The Recruitment Leadership Podcast

Building a Profitable Recruitment Business: Compliance, KPIs and Cashflow with Marie Pegram, Group Managing Partner at TC Group

Welcome to the latest episode of the Recruitment Leadership Podcast, hosted by Alison Humphries.

So, you want to run your own recruitment business?

In this episode, Alison Humphries is joined by Marie Pegram, Group Managing Partner at TC Group and Partner at Recruitment Accountants - a specialist division supporting hundreds of agencies with finance, compliance and growth.

 

Together, they break down the real financial responsibilities behind being your own boss, and why it takes more than strong billing figures to build a profitable, sustainable business.

 

In this conversation, they cover:

 

💡 The biggest mistakes recruiters make when starting out|
💡 Why profitability ≠ what’s in the bank
💡 Corporate structure, shareholders and protecting yourself legally
💡 Essential KPIs to monitor (including staff cost ratios and consultant profitability)
💡 What to do when you hit a cash crunch, and how to avoid it in the first pla
💡 Why “writing off” a cost doesn’t mean it disappears!

 

Plus, Alison and Marie dive into how even seasoned business owners can get tripped up - from commission structures that quietly erode profit to the dangers of drawing too much too soon.

 

Whether you're considering starting your own agency or want to tighten up your existing financial strategy, this episode is packed with practical advice.

 

Connect with Marie Pegram on LinkedIn.

 

Want to discuss this topic further with Alison? 

 

💬 Email her at alison@recruitmentleadership.co.uk.

Naughty, Nice, or Just Inefficient? The Leadership Mindset Shift Recruitment Needs in 2026 with Alison Humphries & Zoe Jephtha

Welcome to the latest episode of the Recruitment Leadership Podcast, where we’re shaking things up, just a little.

This time, our host becomes a guest, as Alison Humphries hands the mic to Zoe Jephtha to reflect on the year so far, unpack the challenges facing recruitment businesses in 2025, and introduce a new way for leaders to assess where they stand. It’s a conversation about performance, leadership, and how to take the real lessons of 2025 and turn them into smarter, sharper planning for 2026.

 

🚨 Alongside this episode, Recruitment Leadership has launched a brand new website, featuring a free-to-use Recruitment Business Health Check tool, designed to give you real-time insight into your business performance, from commercial health to operational efficiency.

 

Together, Alison and Zoe explore:

 

🎯 What the best recruitment businesses are doing differently right now

🎯 Why some agencies thrived in 2025, while others struggled to stay afloat

🎯 The problem with chasing outputs (and how to shift your focus upstream)

🎯 How the Recruitment Business Health Check Tool works, and what Red, Amber and Green scores really mean

🎯 The biggest mindset shift successful leaders are making before 2026

🎯 And what definitely belongs on the “Naughty” and “Nice” lists this year…

 

Whether you're planning for growth, navigating challenge, or just want a clearer sense of where your business stands, this episode is packed with practical takeaways - and a few hard truths.

 

💡 Plus: Hear why inputs matter more than ever, and how even small changes in mindset or leadership rhythm can transform outcomes next year.

 

🧰 Take the Benchmarking Tool now  - https://bit.ly/4rEDe1R

 

If you’re ready to look forward, but start with a little reflection, this episode is your starting point.

 

Want to discuss this topic further with Alison? 

 

💬 Email her at alison@recruitmentleadership.co.uk.

Scaling a Values-Driven Recruitment Brand: Growth, Culture, and Curiosity with Amy Griffith & Emma Symonds, Co-Founders of True North Talent

Welcome to the latest episode of the Recruitment Leadership Podcast, hosted by Alison Humphries.

 

What happens when two experienced recruiters decide to build the kind of agency they always wanted to work for?

 

In this episode, Alison Humphries is joined by Amy Griffith and Emma Symonds, Directors of True North Talent - a fast-growing specialist in food and drink manufacturing recruitment.

