Podcast
The Resilient Recruiter
Hosted by Recruitment Coach Mark Whitby · EN
Join "the Recruitment Coach" Mark Whitby as he and his guests unpack the secrets of what it takes to be a profitable and long-lived professional in the recruitment industry.
49episodes
Episodes
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How to Win $100K Fees by Playing the Long Game, with Darci Smith
Apr 101:03:28Tap to summarizeWhat if one placement paid $100,000... but took two years to close?Few recruiters would touch that model. Darci Smith built her entire business around it.Darci is the founder of Roklyn, a wealth management recruiting firm based in California. She specializes in financial advisor transitions — moving established advisors between firms, often transferring hundreds of millions in assets. These aren't quick wins. Sales cycles run one to two years. Fees are paid in tranches across twelve months. Her first deal took two and a half years to close and paid $133,000.In this episode, Darci explains how she makes the model work.How she stayed solvent in year one by building a career coaching business on TikTok that generated $150,000.How she charges a $5,000 non-refundable deposit on most searches and why clients don't push back.How she niched down to California-only wealth management for five years and is now expanding nationally.And how she engineered her visibility on ChatGPT so new clients find her without her having to chase them.This is a different way to build a recruitment business.Fewer placements. Bigger fees. Stronger relationships.In this episode, you'll discover:How financial advisor transition fees work and why the sales cycle runs 1-2 yearsWhy a $5,000 non-refundable deposit changes the client relationship from day oneHow Darci built 300,000 TikTok and 100,000 Instagram followers posting from her phoneHer 30-minute AI-assisted video workflow for creating content consistentlyHow she engineered visibility on ChatGPT and the exact approach she usedWhy niching to one state and one industry for five years set up her national expansionHow staying involved through onboarding turns single placements into long-term partnershipsEpisode highlights: [4:09] How sport led Darci into recruiting and her first role at Cybercoders [9:01] Becoming a top biller at Athletes to Careers through in-person relationship building [14:25] Choosing wealth management with no industry background [18:43] First contract: a national wirehouse and 300 cold calls to get started [21:31] On cold calling: honest about hating it, clear about doing it anyway [24:49] How financial advisor transition fees work and why they take years to land [31:01] Building 300K TikTok and 100K Instagram followers while building Roklyn [32:16] Making $150K in year one from career coaching [45:29] Niching to California-only and the five-year payoff [47:35] How she engineered visibility on ChatGPT [49:49] The contained model: $5,000 non-refundable deposit [55:39] Supporting hires through onboarding and why clients keep coming backGuest Bio: Darci Smith is the founder of Roklyn, a wealth management recruiting firm based in California. She launched five years ago after roles at Cybercoders and Athletes to Careers, where she reached top biller. Roklyn focuses exclusively on wealth management, financial advisor transitions, and W2 recruiting, and operates primarily on a contained search model with a non-refundable deposit. Darci has built a social following of 300,000 on TikTok and 100,000 on Instagram.Connect with Darci:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/darcismith/Roklyn website - https://roklyn.comThis episode is brought to you by:Recruiterflow — an AI-first ATS and CRM that monitors your database and alerts you when contacts change jobs. Book a demo: recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflowTrusted Voice Video — a done-for-you video service that helps you create 30 days of content in just 30 minutes a month. Book a free strategy call: recruitmentcoach.com/videoConnect with Mark Whitby:Free 30-minute strategy session: recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-sessionFree scorecard — identify the biggest bottlenecks in your recruitment business: recruitmentcoach.com/scorecardMark on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/markwhitbyFollow on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoachIf you want to build a recruitment business with bigger fees and stronger client relationships, this episode is worth your time.
