BASE Mindset

The business coaching, NED and recruitment advisory services I provide includes a powerful & comprehensive process for ongoing personal development, transformation, & achievement. 

🔹Leadership Development - Mentorship & Advisory. 
🔹Staffing Solutions - Perm, Interim, Temporary.
🔹Retained, RPO, SOW, Exclusive, Job Control 
🔹BD/Networking/Markets/Nurturing Customers.
🔹Talent Management - Attraction, Onboarding.
🔹Retention & Development - Motivations/Drivers. 
🔹Organisational Development, Strategy & Execution
🔹Mission, Values & Vision/Career Maps/Packages.
🔹How to be Fit for sale MBO/MBI/Exit. 
🔹Thought Leadership - Branding/Marketing/Linkedin
🔹Day Plans, Week Plans, 90-Day Plan
🔹Mindset, Pitch, Tone, Rapport Building, Job Qual
🔹Speccing in candidates, email, sequencing
🔹Goal and Target Setting, Personal Development 

chris@basemindset.com
www.basemindset.com
Tel: 07796 304469

Leadership, Performance and Wellbeing Coach / NED

The Purpose-Led Leadership Podcast

The place that helps you communicate, engage and lead with purpose.

We lift the lid on what it takes to be a great leader.

Our guests share tips, principles, wins and failures that will educate and inspire you to lead your own team and business, with purpose.

Check us out on Spotify, iTunes and Buzzsprout

Host

Sinclair James

Working with the founder to deliver scale

NED & Business Mentor

HM Staffing Ltd

Working with the owner and the entire business to drive revenue, expansion and scale.

NED and Business Mentor

Purpose-Led Leadership

Founder

FWD Thinking Recruitment

FWD Thinking isn’t just about finding you a job, it’s about shaping our clients and candidate’s futures. 

I am tasked with making sure we exceed expectations and our career consultants live up to our 3 brand values – bravery, positivity and thoughtfulness.’

As the proliferation of social media gives clients greater access to active candidates, our role as a partner and trusted source of advice and expertise has never been more significant. 

The last six years has seen us build and nurture deep rooted business relationships. Our Ambition and bravery to continue this process is as strong as ever.

chris.oconnell@fwdthinkingrecruitment.co.uk / 0796304469

Managing Director

Angel Recruitment

Working with the owners and the entire business to drive revenue, expansion and scale.

SourceCo Recruitment Agency

Supporting the owner and business to achieve tangible business growth

Absolute Industrial Recruitment Ltd

Supporting the owner and business to achieve tangible business growth.

TrioTech Recruitment

Business Mentor 🥇 I Scaled & Sold My £25M Recruitment Business🔥Now I Empower Recruitment Leaders To Do The Same ⚡️Leadership Coach 🔥NED🚀Host: Purpose-Led Leadership Podcast🎙️Book Call

Ex-global top biller at SThree and £25M Recruitment business owner turned purpose-driven NED and coach.

Almost all business problems are people problems. Because people without a purpose have no centralised reason driving them to perform. 
 
After exiting my last business, I now coach leaders on how to build purpose-led businesses that perform. 

The services I provide includes a powerful and comprehensive process for ongoing personal development, transformation, and achievement.
 
I work with leaders in service-based businesses on: 

🔹Leadership Coaching 
🔹Vision, Mission and Values
🔹Get Fit for sale MBO/MBI/Exit
🔹Career Maps and Pay Packages
🔹Career and Organisational Development
🔹Business Development and Account Growth
🔹Talent  Attraction, Retention & Development
🔹Mindset, Pitch, Tone, Rapport Building, Job Qual
🔹Thought Leadership, Branding & Linkedin Content
🔹Robust value propositions and marketing strategies
🔹Retained, RPO, SOW, Exclusive, Job Control & Closing
🔹Day Plans, Week Plans, 90-Day Plans, Team Coaching
🔹Goal and Target Setting,  Personal Dev, Share Schemes
🔹 Boards Packs, Board Meetings, Strategy and Execution
🔹Speccing in candidates, email, sequencing,call to action 

chris@basemindset.com
www.basemindset.com
Tel: 07796 304469

 
I’m an outspoken advocate of Mental health (MHFA), mindset and self care. 

I’m the proud dad to three incredible boys and am not afraid to tell you how it is. 
 
