The Recruiter's Recruitment Podcast

The Recruiter’s Recruitment Podcast returns with Lysha Holmes joined by Max Learmonth, Founder of Forge Talent, for a candid conversation about recruitment, authenticity, culture and what it really takes to build a high-performing team.

Max is known for his unapologetically honest presence on LinkedIn, so Lysha starts by exploring the thinking behind his content, why authenticity matters, and why recruiters and founders should focus on being themselves rather than copying what everyone else is doing.

The conversation then moves into the foundations of Forge Talent’s growth, including Max’s relationship-led approach to business development and why face-to-face meetings remain such a powerful tool for understanding clients, their businesses and their cultures. Max shares why Forge Talent expects its team to meet 8–12 people every week and how getting out into the market accelerates industry knowledge, credibility and relationships.

A major focus of the episode is high performance. What does it actually mean? How do you recognise high-potential recruiters? And how do you create a culture where ambitious people can challenge the status quo and grow together?

Max discusses the qualities he looks for, including high energy, enthusiasm, curiosity, accountability, continuous learning and collaboration — while also sharing advice for people looking to break into recruitment and find the right company culture for them.

The episode also looks ahead to Forge Talent’s plans for growth, including its new 30-person office, expanding team and ambition to become a dominant recruitment business in the North West.

🔗 Connect with the guest
Max Learmonth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-learmonth-17913782/
Forge Talent: https://www.linkedin.com/company/forge-talent-rec/

🔗 Connect with the host
Lysha Holmes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyshaholmesr2r/
Qui Recruitment: https://www.quirecruitment.co.uk/

Follow the podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts:
https://www.youtube.com/@therecruitersrecruitmentpod
https://the-recruiters-recruitment-podcast.captivate.fm/

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The Recruiter's Recruitment Podcast is proudly sponsored by Paiger and Atlas, and partnered with Bristow & Hardy and Keybridge IT Solutions.

Our sponsors:

Paiger - Making Recruiters Smarter and Faster. Paiger helps recruiters build personal brands, identify new business opportunities, attract candidates, and have better conversations.

Find out more about Paiger: https://paiger.co/

Atlas - Imagine a recruitment platform that was built from the ground up using the latest in generative AI technology. A platform that combines your favourite 10 tools into one simple UI with perfect integration out of the box. Imagine all your mundane tasks automated. The result? You'll generate 50% more revenue.

Find out more about Atlas: https://recruitwithatlas.com/

Our partners:

Bristow & Hardy partners with SME recruitment agencies to accelerate growth through sales enablement and recruitment marketing. With over 7 years’ experience, we specialise exclusively in the recruitment sector, delivering strategy, branding, websites, marketing campaigns, and sales support. Our proven growth suite of products helps agencies attract more clients, win more business, and scale efficiently.
https://www.bristowandhardy.co.uk/

Keybridge IT Solutions is a London-based Fully Managed IT Support and solutions Provider - Providing 24×7 Support to all Customers. Specialities include Microsoft Cloud, including Office 365, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure, Security, Internet Connectivity, VoIP, and much more.
https://www.keybridgeit.com/

#Recruitment #RecruitmentPodcast #TheRecruitersRecruitmentPodcast #RecruitmentLeadership #HighPerformance #RecruitmentCulture #TalentAcquisition #RecruitmentCareers #ForgeTalent #LinkedIn #BusinessDevelopment

What happens when a recruitment business that once looked unstoppable suddenly collapses? And what can you learn from rebuilding after it?

In this episode of The Recruiter’s Recruitment Podcast, Lysha Holmes is joined by John Gaughan, Founder of It’s Just You and former CEO of Finlay James, for an unusually open and honest conversation about 31 years in recruitment.

John shares the real story behind building Finlay James from two people in a small Manchester office into an international recruitment business with offices in San Francisco and Chicago — including £1m months and a £2m quarter — before the market changed and the business ultimately went into liquidation.