 

They launched the business after a single (slightly tipsy) conversation, but what followed was anything but casual. Since then, they’ve grown a £2m turnover business, built around quality, consistency, and a strong internal culture - all while sticking firmly to their values.

 

Together, they unpack:

 

🔹 The reality of launching a recruitment business from scratch

🔹 Balancing delivery, branding, BD and ops in year one

🔹 Why your first hire shouldn’t be another recruiter

🔹 Getting intuitive recruiter know-how out of your head and into a process

🔹 The difference between great billing and real leadership

🔹 What it takes to build a repeatable, scalable model, without losing the magic

 

Amy and Emma share why consistent BD, internal culture, and curiosity have helped them grow in a tough market - and what they’d do differently if they were starting again.

 

If you're thinking about starting your own agency, or want to build a business that actually lasts, this one’s packed with the kind of insight only hands-on founders can give.

 

Connect with Amy Griffith and Emma Symonds on LinkedIn.

 

Want to discuss this topic further with Alison? 

 

💬 Email her at alison@recruitmentleadership.co.uk.

Reinventing High-Volume Recruitment: AI, Efficiency, and Candidate Experience with Blake Carter, Sales & Partnerships Director at VOAI.app

Welcome to the latest episode of the Recruitment Leadership Podcast, hosted by Alison Humphries.

What if your recruiters could screen 10,000 candidates in just three days - without adding extra headcount? 

In this episode of the Recruitment Leadership Podcast, Alison Humphries is joined by Blake Carter, Founder and Sales & Partnerships Director of VOAI.app, to explore how AI is changing the way high-volume recruitment gets done.

Blake shares the story behind VOAI - an AI-led platform that’s already helping agencies and corporates slash admin time, boost candidate engagement, and deliver a return on investment that traditional processes just can’t match.

Together, Alison and Blake dig into:

 

💡 Why AI works best in candidate-facing roles (and where it really shouldn’t be used yet)

💡 How sentiment analysis and multilingual capabilities can transform candidate experience

💡 A real case study where AI delivered 200% growth in candidate volume - with half the staff

💡 The implementation process (spoiler: it’s easier than most leaders think)

 

If you’re a recruitment business owner looking for smarter ways to protect profitability, free up your consultants, and still keep the “human” in recruitment, this episode is for you.

 

Connect with Blake Carter on LinkedIn.

Want to discuss this topic further with Alison? 

💬 Email her at alison@recruitmentleadership.co.uk.

Supercharging Business Development with Tech: Building Credibility and Consistency with Darren Westall, CEO of Paiger

Welcome to the latest episode of the Recruitment Leadership Podcast, hosted by Alison Humphries.

 

In this episode, Alison is joined by Darren Westall, CEO and Co-founder of Paiger - a platform originally known for personal branding, but now a powerful engine for business development enablement.

 

Darren shares the story behind Pager’s evolution - from a social scheduling tool into a BD productivity platform trusted by over 1000 staffing businesses. Together, he and Alison explore what recruiters really need to build a pipeline effectively, especially in today’s saturated and cautious market.

In this conversation, they cover:

 

💡 Why BD performance is stalling in so many firms, and what’s really behind it

💡 The gap between “doing more” and “doing better”

💡 How Pager helps recruiters find vacancies, research clients, and automate intelligently (without losing the human edge)

💡 The psychology behind “phone fear”, and how better prep removes it

💡 What recruitment leaders often get wrong about tech implementation

💡 Why smart automation supports BD, but doesn’t replace it

💡 Where AI is heading in recruitment, and the unexpected challenges it may bring

🎁 Darren also offers an exclusive bonus for Recruitment Leadership Podcast listeners - the first 10 people to contact Pager and mention this episode or Alison Humphries will unlock a special offer. Details on how to claim it are included in the episode.

 

Whether you're leading a sales team, implementing new tech, or just trying to get more consistent BD from your consultants - this is essential listening for agency owners and sales leaders alike.

 

Connect with Darren Westall on LinkedIn.

Want to discuss this topic further with Alison?