If you’re a service-based business owner looking for serious growth, DM me to arrange a chat and let’s start growing! 😃

➡️ www.basemindset.com 

➡️ chris@basemindset.com

PS: speak to my clients…! Here’s feedback from one - check my other recommendations too! 🚀👇

🔥Chris is an exceptional coach with extensive knowledge of the recruitment market. 

🔥We engaged with Chris when we were looking to enter a new market, and his expert advice and knowledge helped us gain traction very quickly. 

🔥 Chris has become a trusted advisor and a friend, and I highly recommend Chris to anyone looking for a Coach/Mentor.

________________________________________________

To get to know me a little better, listen to my podcast The Purpose-Led Leadership Podcast 🎙 (Spotify and Apple Podcasts) or follow me on Instagram: @chrisoconnellcoach

https://open.spotify.com/show/72edQlrSeUvLmC2LsqOrQG?si=lPPWojsFTey7BKEyj-8hpg

Recruiters: Think your commission scheme is good?

Here’s what “good” actually looks like - based on data from over 100 agencies

🎯 Roles, Salaries & Targets

Trainee / Junior: 
£24,519 Salary | £104,871 Target

Consultant: 
£30,702 Salary | £156,181 Target 

Senior: 
£42,692 Salary | £201,839 Target 

Principal: 
£45,270 Salary | £250,750 Target

BDM: 
£42,458 Salary | £436,375 Target 

Account Manager: 
£35,289 Salary | £306,737 Target 

Billing Manager: 
£45,270

💸 Commission & Payout Rates:

Average payout: 17.15%
Most Profitable: 17.64%
Fastest-Growing: 18.45%

⚙️ Structure, Thresholds & Timing:

69.8% of firms use tiered commission (best practice).

42% of firms have dedicated schemes by role

54% of firms use thresholds and more common among high-growth firms.

👨🏽‍💼 Manager Schemes

61% run quarterly.

56% include thresholds.

Average override: 3.7% (ranging up to 15%).
	
Fast-growing firms prefer tiered manager incentives (63%).

💡 My Takeaways: 

The best agencies are paying more, not less - they’re doing it smarter.

Pay people a month after you receive cash (not on invoice) - sensible and commercially astute 

Reward consistentcy - monthly commission with a quarterly kicker - remove/reduce the threshold on high performance over the quarter. 

Reward directors/leaders on profit, profit per head and strategic drivers - not just fees

Track Payout Rates: commission paid divided by your GP/NFI as a % - aim for sub c20% unless it’s super performance. 

Treat Your Back Office with the same importance as sales: Deal sheets with invoice info, pro forma invoices,, regular back and front office check ins, solid financial reporting

Creating wealth creation vehicles like EOT, EMI, profit share and equity based on performance to drive optimal strategic performance.

PS: Data sourced from Konquest  and my own findings from over 100 agencies ranging from 1 - 10 heads, 11 - 50 heads, and 50+ heads

PPS: If you want to receive this kind of insight on a regular basis, become a member of Elite Advisory for a low monthly fee - DM me for details. 🚀

Chris O’Connell🍀

Ex-global top biller at SThree and £25M Recruitment business owner turned purpose-driven NED and coach.

Almost all business problems are people problems. Because people without a purpose have no centralised reason driving them to perform. 
 
After exiting my last business, I now coach leaders on how to build purpose-led businesses that perform. 

The services I provide includes a powerful and comprehensive process for ongoing personal development, transformation, and achievement.
 
I work with leaders in service-based businesses on: 

🔹Leadership Coaching 
🔹Speccing in candidates, email, sequencing,call to action
🔹Vision, Mission and Values
🔹Thought Leadership, Branding & Linkedin Content 
🔹Talent Management, Retention & Development
🔹Robust value propositions and marketing strategies
🔹Retained, RPO, SOW, Exclusive, Job control & closing
🔹Boards Packs, Board Meetings
🔹Strategy and Execution
🔹Get Fit for sale MBO/MBI/Exit
🔹Staffing Solutions - Perm, Interim
🔹Career Maps and Pay Packages
🔹Career and Organisational Development
🔹Business Development and Account Growth
🔹Day Plans, Week Plans, 90-Day Plans, Team Coaching
🔹Mindset, Pitch, Tone, Rapport Building, Job Qualification
🔹Goal and Target Setting,  Personal Dev, Share Schemes 

chris@basemindset.com
www.basemindset.com
Tel: 07796 304469

 
I’m an outspoken advocate of Mental health (MHFA), mindset and self care. 

