The Recruitment Leadership Podcast

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

 

We talk a lot about leadership in recruitment, but how often do we talk about what it means to lead like a human?

 

In this episode, Alison Humphries is joined by Cathleen O’Sullivan, Founder and Director at Cathleen Merkel Ltd, to explore what it really means to create a people-first culture in business, without losing performance, direction, or accountability.

 

Drawing on her experience as a leader in international retail and now as a leadership coach, Cathleen explains how modern leadership is shifting away from hierarchy and control toward connection, curiosity and emotional intelligence - and why this matters more than ever in a world where 44% of employees report work-related stress.

 

Together, they explore:

 

💡 The shift from “professional armour” to authentic, emotionally intelligent leadership

💡 How small business owners can balance results and wellbeing, and avoid burnout themselves

💡 The truth about “human-centred” leadership (and how it’s often misunderstood)

💡 Building collective accountability and culture in growing teams

💡 Why your “why” isn’t a slogan, and how reconnecting to it cuts through complexity

 

🎁 Cathleen also shares an exclusive offer for 10 listeners to receive a free one-hour mentoring session, helping you tackle your own leadership challenges head-on. Details on how to claim it are included in the episode.

 

If you’ve ever wondered how to lead with empathy and impact - this is your episode.

 

Connect with Cathleen O’Sullivan on LinkedIn.

Want to discuss this topic further with Alison? 

💬 Email her at [email protected].

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 [email protected].

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 [email protected].

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 [email protected].

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 [email protected].