Wave’s Talent Matters podcast series sees Wave CEO Dave Jenkins talk to Founder and CEO of 2to3days, Juliet Turnbull . Juliet was an early champion of flexible working and the impact it can have on women’s ability to integrate work and home life when she founded 2to3days 8 years ago. It has since become the UK’s leading female-focused careers site and job board, connecting talented...

Episode 217 of Wave’s Talent Matters podcast series sees Wave CEO Dave Jenkins talk to the Managing Director of Reed.co.uk , Simon Wingate. With over 2 decades of recruitment media experience at market leading businesses, there isn’t anything Simon doesn’t know about job board strategies from both a candidate and a recruitment business or direct employer perspective. That’s where the conversation...

Episode 216 of Wave’s Talent Matters podcast series sees Wave CEO Dave Jenkins talk to industry legend, Kevin Green . As a verified expert on the UK labour market and having worn many hats in the recruitment, HR and direct employer spheres, there is none more qualified than Kevin to discuss the state of the economy and the labour market in the UK, plus what recruitment agencies can do to add value...