Transcribe →Why This Recruiter Stopped Scaling His $4M Firm and What He's Doing Instead
Mar 2501:10:30Tap to summarizeHe built a $4M recruitment firm. Then chose not to scale it.Seb Sharpe grew Inventure to $4 million in seven years. Profitable every quarter. Retained and exclusive from day one. A clear niche in renewable energy.Then he made a move most agency owners avoid.Instead of hiring more recruiters and scaling headcount, he started building a platform for what comes next.In this episode of The Resilient Recruiter, Seb breaks down the KPI that made revenue predictable, how to qualify roles so clients stay accountable, and why he believes the recruitment industry is shifting toward more independent, entrepreneurial recruiters.If you own a recruitment agency or executive search firm and want to build more predictable revenue, win more retained clients, and understand where the recruitment industry is heading, this conversation is worth your time. Seb covers how to grow a recruitment business sustainably, the retained search strategy behind Inventure's consistent profitability, and how AI is reshaping recruitment agency operations right now.*What You'll Learn in This Episode* Chapters00:00:00 Intro00:02:38 How Seb built a $1M business in year one00:09:33 Why niching into renewable energy changed everything00:13:34 The imposter syndrome behind early growth00:15:05 The academy model for hiring and training00:22:44 Landing a $30K retainer on day one00:31:29 The KPI that predicts your revenue00:33:51 How to calculate the value of a first-time interview00:36:27 Why most recruiters lose control of searches00:44:06 Why Seb is building Generate00:53:26 The EXP Realty model and the future of recruiting00:58:27 How AI is changing mid-funnel execution01:09:57 Mark's key takeawaysSubscribe for weekly interviews with top recruitment leaders.*Resources and Links* Not sure what's slowing your agency's growth? Take the free Recruitment Scorecard: https://recruitmentcoach.com/scorecard Recruiterflow (Sponsor): The AI-first operating system for recruitment agencies and executive search firms. https://recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflow Trusted Voice Video: Build stronger candidate pipelines and improve screening with video. #recruitment #recruiter #executivesearch #staffing #recruitmentbusiness #recruitmentagency #aiinrecruitment #headhunting #recruiterlife
Transcribe →How to Build a $4M Recruitment Firm and Change the Model, with Seb Sharpe
Mar 2501:07:37Tap to summarizeSeb Sharpe built a $4 million recruitment firm in seven years, profitable every quarter, working exclusively on retained and permanent placements.Then he made a decision most agency owners avoid.Instead of scaling headcount and doubling down on the traditional model, he stepped back and started building for where he believes the recruitment industry is heading next.Seb is the co-founder of Inventure, a specialist renewable energy search firm based in Los Angeles. He launched the business in 2018 with his co-founder Charlie Rawlings, starting with no clients, no track record, and an office above a subway line in a WeWork. Within a year, they billed $1 million. In year two, $2 million. The business has remained profitable every quarter since.More recently, they launched Generate, a platform designed for what they see as the next era of recruitment: more independent, more entrepreneurial, and built around the individual recruiter rather than the traditional agency structure.In this conversation, Seb shares the systems that drove Inventure's growth, including the one KPI that made revenue predictable, how to properly qualify vacancies so clients stay accountable, and why most recruiters are focusing on the wrong part of the funnel. He also explains why he believes recruitment is structurally overdue for change, how the shift toward independent recruiters is already happening, and where AI is genuinely adding value inside a modern recruitment business.If you're building a recruitment agency or executive search firm and want more consistent revenue, stronger client relationships, and a clearer view of where the industry is going, this one is worth your time.Episode Highlights [2:38] First year: $1M. Second year: $2M. Profitable every quarter [9:33] Why niching into renewable energy changed everything [13:34] The imposter syndrome behind early agency growth [15:05] The academy model for hiring and training [22:44] Landing a $30K retainer with no brand or track record[31:29] The KPI that predicts your revenue [33:51] How to calculate the value of a first-time interview [36:27] Why most recruiters lose control of searches [44:06] Why Seb is building Generate [53:26] The EXP Realty model and the industry shift [58:27] Where AI is changing recruitment [1:09:57] Mark's top two takeawaysGuest Bio and Contact Info Seb Sharpe is the co-founder of Inventure, a renewable energy executive search firm he built to approximately $4 million in annual revenue, and Generate, a platform for entrepreneurial recruiters. He launched Inventure in 2018 with Charlie Rawlings, billing $1 million in year one and $2 million in year two, with consistent profitability every quarter. Over seven years, the business has grown through 100% permanent placements. Seb began his recruitment career at GQR in Los Angeles and later helped launch a Chicago office. Originally from England, he attended UCLA and has been based in the US for over a decade.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebsharpe Generate: https://wearegenerateai.com (verify) Millie AI: https://mille.ai (verify)Links and Tools Recruitment Scorecard: https://recruitmentcoach.com/scorecard Recruiterflow (Sponsor): https://recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflow Trusted Voice Video: https://recruitmentcoach.com/videoConnect with Mark Whitby Free strategy session: https://recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mwhitbyFollow The Resilient Recruiter on Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode.