I’m the proud dad to three incredible boys and am not afraid to tell you how it is. 
 
If you’re a service-based business owner looking for serious growth, DM me to arrange a chat and let’s start growing! 😃

➡️ www.basemindset.com 

➡️ chris@basemindset.com

PS: speak to my clients…! Here’s feedback from one - check my other recommendations too! 🚀👇

🔥Chris is an exceptional coach with extensive knowledge of the recruitment market. 

🔥We engaged with Chris when we were looking to enter a new market, and his expert advice and knowledge helped us gain traction very quickly. 

🔥 Chris has become a trusted advisor and a friend, and I highly recommend Chris to anyone looking for a Coach/Mentor.

________________________________________________

To get to know me a little better, listen to my podcast The Purpose-Led Leadership Podcast 🎙 (Spotify and Apple Podcasts) or follow me on Instagram: @chrisoconnellcoach

https://open.spotify.com/show/72edQlrSeUvLmC2LsqOrQG?si=lPPWojsFTey7BKEyj-8hpg

🥇Scaled & Sold My £25M Recruitment Business | NED 🔥Now I Mentor Recruitment Leaders To Do The Same 🚀Speaker 🎙️ Host: Purpose-Led Leadership Podcast 😃Elite Leaders M&A 📈 BUY MY NEW PRODUCTS ⬇️

It’s Not What You Offer. It’s How You Offer.

Bit of nostalgia for you.

We were a team of 9. 

I interviewed one of the most skilled billing managers I’d ever met. She had six other offers, all from great firms - and we knew this could be a pivotal hire.

She loved us. We loved her. We made a strong offer - solid salary, commission, roadmap. I’d been in regular contact with her throughout. CEO to candidate. No BS, just connection, belief, and transparency.

When she asked for time to think, I stepped back. I knew our offer was strong. But I also asked myself
 
💭 What’s the true impact of someone like her joining us?
💭 Would an extra gesture show her what kind of business we really are?

So I picked up the phone and said:

“We’ve thought about it at a strategic level. While we believe our offer is exceptional, we’re increasing it by £10,000 anyway - not because we have to, but because we want you to know our commitment. You’re worth it.”

She was stunned.
She said, “I’d already decided to join you. You didn’t need to do this. But now… you’ve reinforced everything I felt about you.”

She joined.
We went from 9 to 35 people in 18 months.
£800k to £5M.
She transformed the business.

Later she told me it wasn’t the money.
It was the way we made her feel.
The belief, the roadmap, the communication, the respect.

We didn’t come across as desperate - we came across as partners.

She felt part of the team before she even started.

And that’s the lesson:

- It’s not just what you offer - it’s how you offer.
- It’s not just hiring people - it’s inviting them into your mission.
- It’s not just closing candidates - it’s creating believers.

Recruitment businesses need to teach this - not only to their teams but to their clients. Because every interaction tells a story about who you are.

Many people who once worked with me have gone on to build multi-million-pound businesses. They didn’t leave with resentment - they left inspired.

That’s success, baby. 🔥

You are a product of your environment.

Covid happened.
Remote working was great.
We adapted, evolved, proved we could do it.

But now?
It’s time to get our fucking energy back.

I’ve walked into too many recruitment offices lately that feel like bedrooms.
Dark, flat, silent.
You could hear a pin drop.

This isn’t meditation - it’s sales.

If your “office” feels like a co-working funeral home, how the hell do you expect your team to perform?

You want culture?
You want winners?
Then build an environment that breeds it.

Get the whiteboards back up.
Gongs. Bells. Leaderboards.
Shit that makes people feel alive again.

This isn’t “old school.”
It’s right school.

Sales floors should have pulse.
Noise. Banter. Competition.
People standing up, celebrating wins, learning from losses.

Stop pretending that vibe doesn’t matter.
It’s everything.

Success is contagious.
When one person smashes a deal, the whole room lifts.
That’s how you create momentum.

So yeah remote has its place. 
But if you want to build something real?

Turn the lights on.
Turn the music up.
And for fuck’s sake… let your people feel what winning sounds like.

Average recruiters give up far too soon.

They are great at the first message!

That confident intro, CV spec, the pitch-perfect email, or the call that “felt good.”

But when there’s no reply…

They move on.

Here’s the truth that separates average billers from top performers:

2% of sales happen on the first contact.
3% on the second.
5% on the third.
10% on the fourth.

