1% Better Recruitment Podcast

What if the future of recruitment isn’t better recruiters… but fewer humans altogether? In this episode, I’m joined by Alex Odwell , founder of Referment , to explore one of the most challenging and controversial ideas in recruitment today, the rise of the zero-human recruitment agency. Alex has spent nearly two decades building and scaling recruitment businesses and is now operating an agency pow...

What if the biggest mistake recruiters are making right now isn’t the market, AI, or competition… but forgetting the fundamentals that actually drive sales? In this episode, I’m joined by Rohit Kapoor to break down what really works when you combine old-school sales discipline with new-school recruitment technology. Rohit has spent his career across agency recruitment, tech sales, and building rec...

What if the biggest mistake recruiters are making as we head into 2026 isn’t the market, AI, or competition… but believing automation alone will drive success? In this episode, I’m joined by Dougie Loan, CRO at SourceWhale, to break down what recruiters, leaders, and founders actually need to get right as technology, automation, and AI continue to reshape the industry. Dougie has spent his career...

What if the real reason some recruiters thrive long-term while others burn out, stagnate or disappear isn’t market conditions, AI, or competition… but the way they think, work and serve people? In this episode, I’m joined by Sarah Leete, Co-Founder of Lawrence Dean Recruitment, a business she has grown and led for over 15 years through recessions, market crashes, COVID, and now the rise of AI. Sar...

What if the biggest milestone in building something meaningful isn’t the downloads, the sponsors, or the stats… but realising how many people you’ve helped along the way? In this special end-of-year episode of the The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast , there’s no guest and no script, just a raw reflection on 2025 , the journey so far, and what’s coming next in 2026 . Recorded at home, this episode st...

What if the biggest problems holding recruitment agencies back right now aren’t bad markets, lack of candidates or not enough tools… but the simple truth that most agencies are running on broken processes? In this episode, I’m joined by Saeed Bor , Founder of Embedded Ops , and one of the most respected operators in the industry. After a career that spans enterprise tech recruitment, agency leader...

What if the biggest opportunities in recruitment right now aren’t about more clients, more jobs or more tools… but about shifting how you position your service so you’re seen as a partner, not a CV supplier? In this episode, I’m joined by Nicholas Thomas, CEO and Founder of Everhire , who has built one of the fastest-growing civil engineering and renewable energy recruitment agencies operating acr...

What if the biggest mistakes recruitment agencies make aren’t about BD, sourcing or billing… but about scaling too fast, carrying too much headcount, and forgetting the fundamentals that actually win business? In this episode, I’m joined by Austin Clark , Co-Founder of SCI Partners and Entrust Resource Solutions , who has spent over 15 years building, scaling, right-sizing and rebuilding life scie...

What if the fastest way to grow in recruitment wasn’t by trying to do everything… but by building a name so strong that your market starts coming to you? In this episode, I’m joined by Roxanne Kirkhope-Winnan , Head of Bolt Technical, who built her reputation the hard way — through consistency, honesty, personality, and showing up online even on the days life felt chaotic. From cabin crew to recru...

What if the difference between a failing trainee and a £1M biller isn’t talent… but sacrifice, environment, and expectations? In this episode, I’m joined by Brandon White , Founder of Volta Search and one of the most honest voices in the Rec2Rec space. With 11 years in the industry, Brandon has seen exactly why some trainees quit early — and why a small few go on to build huge careers. We dig into...

What if the real problem in recruitment today isn’t the market… but how people are working? In this episode, I’m joined by Sheldon Clottey — Founder of Charles & Charles Recruitment , who’s built a global business spanning London, Dubai, and the US construction market. We dig into what “real recruitment” looks like in 2025 — from data-driven BD and candidate marketing, to exclusivity, client c...

What if you expanded your recruitment business to America before everyone else thought it was cool? In this episode, I’m joined by Elliott Manning — Founder & Managing Director of Kayman Recruitment , who built one of the UK’s most recognised Rec2Rec firms, expanded into the US before it became the trend, and is now helping agencies scale globally through outsourcing and consultancy. Elliott l...

What if being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer completely changed the way you think, lead, and live? In this episode, I’m joined by Naz Harrison — Director, Coach & L&D Leader , who opens up about his battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, how it transformed his outlook on life, and why it shaped his mission to help recruiters and leaders think, coach, and perform differently. We unpack Naz’s journe...