Transcribe →From Zero to $400K: How He Rebuilt a Recruitment Business
Mar 1901:22:06Tap to summarizeFrom $400K to Zero.Then nothing for six months.Harrison Wright launched his recruitment business and billed nearly $400,000 in his first six months.Then the market turned.Hiring froze. Searches disappeared. He was burning $30,000 a month just to stay afloat.Most recruiters would respond by doing more.More calls. More CVs. More pressure.He did exactly that.It didn’t work.So he rebuilt the business.Today, he runs a retained model with an interview-to-placement ratio of over 2:1 and clients worth more than $350,000 over time. After shifting into institutional crypto, he’s on track for $1.2M to $1.6M in 2025.In this episode, we break down:* What actually changed after the crash* Why more activity wasn’t the answer* How he qualifies candidates before a CV gets sent* The process behind a 2:1 interview-to-placement ratio* Why he doesn’t pitch the job on the first call* How positioning attracts retained clientsTimestampsChapters00:00:00 Intro00:01:06 From zero to $400K in six months00:01:21 The crash: no revenue and $30K monthly burn00:09:26 Why the craft of recruiting has been lost00:13:17 The 2.16-to-1 interview-to-placement ratio00:15:14 The 90-minute candidate interview00:21:37 Why pitching first creates problems later00:27:14 Front-loading vs back-loading00:35:42 Building positioning from scratch00:45:50 Choosing the right clients00:49:10 The institutional crypto pivot01:00:46 What a retained proposal looks likeNot sure what's slowing your agency's growth? Take the free Recruitment Scorecard:👉 https://recruitmentcoach.com/scorecardSponsorsRecruiterflow is the AI-first operating system for recruitment agencies and executive search firms. It combines a powerful ATS and CRM with AI built directly into your workflows, helping your team focus on conversations and decisions while the system handles the heavy lifting.👉 https://recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflowTrusted Voice VideoTrusted helps recruitment firms build high-quality candidate pipelines using video. If you're hiring or placing at scale, video can improve engagement, screening, and conversion.👉 https://recruitmentcoach.com/videoListen to the full episode:https://recruitmentcoach.com/podcast/👍 Don’t forget to subscribe for more interviews with top recruitment leaders every week.#recruitment #recruitmentagency #executivesearch #recruitmentbusiness #recruitmentpodcast #recruitmentstrategy #staffing #recruiterlife
Transcribe →How to Rebuild After a Market Crash and Win Retained Clients, with Harrison Wright
Mar 1901:19:07Tap to summarizeHarrison Wright built his recruitment business to nearly $400,000 in billings within six months.Then the market turned.Hiring froze. Searches disappeared. For six months, nothing came in while he was burning $30,000 a month to stay afloat.Most recruiters would respond by doing more.More calls. More CVs. More pressure.He did exactly that.It didn’t work.Harrison is the founder of The Blockchain Recruiter, a search firm specialising in crypto and Web3 talent. After the crash, he rebuilt the business around retained search, tighter positioning, and a more deliberate recruitment process.Today, he runs a retained model with an interview-to-placement ratio of 2.16 to 1 and has won clients worth more than $350,000 in lifetime value through inbound alone. After shifting into institutional crypto, he’s on track for $1.2M to $1.6M in 2025, despite a difficult market.This conversation gets into what actually changed.Why he treats recruitment as a sales process. Why he doesn’t pitch the job on the first call. And how doing more work upfront changes what happens at offer stage.In this episode:Why more activity doesn’t fix a broken recruitment modelHow Harrison qualifies candidates before a CV ever gets sentThe thinking behind a 2.16-to-1 interview-to-placement ratioWhy he avoids pitching the job early in the processHow positioning led to higher-value retained clientsThe shift into institutional crypto and why it changed his pipelineWhat most recruiters get wrong about deliveryEpisode highlights:[1:06] From zero to $400K in six months[1:21] The crash: no revenue and $30K monthly burn[13:17] The 2.16-to-1 