They discuss:
• The lessons John learned from failure and why he has no regrets
• How Finlay James pioneered flexible working with “Project Freedom”
• Why John favoured developing rookie recruiters rather than relying on experienced hires
• The 1:80 blended recruitment model and the importance of getting collaboration right
• Why daily team communication and “processing cadence” can uncover placements that technology can miss
• The two recruitment ratios every agency should know: job-to-placement and first-interview-to-placement
• How understanding your numbers can empower recruiters and remove micromanagement
• What AI can and cannot replace in recruitment
• Building career development plans and creating opportunities for the next generation
• John’s transition from running a large recruitment business to advising other recruitment leaders

If you’re a recruitment founder, leader, manager or recruiter looking to improve your processes, understand your numbers, develop talent and build a more resilient business, this is a must-listen.

Who this episode is for:

Recruitment business owners, agency leaders, recruitment managers, experienced recruiters and anyone considering a career in recruitment.

🔗 Connect with the guest
John Gaughan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johngaughanfja/
It’s Just You: https://www.linkedin.com/company/it-s-just-you/

🔗 Connect with the host
Lysha Holmes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyshaholmesr2r/
Qui Recruitment: https://www.quirecruitment.co.uk/

Follow the podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts:
https://www.youtube.com/@therecruitersrecruitmentpod
https://the-recruiters-recruitment-podcast.captivate.fm/

——————

The Recruiter's Recruitment Podcast is proudly sponsored by Paiger and Atlas, and partnered with Bristow & Hardy and Keybridge IT Solutions.

Our sponsors:

Paiger - Making Recruiters Smarter and Faster. Paiger helps recruiters build personal brands, identify new business opportunities, attract candidates, and have better conversations.

Find out more about Paiger: https://paiger.co/

Atlas - Imagine a recruitment platform that was built from the ground up using the latest in generative AI technology. A platform that combines your favourite 10 tools into one simple UI with perfect integration out of the box. Imagine all your mundane tasks automated. The result? You'll generate 50% more revenue.

Find out more about Atlas: https://recruitwithatlas.com/

Our partners:

Bristow & Hardy partners with SME recruitment agencies to accelerate growth through sales enablement and recruitment marketing. With over 7 years’ experience, we specialise exclusively in the recruitment sector, delivering strategy, branding, websites, marketing campaigns, and sales support. Our proven growth suite of products helps agencies attract more clients, win more business, and scale efficiently.
https://www.bristowandhardy.co.uk/

Keybridge IT Solutions is a London-based Fully Managed IT Support and solutions Provider - Providing 24×7 Support to all Customers. Specialities include Microsoft Cloud, including Office 365, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure, Security, Internet Connectivity, VoIP, and much more.
https://www.keybridgeit.com/

#Recruitment #RecruitmentPodcast #RecruitmentLeadership #RecruitmentAgency #RecruitmentTraining #RecruitmentTechnology #AIRecruitment #RecruitmentIndustry #RecTalk

What happens when you stop forcing recruiters to work around their CRM and instead build technology around how recruiters actually work?

In this episode of The Recruiter’s Recruitment Podcast, host Lysha Holmes chats with Jordan Shlosberg, Founder of Atlas, about the future of recruitment technology, the value of recruiter conversations and why the human side of recruitment still matters in an increasingly AI-driven industry.

Jordan shares the story behind Atlas, from his previous businesses and lessons learned to identifying a fundamental problem in recruitment: recruiters need systems to scale, but traditional CRMs can take valuable time away from revenue-generating activity.

They discuss:
Why recruitment data is one of an agency’s most valuable assets
How AI can turn conversations and activity into usable business intelligence
Why CRM systems should help recruiters recruit rather than create more admin
The importance of structuring and retaining intellectual property when people leave a business
How post-AI software is being built differently from legacy platforms
Recruitment market trends, agency growth and what Jordan is seeing across Atlas customers
The future of AI-generated communication and personalised tone of voice
Using CRM data to create more meaningful revenue forecasting
Why recruitment marketing and LinkedIn engagement matter more than many recruiters realise
How Atlas’ data-driven leaderboards measure recruitment influence and engagement

Jordan also explains where Atlas is heading next, including forecasting technology designed to help recruiters and founders understand what revenue could be coming down the line.