What if your dream job offer fell through the week before you started — and the world went into lockdown? In this episode, I’m joined by Jay Gurney , Director of Radiology at Projectus , who went from working warehouse shifts during COVID to becoming one of the company’s top global billers and leading its US expansion. Fun story, I actually interviewed Jay in 2020 to be my resourcer! We dig into J...

What if the best way to stand out in recruitment wasn’t about flashy KPIs or cold call sprints — but by being unapologetically yourself? In this episode, I’m joined by Adam , Director at At Talent , a Rec2Rec specialist helping recruiters find the right businesses, leaders, and environments to truly thrive in. We dive into Adam’s journey through recruitment and Rec2Rec, why authenticity is the ult...

What if the best way to grow in recruitment wasn’t by chasing quick wins, but by mastering long-term relationships and persistence? In this episode, I’m joined by Fraser Graham , Founder of Nautic , a Rec2Rec business specialising in placing recruiters from consultant to director level across Manchester and the Northwest. We dive into Fraser’s journey from leaving football and sport behind at 18,...

What if the best way to succeed in recruitment wasn’t to be everywhere, but to dominate a niche so well that clients had no choice but to come to you? In this episode, I’m joined by Emma April , Founder of HuntStart Consulting , a specialist recruitment agency for FX brokers and fintech companies across Cyprus, the UAE and beyond. We dive into Emma’s journey from HR in Cyprus to recruitment in Lon...

What if you started in recruitment when CVs were faxed across town — and now lead teams navigating AI, automation, and a new generation of recruiters? In this episode, I’m joined by Stuart Biggs , veteran recruiter and sales leader, who’s lived through the full evolution of recruitment — from fax machines and cold calls to CRMs, automation, and AI-driven sourcing. Recorded in March 2025, we dive i...

What if recruitment wasn’t about transactions, but about making every client and candidate feel like a VIP? In this episode, I’m joined by Sam Green, Co-Founder & COO at Few&Far , one of Europe’s leading digital product recruitment firms. We dig into how Sam and his team built a reputation for creating a “celebrity experience” — from community-led business development and events, to consul...

What if you launched a recruitment business in the middle of a global pandemic — and then had to rebuild it from the ground up when the tech boom turned bust? In this episode, I’m joined by Ivor Stratford , Co-Founder of Morpheus, a recruitment business specialising in early-stage, VC/PE-backed tech companies with a strong focus on AI and machine learning. We dive into what it was really like star...

What if winning new clients didn’t mean hammering cold calls all day? In this episode, I’m joined by Reece Warren , founder of Nameless Ventures in Dubai and former early employee at Few & Far in London. We dive into the brutal reality of business development in recruitment: what actually works when you’ve got no brand, no warm network, and no endless jobs falling on your desk. From pivoting h...

What happens when your agency scales — but your systems, ops, and people can’t keep up? In this episode, I’m joined by Charlie Hunt — fractional CFO & COO, former head of operations in recruitment, and trusted advisor to startups and scale-ups. We unpack what really breaks inside recruitment businesses when they try to grow too fast, why CRMs and tech stacks are so often misused, and how to bu...

Are you posting the wrong stuff on LinkedIn? In this episode of The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast, I’m joined by Sam Rasdall, founder of Potent Positioning, former MD at Bold Identities, and branding/marketing strategist for the recruitment industry. Sam breaks down the four LinkedIn content types, including the two that generate the most revenue but rarely get used, and shows how to turn branding...

Is your recruitment team hiding behind keyboards instead of picking up the phone? In this episode of The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast, I’m joined by Terry Payne, Global MD at Aspire, leading recruitment teams across the UK, Singapore, Dubai, and New York, with nearly three decades in staffing. Terry lifts the lid on why sales culture has declined in recruitment, how to rebuild it without burning...

What if performance psychology was the missing link in your recruitment business? In this episode of The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast, I’m joined by Alex Elliott — recruitment investor, advisor, and former founder who exited his own agency after scaling it over 10 years. Alex lifts the lid on what truly drives elite performance and sustainable leadership in recruitment — and why most businesses a...