80% of sales happen between the fifth and twelfth contact.

Yet, less than 10% of recruiters ever make it past three follow-ups.

We tell ourselves “they’re not interested” when really, they’re just not ready yet.

Recruitment isn’t about instant wins.

It’s about building trust over time - with clients and candidates alike.

Every follow-up is a moment to add value:

- Share a relevant insight.
- Introduce a high-quality candidate.
- Remind them you’re still thinking about their business.
- Ask better questions.

Your fifth message might just be the one that lands the retainer.

Your seventh might turn a “not now” into a 
“can they start next week?”

Consistency beats charisma.

The recruiter who follows up thoughtfully professionally, and persistently wins.

Always.

How many touchpoints do you make before giving up on a client?

The Next Eight Weeks Could Change Your Life

The next eight weeks could change everything.

Between now and 19th December, imagine this:

What if you had the courage of your convictions?

What if you completed every outbound activity, every KPI, every weekly task for the next eight weeks - no excuses, no shortcuts, full focus?

Where would you be?
Where would your confidence be?
Where would your client base be?
Where would your candidate attraction be?
Where would your interviews and offers be?

And beyond the metrics:

What would your environment feel like?
What would your communication sound like?
How would you carry yourself?
Who would you be becoming?
What would you be wearing when you walk into your office with that certainty?

How different would you and your life feel?

This is where it starts.
Step into your power.

Because until you can visualise something - you’ll never move towards it.

I’ve run 90-day plans with hundreds of clients, and the results have been transformational.

Now, I’m delivering a shortened, high-intensity 60-day plan between now and Christmas.

Why? Because Monday starts today.
Your 2026 starts now.

What you do in the next eight weeks doesn’t just shape the end of your year - it builds the foundation for everything that comes next.

The first step is visualisation:

If you could watch yourself performing at your best:

- How would you act?
- What behaviours would you be doing daily?
- What projects would you be driving?
- What would you be saying yes to - and more importantly, what would you finally be saying no to?

Then, set your top three priorities for the next 60 days.
Break them down.
Execute relentlessly.

Know your ratios.
Know your touchpoints.
Know your outbound metrics.

If you want to close four deals a month, reverse-engineer it.

How many calls? 
How many CVs? 
How many interviews? 
How many conversions?

Eight weeks of consistency can redefine the next eight months of your career — and your life.

The time is now.
Not January.
Not next quarter.
Now.

Visualise. Commit. Execute.
Your next chapter starts today.

I’m running an intensive 60-day plan between now and Christmas.

If you’re ready to go all in DM me!

Your 2026 starts now. 🔥

LinkedIn sent an InMail this week to hiring leaders saying:

“Linkedin partners directly with 98% of staffing agencies and can provide your team the same tools to recruit talent - without paying 25% per hire's salary. Is reducing agency fees on your 2025 list of priorities?”

Let’s call that what it is:

LinkedIn partners with recruitment agencies…
…but also tells YOUR clients they don’t need recruitment agencies!

A reminder that the market is shifting.

LinkedIn’s doing what tech platforms do - monetising data and access.

Recruiters who survive this next wave won’t be the ones who complain 

They’ll be the ones who differentiate.

- Build a brand
- Own your networks
- Offer strategic, retained, or embedded models
- Lead with insight, not just CVs
- Build partnerships 

If your model is built purely on access, not expertise, you are replaceable.

If your clients only see you as a CV supplier, you have already lost.

Your power isn’t in your LinkedIn licence.

It’s in your judgement, your relationships, your ability to influence, persuade and solve hiring problems - humans-first.

Your edge isn’t LinkedIn Premium.
It’s your human premium.

What are you doing to stay ahead of the tech versus human curve?

Being a Dad teaches me as much about the little boy I was 

as it does about the father I am

It’s my son Phoenix’s eighth birthday next Saturday.

I have booked a party for him and ten of his friends at AirHop

Trampolines, laughter, pizza, and that beautiful, wild energy that only kids have.

And as I watched him this week, full of joy, mischief, and freedom

I found myself thinking back to me as a little boy.

Four… five… six… seven… eight years old.
That boy is still in here.
Inside all of us.
The inner child.

Yes, I’m a parent to two incredible boys

but I’ve realised I’m also a parent to myself.

Because when our dependency needs in childhood are not consistently met - we do not develop a strong connection to ourselves.