🔗 Connect with the guest
Jordan Shlosberg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanshlosberg/
Atlas: https://recruitwithatlas.com/

🔗 Connect with the host
Lysha Holmes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyshaholmesr2r/
Qui Recruitment: https://www.quirecruitment.co.uk/

Follow the podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts:
https://www.youtube.com/@therecruitersrecruitmentpod
https://the-recruiters-recruitment-podcast.captivate.fm/

——————

The Recruiter's Recruitment Podcast is proudly sponsored by Paiger and Atlas, and partnered with Bristow & Hardy and Keybridge IT Solutions.

Our sponsors:

Paiger - Making Recruiters Smarter and Faster. Paiger helps recruiters build personal brands, identify new business opportunities, attract candidates, and have better conversations.

Find out more about Paiger: https://paiger.co/

Atlas - Imagine a recruitment platform that was built from the ground up using the latest in generative AI technology. A platform that combines your favourite 10 tools into one simple UI with perfect integration out of the box. Imagine all your mundane tasks automated. The result? You'll generate 50% more revenue.

Find out more about Atlas: https://recruitwithatlas.com/

Our partners:

Bristow & Hardy partners with SME recruitment agencies to accelerate growth through sales enablement and recruitment marketing. With over 7 years’ experience, we specialise exclusively in the recruitment sector, delivering strategy, branding, websites, marketing campaigns, and sales support. Our proven growth suite of products helps agencies attract more clients, win more business, and scale efficiently.
https://www.bristowandhardy.co.uk/

Keybridge IT Solutions is a London-based Fully Managed IT Support and solutions Provider - Providing 24×7 Support to all Customers. Specialities include Microsoft Cloud, including Office 365, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure, Security, Internet Connectivity, VoIP, and much more.
https://www.keybridgeit.com/

#Recruitment #RecruitmentPodcast #RecruitmentTechnology #AI #RecruitmentCRM #Recruiters #RecruitmentBusiness #TalentAcquisition #LinkedIn #Atlas

Lysha Holmes welcomes back Darren Westall, Co-Founder of Paiger, for a wide-ranging conversation about business development, recruitment technology and what it really takes to thrive in the next phase of the industry.

Darren shares his journey from becoming a CTO at 28 to founding Paiger, and explains how the platform has evolved into an AI-powered revenue layer focused on helping recruiters improve productivity, business development and GP per recruiter.

The conversation explores why quality BD still matters, why “smile and dial” is dead, and how recruiters can use AI to research prospects, prioritise the best opportunities, identify hiring signals and create more targeted outreach. Darren also demonstrates Paiger Intelligence, including ideal customer profiles, market signals, research, contact discovery, personalised outreach and LinkedIn content.

But this episode goes beyond technology. Lysha and Darren discuss the growing importance of KPIs, strategic hiring, productivity over headcount, and the dangers of building too much technology internally around a single employee. They also tackle the big question around AI: how do recruitment businesses use it to enable great people rather than replace them?

With recruitment businesses beginning to grow again after a challenging period, Darren and Lysha look at why this could be the start of a healthier, more sustainable cycle for the industry — one built around expertise, better processes, smarter technology and keeping recruitment human.

WHO THIS EPISODE IS FOR

Recruitment business owners, agency leaders, recruiters, BD teams, operations leaders and anyone thinking about how AI, technology and better processes can drive sustainable growth.

🔗 Connect with the guest
Darren Westall: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrenwestall/
Paiger: https://paiger.co/

🔗 Connect with the host
Lysha Holmes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyshaholmesr2r/
Qui Recruitment: https://www.quirecruitment.co.uk/

Follow the podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts:
https://www.youtube.com/@therecruitersrecruitmentpod
https://the-recruiters-recruitment-podcast.captivate.fm/

——————

The Recruiter's Recruitment Podcast is proudly sponsored by Paiger and Atlas, and partnered with Bristow & Hardy and Keybridge IT Solutions.