interview-to-placement ratio[15:14] The 90-minute candidate interview[21:37] Why pitching first creates problems later[49:10] The institutional crypto pivot[1:00:46] What a retained proposal looks likeAbout Harrison WrightHarrison Wright is the founder of The Blockchain Recruiter, one of the OG search firms in crypto and Web3. As an avid student of business and the craft of recruiting, Harrison built his business by prioritizing tight positioning, exceptional delivery, and retained client partnerships in a market where most recruiters compete on speed, volume and contingency.Connect with HarrisonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrisonwrightWebsite: https://theblockchainrecruiter.comConnect with Mark WhitbyGet your FREE 30-minute strategy call:https://www.recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mwhitby/Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarkWhitbyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/RecruitmentCoachSponsorsRecruiterflowRecruiterflow is the AI-first operating system for recruitment agencies and executive search firms, combining ATS, CRM, and AI in one platform.👉 https://recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflowTrusted Voice VideoYou already know video works. You just don’t have time to create it.One 30-minute session each month. Thirty days of short-form LinkedIn video content, planned, filmed, edited, and ready to post.👉 https://recruitmentcoach.com/videoFree Recruitment ScorecardNot sure what’s slowing your agency’s growth?👉 https://recruitmentcoach.com/scorecardIf your market feels tough right now, this is worth a listen.
Transcribe →Why This Recruitment Firm Guarantees Every Placement for 12 Months, with Jessica and Lewis
Mar 1101:12:11Tap to summarizeA 12-month guarantee on every placement. That's almost unheard of in recruitment.Most agencies offer three months. Some stretch to six. Lewis Waitt and Jessica Multhauf guarantee their hires for an entire year, and more than 90% of their placements are still in the role after 12 months.That level of confidence doesn't come from luck.It comes from a recruiting process built very differently from most agencies.Aliniti didn't start as a recruitment firm. It began as an HR and organizational development consultancy working closely with privately held and family-owned businesses. Recruiting came later, growing naturally from long-term advisory relationships with clients who needed help hiring.That consulting-first approach changes everything, from how they define the role, to how they run the search, to what happens after the candidate starts.In this episode, we break down:* Why Aliniti offers a 12-month guarantee on every placement* How their consulting background changed the way they recruit* The 90-minute role clarity session they run before every search* Why recruiters should stay involved long after the candidate starts* How multiple service lines create stability in a recruitment business* How long-term advisory relationships turn into consistent search workIf you want to differentiate your recruitment firm and build deeper client partnerships, this episode shows how.*Timestamps* Chapters00:00:00 Intro00:03:09 How Aliniti started and why recruiting grew out of HR consulting00:06:37 Lewis joins the firm as the founder's son-in-law00:09:29 Jess's path from opera singer to recruitment leader00:13:30 The "four-leg chair" business model00:15:52 The retained HR model that stabilised the business00:19:31 Why deep client knowledge improves search outcomes00:28:24 The role clarity process before every search00:33:49 Handling unrealistic salary expectations and "purple squirrel" briefs00:38:56 Why Aliniti offers a 12-month guarantee00:45:37 The onboarding process that improves retention00:57:57 Vision for the next three years01:01:00 Why the firm uses profit sharing instead of commission*Not sure what's slowing your agency's growth?* Take the free Seven Figure Freedom Scorecard: 👉 https://recruitmentcoach.com/scorecardTrusted Voice Video – build authority through consistent short-form content: 👉 https://recruitmentcoach.com/video*Sponsor* Recruiterflow – the AI-first operating system for recruitment agencies and executive search firms. Recruiterflow combines a powerful ATS and CRM with AI built directly into your workflows, helping recruiters focus on conversations and decisions while the system handles the heavy lifting. 