We grow up searching for comfort, validation, or soothing - from anything or anyone that will give us that temporary feeling of safety.

For many men, that shows up as seeking that safety in a woman’s attention….

or in dopamine hits from work, success, or distraction.

But until we learn to give that comfort and safety to ourselves,

our happiness and self worth will always depend on someone else’s availability.

Here’s a small but powerful practice to reconnect with your inner child - the boy still living within you 

🫶 Wrap your arms around yourself or place a hand on your chest
🫶Take five deep breaths
🫶Whisper: “I’m here. You’re safe now. I’ve got you.”
🫶Ask him: “How are you feeling? What do you need in this moment? How can I support you?”

Then listen without judgment.

He might just want to be held.
He might want reassurance.
He might just need you to stay - to create the safety he never had.

Whatever comes up, trust it.
Comfort him.
Stay with him.

Because healing isn’t about going back 
it’s about bringing that little boy forward,
and showing him he was never unworthy of love.

If this resonates, give it a like or share - you never know who might need this reminder today.

Tag a father, son, or man who needs to hear this today. 

———

My Book - Becoming The CEO Of Your Life - is ready and currently with the publishers! 😃

You can buy a copy now for early delivery - link in my bio / website 💛

Most recruiters think they can acquire candidates.

They can’t.

They say they are great at sourcing.
They say they have got a solid process.
They say they know their market.

They don’t.

I’ve been in this industry 27 years.
Resourcer at S3.
Top billing consultant across their entire group 
Built a £25m business.
Advised, scaled, exited, and mentored dozens of firms.

And one truth has never changed:

Candidate acquisition isn’t a skill - it’s an art.

It’s not what you say - it’s how you say it.
How you introduce yourself.
How you position yourself.
How you follow up.

Because you’re not just a recruiter.
You’re an advisor.
An expert.
A knowledge fountain.

A qualified candidate isn’t just someone who can do the role.

It’s someone you know inside and out.
Where they are interviewing.
Who they report to and reported to.
What drives them.

If you’re just passing CVs, you’re not recruiting.
You’re administering.

And don’t tell me you’ve “contacted 30 candidates.”

That means you’ve sent one email.
Half won’t reply.
A third are not right.
A third are “thinking about it.”

That’s not enough.
That’s not sourcing.
That’s hoping.

Hope doesn’t fill jobs.
Process, persistence, and positioning do.

If you want to dominate your market - attack it.

Hotlist.
Database.
LinkedIn.
Competitor Headhunt.
Email.
Phone calls.
Voice notes.
WhatsApp.
Zoom.
Teams.
Follow-up. Follow-up. Follow-up.

Quantity.
Quality.
Positioning.
Persistence.

You’re not here to facilitate.
You’re here to influence.
To persuade.
To lead.

Not with passive and amateur BS lines like…

“Are you looking for a new role at the moment?” 

Position abd introduce yourself with knowledge, authority and  credibility 

Stop calling yourself a recruitment consultant.
Start acting like a recruitment advisor.

Because that’s the difference between earning a living and building a legacy.

💬 If you can’t describe your candidate acquisition process in under 60 seconds - you don’t have one.
Let’s fix that - DM I’ll show you how 🔥

PS: that’s not me auditioning on X-factor! 😅

I was a panellist at a recent Elite Leaders event on How to Scale and Exit your Business! DM me to become a member 🚀

This is what it looks like when someone is securely attached.

I’m not here to play games.
I’m not here to make you guess.

I’m going to make myself available to you.
You’ll never have to wonder if I like you - you’ll know.

I’m not chasing chemistry.
I’m building connection.

I want to know who you really are.
What scares you.
What softens you.
What makes you feel safe.

And I’m going to accept all of you - not just the easy parts.

When you are anxious, I’ll hold space.
When you are avoidant, I’ll give you room.
Because I don’t need to win you - I want to understand you.

I’ll tell you what I need.
I’ll ask you what you need.
We’ll talk about the things most people run from - expectations, triggers, fears, dreams.

I’ll make decisions with integrity.
I’ll say what I do and do what I say.

I’ll listen to understand,
not to defend.

Conflict won’t scare me - because real intimacy lives in the repair.

I’m not here to rescue you.
I’m not here to fix you.
I’m not here to chase you.

I’ll meet you where you are - right here, right now.

That’s secure love.
That’s growth.
That’s peace.