💬 Email her at alison@recruitmentleadership.co.uk.

Building a Better BD Strategy: Recruitment Sales Lessons with Ben Browning, Founder of Resonant

Welcome to the latest episode of the Recruitment Leadership Podcast, hosted by Alison Humphries.

 

In this episode, Alison is joined by Ben Browning, Founder of Resonant and host of the Recruiting Better Podcast, to tackle one of the biggest (and most neglected) challenges in recruitment: business development.

 

With insights drawn from Resonant’s recent State of BD report - covering over 500 firms - Ben shares why so many recruitment businesses still treat BD as a reactive, last-minute scramble… and what high-performing agencies are doing differently.

 

Together, they unpack:

 

💡Why 76% of recruiters lack a consistent BD strategy

💡What’s driving underperformance - and what to fix first

💡 How to position your service around real business problems, not just open vacancies

💡 The 5 pillars of account development - and how to use them to boost revenue and retention

💡 Why systems and strategy matter more than charisma when it comes to sales

 

You’ll also hear practical ideas for improving sales culture, creating accountability, and building a repeatable process that doesn’t rely on one “superstar biller” to hit the target.

 

🎁 Ben is offering listeners a free Blueprint Call - a no-pressure opportunity to review your current BD strategy and spot opportunities for improvement. Details on how to claim it are in the episode.

 

If you're a recruitment leader looking to build a more confident, consistent and commercial approach to sales - this is essential listening.

Connect with Ben Browning on LinkedIn.

Book your Blueprint Call.

Want to discuss this topic further with Alison?

💬 Email her at alison@recruitmentleadership.co.uk.

Transforming Recruitment Training with AI: Building Confidence, Capability, and Results with Will Bourne, Founder of Rekbot

Welcome to the latest episode of the Recruitment Leadership Podcast, hosted by Alison Humphries.

 

In this episode, Alison is joined by Will Bourne, Founder of Rekall Consulting and Rekbot - a groundbreaking AI-based training and coaching tool designed specifically for recruiters.

 

With over 15 years of industry experience, Will shares the challenges he faced leading teams, hiring new recruiters, and trying to deliver impactful training at scale. 

 

From bootstrapped startups to running large P&Ls, his frustration with traditional training methods inspired him to build Rekbot - a tool that leverages AI to deliver real-time feedback, reinforce learning, and close the performance gap in a much smarter way.

 

In this conversation, Alison and Will explore:

💡 Why traditional training fails to create lasting behavioural change

💡 How AI simulations help recruiters build real confidence, fast

💡 The hidden cost of relying on your top billers to train others

💡 The role of emotional reinforcement and repetition in learning

💡 Why Rekbot could open the door to hiring outside the industry - and getting ROI faster

💡 How bias detection, progress tracking, and tailored scenarios set this tool apart

 

🎁 Will also gives listeners an exclusive 50% discount to try Rekbot - details on how to claim it are included in the episode.

 

Whether you're a recruitment business owner struggling with underperforming hires, a leader trying to reduce training costs, or just curious about how AI can level-up your team’s capability, this is an episode you won’t want to miss

 

Connect with Will Bourne on LinkedIn.

Want to discuss this topic further with Alison?

💬 Email her at alison@recruitmentleadership.co.uk

Rehumanising Business Development: Practical Mindset Shifts with Kate O’Neill, Recruitment Coach

Welcome to the latest episode of the Recruitment Leadership Podcast, hosted by Alison Humphries.

 

In this episode, Alison is joined by Kate O’Neill, Recruitment Coach and Behavioural Profiling Specialist, known for her straight-talking, practical approach to business development in recruitment.

 

Together, they explore what it really takes to make business development work, not just for the short term, but in a way that builds long-term, sustainable client relationships.

 

Kate shares why human connection still matters more than ever in a world of automated outreach and digital tools - and what recruitment leaders can do to help their teams overcome hesitation and build real confidence on the phone.