👉 https://recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflow*Resources Mentioned* Aliniti: https://www.aliniti.comLewis Waitt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lewiswaitt/Jessica Multhauf: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmulthauf/👍 Don't forget to subscribe for more interviews with top recruitment leaders every week. Your follow helps us reach more recruiters who want to build smarter, more profitable businesses.#RecruitmentPodcast #RecruitmentAgency #ExecutiveSearch #RecruitmentBusiness #RecruiterTraining #RecruitmentLeadership #HiringStrategy #RecruitmentGrowth #SearchFirm #RecruitmentSuccess
Transcribe →A Recruitment Firm That Guarantees Every Placement for 12 Months, with Jessica Multhauf and Lewis Waitt
Mar 1101:09:10Tap to summarizeA 12-month guarantee on every placement.That’s not something you hear often in recruitment.Lewis Waitt and Jessica Multhauf built their firm, Aliniti, around the idea that the placement is only the beginning of the relationship. Because of the way they run their searches — and the way they support both the client and the new hire after the hire — more than 90% of their placements are still in the role after one year.Aliniti didn’t start as a recruitment firm. It began as an HR and organisational development consultancy working closely with privately held and family-owned businesses. Recruiting came later, growing naturally from long-term advisory relationships with clients who needed help hiring.That consulting background shapes everything about how they approach recruitment today.They define the role properly before the search begins, challenge unrealistic expectations, and stay closely involved with both the client and the new hire long after the placement.The result is stronger hiring outcomes, deeper client relationships, and a recruitment business built on long-term partnerships rather than one-off transactions.In this episode of The Resilient Recruiter, Lewis and Jess explain how their model works and why it produces better results for both clients and candidates.What You’ll Learn in This Episode• Why Aliniti offers a 12-month guarantee on every placement• How their consulting background shapes their recruiting approach• The role clarity process they run before every search• Why unrealistic job briefs lead to failed searches• How staying involved after the hire improves retention• Why multiple service lines create stability in a recruitment business• How long-term advisory relationships generate repeat recruiting workTimestamps00:00 Introduction03:09 How Aliniti started and why recruiting grew out of HR consulting06:37 Lewis joins the firm as the founder’s son-in-law09:29 Jess’s path from opera singer to recruitment leader13:30 The “four-leg chair” business model15:52 The retained HR model that stabilised the business19:31 Why deep client knowledge improves search outcomes28:24 The role clarity process before every search33:49 Handling unrealistic salary expectations and “purple squirrel” briefs38:56 Why Aliniti offers a 12-month guarantee45:37 The onboarding process that improves retention57:57 Vision for the next three years1:01:00 Why the firm uses profit sharing instead of commissionSponsorThis episode is sponsored by Recruiterflow, the AI-first operating system for recruitment agencies and executive search firms.Recruiterflow combines a powerful ATS and CRM with AI built directly into your workflows, helping recruiters focus on conversations and decisions while the system handles the heavy lifting.Learn more and request a demo:https://recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflowResources MentionedAlinitihttps://www.aliniti.comLewis Waitthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lewiswaitt/Jessica Multhaufhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jmulthauf/Seven Figure Freedom Scorecardhttps://recruitmentcoach.com/scorecardTrusted Voice Video https://recruitmentcoach.com/videoIf you want to build a recruitment firm where clients stay for years and placements actually stick, this episode is well worth your time.