Our sponsors:

Paiger - Making Recruiters Smarter and Faster. Paiger helps recruiters build personal brands, identify new business opportunities, attract candidates, and have better conversations.

Find out more about Paiger: https://paiger.co/

Atlas - Imagine a recruitment platform that was built from the ground up using the latest in generative AI technology. A platform that combines your favourite 10 tools into one simple UI with perfect integration out of the box. Imagine all your mundane tasks automated. The result? You'll generate 50% more revenue.

Find out more about Atlas: https://recruitwithatlas.com/

Our partners:

Bristow & Hardy partners with SME recruitment agencies to accelerate growth through sales enablement and recruitment marketing. With over 7 years’ experience, we specialise exclusively in the recruitment sector, delivering strategy, branding, websites, marketing campaigns, and sales support. Our proven growth suite of products helps agencies attract more clients, win more business, and scale efficiently.
https://www.bristowandhardy.co.uk/

Keybridge IT Solutions is a London-based Fully Managed IT Support and solutions Provider - Providing 24×7 Support to all Customers. Specialities include Microsoft Cloud, including Office 365, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure, Security, Internet Connectivity, VoIP, and much more.
https://www.keybridgeit.com/

#Recruitment #RecruitmentPodcast #RecruitmentTechnology #BusinessDevelopment #AI #RecruitmentAI #TalentAcquisition #RecruitmentLeaders #Paiger #TheRecruitersRecruitmentPodcast

Season 6 has been an incredible journey, and in this special wrap-up episode, host Lysha Holmes reflects on the season, thanks the amazing recruitment community for its continued support, and shares what's coming next.

Thank you to everyone who has listened, watched, shared, and supported the podcast—we can't wait to welcome you back for another season of inspiring conversations.

Season 7 launches in September 2026 — don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode!

🔗 Connect with Lysha Holmes
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyshaholmesr2r/
Qui Recruitment: https://www.quirecruitment.co.uk/

Follow the podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts:
https://www.youtube.com/@therecruitersrecruitmentpod
https://the-recruiters-recruitment-podcast.captivate.fm/

——————

The Recruiter's Recruitment Podcast is proudly sponsored by Paiger, and partnered with Needi, Keybridge IT Solutions, Bristow & Hardy and Diversity in Recruitment.

Our sponsor:

Paiger - Making Recruiters Smarter and Faster. Paiger helps recruiters build personal brands, identify new business opportunities, attract candidates, and have better conversations.

Find out more about Paiger: https://paiger.co/

Our partners:

Needi is a concierge gift-matching service using psychology and AI, to pinpoint the perfect gifts and experiences for your recipient, from the best local independent businesses. Their team of expert gift finders save companies time and money with their complimentary corporate gifting service.
https://needi.co.uk/

Bristow & Hardy partners with SME recruitment agencies to accelerate growth through sales enablement and recruitment marketing. With over 7 years’ experience, we specialise exclusively in the recruitment sector, delivering strategy, branding, websites, marketing campaigns, and sales support. Our proven growth suite of products helps agencies attract more clients, win more business, and scale efficiently.
https://www.bristowandhardy.co.uk/

Diversity in Recruitment helps recruitment businesses understand diversity, equity, and inclusion in a way that makes sense. Our training and advisory work is designed to attract diverse talent, recruit inclusively, improve your candidate journey and confidently partner with their clients. DE&I doesn’t have to be complicated and scary - it’s simply about fair, ethical and high-quality recruitment.
https://diversityinrecruitment.com/

Keybridge IT Solutions is a London-based Fully Managed IT Support and solutions Provider - Providing 24×7 Support to all Customers. Specialities include Microsoft Cloud, including Office 365, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure, Security, Internet Connectivity, VoIP, and much more.
https://www.keybridgeit.com/

#Recruitment #RecruitmentPodcast #RecruitmentIndustry #Staffing #TalentAcquisition #RecruitmentLeadership #FounderStories #RecruitmentBusiness #Hiring #Recruiters