 

They also dive into the mindset challenges that often get mistaken for skills gaps, and how to shift the behaviours that hold people back from BD success.

 

You’ll learn:

💡 Why “cold calling” is an outdated and unhelpful term — and what to do instead

💡 How your team’s hidden beliefs might be sabotaging their BD performance

💡 Why phone calls, in-person meetings, and follow-ups still matter more than email

💡 The link between strategic preparation and confidence on the phone

💡 What great BD conversations actually sound like — and what’s getting in the way

💡 How to create a BD process that drives consistent results, not one-off wins

 

If you’re a recruitment leader looking to move beyond transactional BD and help your team build confidence, consistency and credibility - this is a must-listen.

 

Connect with Kate O'Neill on LinkedIn.

Want to discuss this topic further with Alison?

💬 Email her at alison@recruitmentleadership.co.uk

From Boiling Frogs to Big Opportunities: Long-Term Trends in Recruitment with Louise Triance, MD of UK Recruiter

Welcome to the latest episode of the Recruitment Leadership Podcast, hosted by Alison Humphries.

 

In this episode, Alison is joined by Louise Triance, Managing Director of UK Recruiter and organiser of the Recruitment Agency Expo. With over three decades in the industry, Louise brings a broad and informed perspective on how recruitment has changed and what recruitment leaders should be paying attention to now.

While short-term data gets all the attention, Alison and Louise zoom out to examine the long-term trends - the “boiling frog” changes slowly, reshaping the industry. From stalled productivity and the rise in micro-agencies to shifting client expectations and the limits of AI, they explore what’s really going on beneath the surface.

Most importantly, they highlight why each of these shifts is an opportunity, if you can spot it and adapt.

Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:

 

💡Why productivity per head has barely shifted in 25 years, and what might be behind it

💡 The risk of sounding the same as everyone else and how to genuinely differentiate your agency

💡 Why face-to-face still matters and what we’re losing by avoiding it

 

💡 The limitations of AI in candidate experience and how to use it without losing the human touch

💡 How to sell more sophisticated services (like SOW and employer brand consultancy) with confidence

💡 The rise of peer collaboration and why it’s a good sign for the industry’s future

If you’re a recruitment business owner or leader looking for a broader perspective on what’s happening in the industry - and how to navigate it - this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

 

Listen now to discover how recruitment is changing and how to stay one step ahead.

 

Connect with Louise Triance on LinkedIn.

Want to discuss this topic further with Alison?

💬 Email her at alison@recruitmentleadership.co.uk.

Leading with Purpose in a Noisy Market: Business Development Lessons with Sarah Knight, Founder of Sarah Knight Consultancy

Welcome to the latest episode of the Recruitment Leadership Podcast, hosted by Alison Humphries.

 

In this episode, Alison is joined by Sarah Knight, leadership and mindset coach, business development expert, and founder of Sarah Knight Consultancy. Sarah is also the host of the podcast “It’s Got Pockets”, which explores the realities of being a woman in business - and the conversations we need to be having more often.

 

With a background in communications, PR, and people development, Sarah shares practical advice on how recruitment professionals can build lasting client relationships in a market where business development has become tougher - and more important - than ever.

 

Together, Alison and Sarah explore how recruiters and business leaders can move away from over-reliance on digital tools and get back to what really drives growth: conversations, clarity, and consistency.

 

Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:

💡 Why consistency is one of the most undervalued tools in business development

💡 How to approach new business without relying on generic outreach or tired sales techniques

💡 The importance of meaningful communication — and what makes it stand out

💡 How to ensure your team reflects your company’s values in every client interaction

💡 Why business development needs space, structure, and thoughtful reflection

 

Whether you’re a recruitment leader, a business owner, or a consultant looking to sharpen your approach, this episode is full of insight into how to build trust, develop long-term client relationships, and create space for what really works.

Listen now for a thoughtful and timely discussion on business development that works in the real world.

Want to discuss this topic further with Alison?

💬 Email her at alison@recruitmentleadership.co.uk.