Transcribe →How to Win Enterprise Clients and Turn One Deal Into Recurring Revenue | Brendan Thomas
Mar 401:07:29Tap to summarizeOne placement can be a transaction.Or it can be the start of a long-term enterprise relationship.Most recruiters treat it like the first.Brendan Thomas built his career on the second.He started recruiting at 36, got fired after his first $60,000 placement, and joined a new agency six months later with two clients.By the end of that year, he had built over $600,000 in billings.Six years later, he has generated more than $5 million in lifetime billings, averaged $1 million per year, and qualified for the CEO Club every quarter.In this episode, we break down:• How to win enterprise clients that most recruiters avoid• How to approach hiring managers before HR blocks you• The three responses you’ll get from Talent Acquisition - and how to handle each• How to expand one placement into long-term recurring revenue• What discipline actually looks like on a $1M deskIf you want to move beyond one-off transactions and build strategic client relationships, this episode gives you the framework.Timestamps00:00 IntroChapters00:00:00 The $60K placement that got him fired00:01:01 Restarting and billing $600K in six months00:03:25 Starting recruitment at 3600:10:53 Ignoring advice to avoid enterprise00:23:16 Why enterprise accounts are harder and worth it00:28:15 Going to hiring managers before HR00:35:38 The three HR responses00:54:15 Expanding accounts the right way01:03:23 What "uptime" really meansNot sure what’s slowing your agency’s growth?Take the free Seven Figure Freedom Scorecard:👉 recruitmentcoach.com/scorecardRecruiterflow – the AI-first operating system built for recruitment agencies:👉 recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflowTrusted Voice Video – build authority through consistent short-form content:👉 recruitmentcoach.com/videoResources MentionedHow to Get Access to Hiring Managers Without Alienating HRhttps://recruitmentcoach.com/how-to-get-access-to-hiring-managers-without-alienating-hr/Recruiterflow - AI-first operating system for recruitment agencieshttps://www.recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflow👍 Subscribe for weekly conversations with elite recruitment business owners, search leaders, and top billers.Your follow helps us reach more recruiters who want to build smarter, more profitable businesses.#RecruitmentPodcast #RecruitmentAgency #RecruiterTraining #ExecutiveSearch #EnterpriseRecruiting #RecruitmentBusiness #MillionDollarBiller #RecruiterGrowth #BusinessDevelopment #RecruitmentStrategy
Transcribe →How to Win Enterprise Clients and Turn One Deal Into Recurring Revenue, with Brendan Thomas
Mar 401:04:48Tap to summarizeOne placement can be a transaction. Or it can be the start of a long-term enterprise relationship.Most recruiters treat it like the first. Brendan Thomas built his career on the second.He started recruiting at 36, got fired after his first $60,000 placement, and joined a new agency six months later with two clients. By the end of that year, he had built over $600,000 in billings.Six years on, he has generated more than $5 million in lifetime billings, averaged $1 million per year, and qualified for CEO Club every quarter.He did it by ignoring the advice nearly every experienced recruiter gave him. When he asked million-dollar billers how they did it, the one piece of advice he kept hearing was to avoid enterprise accounts. He ignored it.In this episode, Brendan breaks down exactly how he cracks major enterprise accounts, navigates HR and Talent Acquisition without getting blocked, and earns the kind of deep access - hiring manager calendars, ATS logins, long-term contracts - that turns one deal into recurring revenue.This episode is brought to you by RecruiterflowRecruiterflow is the AI-first operating system built specifically for recruitment agencies and executive search firms. It combines a powerful ATS and CRM with AI embedded directly into your recruiting process.Less admin. Smarter follow-up. More time spent on revenue-generating conversations.Request a demo: recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflowIn this episode, you'll discover:Why Brendan ignored the advice to avoid enterprise accounts - and what happened when he didHow to lead with a real candidate to get hiring manager buy-in before HR enters the pictureThe three responses you'll get from Talent Acquisition - and how to handle each oneWhen to walk away from an account and the red flags that tell you it's timeHow to expand one placement into a long-term enterprise relationshipWhy Brendan never asks for referrals until the candidate has had at least a week in the roleHow to earn direct access to hiring manager calendarsWhat discipline actually looks like on a million-dollar deskEpisode Highlights:[0:38] The $60,000 placement that got Brendan fired and what he did next[1:01] Starting over: $600,000 in billings in six