Episode 118 - The Compliance Mistakes That Can Tank Your Agency with Kalpesh Baxi

Entering the US or Canada as a UK recruitment firm? North America can be the most lucrative staffing market you'll ever touch...or the fastest way to rack up costly compliance mistakes.

In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky sits down with Kalpesh Baxi (Baxfield Consulting; co-founder of RecXperts and CRIMatter) to break down what really happens when agencies expand into North America, why "send your best recruiter to New York" often fails, how EORs protect your margin and your business, and why the smartest founders don't hire "big names"… they hire skills.

Kalpesh shares the concept every scaling agency needs: the Entourage - the legal, payroll, compliance, HR, and marketing experts you must have around you to avoid expensive errors and accelerate growth.

Get your tickets for the 2026 Canadian Staffing Industry Summit here: https://canadianstaffingindustrysummit.com/book-your-spot-now

Key Moments:

00:39 Meet Kalpesh Baxi
01:58 RecXperts Concept
04:14 Hire Skills Not People
09:26 Launching North America Right
11:00 Local Knowledge and Mentors
15:45 Compliance and Market Nuances
21:59 Remote Work and Entourage
24:48 Why UK Resists EOR
25:51 Hidden Costs and Liability
28:30 Why North America Pays
36:54 How RecXperts Works
42:19 Build Your Entourage
43:03 How to Join and Connect

Connect with Kalpesh:

Kalpesh is the co-founder of RecXperts, an on-demand network of experienced recruitment operators providing advisory and execution support to staffing firms. RecXperts was built on a simple principle. Recruitment businesses do not need theory. They need access to people who have built, scaled and fixed agencies before.

Website: https://recxperts.com/

Favorite Quote:

"Don't hire the person—hire the skills."

Kalpesh

Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:

Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74

Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0

Connect with Suky:

Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk

Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.

She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:

🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit

🔹 Talent Titans Podcast

🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum

For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.

But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.

She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.

Her work sits at the intersection of:

People + Performance

Tech + Disruption

Strategy + Soul

Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:

Suky backs those who build.

www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com

Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"

Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.