💬 If this resonates, you’re not asking for too much you are remembering what healthy love feels like.

True security is not control - it’s clarity.
It’s knowing who you are, how you show up, and what love looks like when it’s mature, grounded, and intentional.

This is what it means to be the CEO of your emotional world - to lead with safety, honesty, and presence.

To love with purpose, not performance.
To build connection that lasts.

📖 My Book: “Becoming The CEO Of Your Life” is on presale now - link in my bio / website

How LinkedIn saved me.

Not the algorithm. Not the followers.
Not the financial rewards.

But the people who saw me when I finally stopped hiding.

When truth meets voice, impact multiplies.

My collapse stripped me.
The healing rebuilt me.
Choosing myself steadied me.

But there’s a moment when the work inside you starts to spill out.
It doesn’t ask for permission - it just leaks.

That’s what happened when I began writing, sharing, and speaking.

At first, LinkedIn was just a place to talk about recruitment.
Then my posts turned into something else - therapy and healing in public.

I wrote about the cracks.
The collapse.
The nights I screamed at the sky.

And people listened.

I’d log in expecting silence, maybe ridicule…
Instead, I found messages like:

“I read your post at 2 a.m. and decided not to give up.”

“Your vulnerability gave me the courage to tell my kids the truth.”

“I thought I was the only one, but you have given me so much light.”

The truth was I wasn’t building an audience.

I was building a mirror.

My words weren’t just mine anymore.
They belonged to every man or woman who felt fractured but still wanted to fight.

Then came my Purpose-Led Leadsrship Podcast.
100 episodes.
Billion-pound leaders, global CEOs, survivors of trauma - all sitting across from me.

What people remember isn’t their titles.
It’s the moments they broke.
The moments they trusted me enough to share their wounds.

Guests told me afterwards:

“I’ve never said that out loud before.”

“You have a way of just making me people calm and free to speak openly”

“That’s the best conversation I’ve ever had”

That’s when it hit me 
my greatest skill wasn’t recruitment.
It wasn’t building multimillion-pound empires.
It was creating space for truth.

A space so safe, people dared to drop the mask.

And the ripple spread 
speaking invites, guest appearances, panels, conversations…
all carrying the same message:

You are not broken.
Collapse isn’t the end.
Alignment is survival.

Old me would have chased the fame, the numbers, the applause.
The reborn me just said thank you.

Every handshake, every DM, every stranger who stopped me on the street, in the coffee shop…
they weren’t trophies.
They were reminders.
Another brick restored.
Another scar stitched into meaning.

Because rebirth isn’t loud.
It isn’t fireworks.
It’s when your truth starts building a home inside other people’s lives.

The rebirth wasn’t me finding my voice - it was my voice finding its people.

It was never about building a following.
It was about building a flow of truth, of connection, of lives quietly being changed in the background.

That’s the real definition of Legacy.
Not numbers.
Not applause.
But the ripples that move long after you’ve stopped speaking.

If you’ve ever rebuilt from rock bottom - or found healing in unexpected places - this one’s for you.

🎙️You can find my podcast on YouTube. Spotify, Apple and my book is available on my website 📖

The biggest lie we’ve been sold?

“No one’s coming to save you.”

Yes you’ve got to take action and back yourself.
But let’s be real… you’re only as good as the people around you.

Who leads the leader?
Who coaches the coach?
Who keeps you accountable?

I’ve got a personal trainer - without him, I wouldn’t be in the gym four times a week.

I’ve got a mindfulness and meditation guru
- without him I’d react not respond

Accountability drives consistency. 
Consistency drives results.

That’s why my CEOs work with me.
Yes, I help with growth strategy, ops, and performance 

but what really moves the needle is accountability.
Weekly calls. Honest check-ins. 
Real conversations.

There’s no ego in asking for support.
It’s not weakness - it’s wisdom.

The best leaders don’t do it alone.
They build teams, mentors, and systems that keep them on track.

Question for you:

Who’s holding you accountable right now?

If you are serious about growth, in business and in life - reach out to me and we will get to the next level together 🔥

Stop Wasting Time. Start Qualifying Properly.

One of the most common issues I solve for recruiters and their businesses is time-wasting.

Specifically their inability to discern what a good client actually looks like.

Too many get bamboozled by the logo.
“It’s a big brand.”
“It’s a sexy role.”
“It’ll look great on our client list.”

That might all be true - but if the process is broken, you’re wasting your time.