months[3:25] How Brendan entered recruitment at age 36[18:46] The question he asked million-dollar billers and the advice he rejected[23:16] Why enterprise accounts are harder to crack and why he pursued them anyway[28:15] How to approach hiring managers before going to HR[35:38] The three HR responses and how to handle each one[46:14] Red flags, yellow flags, and green flags - deciding which accounts to pursue[54:15] Expanding an account after your first placement[56:42] Earning direct access to hiring manager calendars[1:03:23] What "uptime" really means for a million-dollar billerAbout Brendan ThomasBrendan Thomas specialises in finance and accounting placements across manufacturing, construction, and technology industries in the United States. He joined Jobot in June 2020 and has since generated over $5 million in lifetime billings, averaging approximately $1 million per year.He has qualified for CEO Club every quarter and hit the $125,000+ quarterly threshold 22 quarters in a row. He is ranked third in lifetime billing at Jobot.He works nationwide and is available from 5am to 5pm Pacific daily.Connect with Brendan:linkedin.com/in/brendanwthomasConnect with Mark WhitbyFree 30-minute strategy call: recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-sessionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mwhitbyInstagram: @RecruitmentCoach
Transcribe →The Real Reason Your Recruiters Aren’t Billing | Larissa Gerlach
Feb 2701:14:55Tap to summarizeI can’t keep making $40,000.That’s what Larissa Gerlach told her manager in year one of recruitment.She was making 200+ calls a week.Hitting the activity metrics.Doing everything she was told to do.And still unsure whether she would make it.Three years later, she was President’s Club.Soon after, the CFO of a private equity-backed recruiting firm emailed her:“What are you doing — and how do we replicate it across 25 offices?”That question became a national recruiter training programme.And it reveals a bigger truth:Most recruitment agencies believe in training.Very few build a system that consistently produces top billers.This episode answers one critical question:Why do most recruiter training programmes fail — even when activity is high?In this conversation, Larissa breaks down:• The 200-calls-per-week discipline that changed her trajectory• Why knowledge doesn’t translate into live performance• What a real training playbook looks like — from binder to LMS• Why daily role plays accelerate billings• The three reasons founders struggle to build structured training• Why cohort-based learning outperforms one-to-one onboarding• How to reduce ramp-up time and build $2M+ billersIf you’re building a recruitment agency and want consultants billing faster, progressing quicker, and performing consistently, this is a masterclass in building performance systems.ChaptersChapters00:00:00 Introduction00:03:56 From fashion sales to recruitment after the 2009 recession00:08:37 The $40,000 first year and the meeting where she nearly quit00:12:35 Why most recruiters struggle in year one — and what actually starts to click00:22:15 The 200-calls-per-week discipline that separated her from everyone else00:25:25 “You always heard Larissa’s voice” — building momentum through visible activity00:26:07 The CFO email that led to building a national sales training programme00:28:17 What the playbook actually looked like — from three-ring binder to full LMS00:35:51 Why daily role plays create elite performers00:41:38 Why role plays aren’t just for new starters — they should run your entire career00:44:14 The deliberate moves she made before launching her own firm00:47:41 Why Vibrant Talent works retained and RPO only from day one01:05:49 The three reasons most founders struggle to train their teams01:10:29 Why group cohorts outperform one-on-one onboardingResources & Tools MentionedWant a structured 18-week recruiter training system for your team?👉 recruitmentcoach.com/trainingNot sure what’s slowing your agency’s growth?Take the free Seven Figure Freedom Scorecard:👉 recruitmentcoach.com/scorecardRecruiterflow – the AI-first operating system built for recruitment agencies:👉 recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflowTrusted Voice Video – build authority through consistent short-form content:👉 recruitmentcoach.com/videoConnect with LarissaLinkedIn:https://linkedin.com/in/larissagerlachWork With Mark WhitbyBook a free strategy session:https://recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-sessionLinkedIn:https://linkedin.com/in/mwhitbyIf you’re serious about building a high-performance recruitment business, subscribe for weekly conversations with elite agency owners, search leaders, and top billers.Each episode breaks down what actually drives billings, growth, and long-term resilience in recruitment.Your follow helps us reach more recruiters who want to build smarter, more profitable businesses.
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