Ask yourself:

- Are you dealing with a decision-maker?
- Is it a quality fee?
- Is it exclusive or retained?
- Have you got interview slots and a confirmed schedule?
- Do you fully understand the role and expectations?
- Is it fully signed off?
- Is there opportunity to grow and develop?
- Are you prepared to walk away if the terms don’t stack up?
- Are the payment terms fair?

Most recruiters would be far better off working five absolute quality, fully qualified roles in partnership…

Than chasing 15 low-fee, high-competition jobs and running around like a blue-arse fly.

No control.
No feedback.
No next steps.
No repeat business.

It’s not about how many jobs you’ve got.
It’s about how much control you have.

Every great recruiter knows:

It’s all about agreed next actions.

When you send a CV - when will you get feedback?

After an interview - when will you hear back?

When are offers, payments, and start dates confirmed?

Everything pinned down from the start.

That’s what separates the pros from the punters.

Stop wishing.
Stop hoping.
Hope doesn’t pay your bills - reality does.

💬 If you want to grade your jobs properly, reclaim control of your desk, and work only with high-quality clients, drop me a message. 🔥

That’s what I help recruiters do - every day.

Phoenix is 8 today and he’s an absolute gem

He’s changed my outlook on life in so many ways and I continue to learn from him 

Don’t listen to people who say you can’t post this or that on here 

Post what the f*ck you want 

It’s your profile and your life - not theirs!

Celebrate when you can

Life is too short 

Happy Saturday enjoy your weekend 😃 💚

So many recruitment CEOs talk about training and development

but what they really mean is outsourcing it.

They bring in an external trainer, book a one-off workshop, throw a few PowerPoint slides on a screen… then disappear.

Then they expect their people to make millions.
No follow-up.
No coaching.
No leadership.

Here’s the truth:

The best leaders are the ones who teach.
The ones who transfer their knowledge, not just talk about it.

When I was building my recruitment business to over 100 people, I didn’t sit in an office barking targets. 

I pulled up a chair.

Literally.

I’d sit next to my consultants - not opposite them, next to them.
I’d watch their Boolean searches.
I’d see how they stored their CVs.
How they managed their pipeline.
I’d listen to their calls.
Coach in real time.
Give feedback.
Make them call a client back there and then.

That’s not micro-management.
That’s leadership.

Because when you sit with your people, three powerful things happen:

1️⃣ You understand their process and their pain.
2️⃣ They feel seen, supported, and challenged.
3️⃣ The whole floor learns together.

That’s how you build culture.
That’s how you build performance.
That’s how you build loyalty.

Leadership isn’t about hierarchy - it’s about humility.

So if you want to build a team that thrives?
Get off your chair.
Pull it up next to your consultant.

And lead.

Many of my former employees have gone on to build multi-million-pound businesses of their own.

It’s not because they were the best billers.
It’s because they became leaders.

And that’s where most recruitment CEOs get stuck.

They know how to sell, bill, and close deals - but not always how to build leaders beneath them.

If you stepped away for six months, would your business grow, survive, or collapse?

What would an acquirer see when they look under the hood of your leadership team?

🚩 For M&A Buyers, the Red Flags Are Clear

When investors or acquirers evaluate a recruitment business, they’re looking for:

- A non-essential founder
- A stable, empowered leadership team with clarity of responsibility
- Incentives and succession plans to retain top leaders post-transaction

If those things are missing, valuation multiples drop - fast.

Succession planning isn’t an HR exercise.

It’s a growth and exit strategy.

You make yourself redundant… and in doing so, you make your business irresistible.

⚙️ The Leadership Challenge

Every great leader’s job is to create at least one leader better than themselves.

So ask yourself:

👉 Who are the 2–3 people you’re actively developing right now to take your role?

👉 Are you building a business that can thrive without you - or one that depends on you?

If you’re not building leaders beneath you, you’re capping your company’s value and your own growth.

Great leaders don’t just build companies.
They build legacies.

They are ready to scale beyond themselves

If you’re a recruitment founder who wants to:

- Build a leadership team that runs without you
- Increase valuation and succession readiness
- Create freedom and legacy

The Elite Advisory Leadership Development Programme I run is designed specifically for you.

Message me directly - I’ll share the details.🚀

We know what it takes to get your business fit for sale 

And it’s never too early to begin that process 

Drop us a line to become a member!

Elite Advisory

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