RecTalk Masterclass: Market Reality, Smart Scaling & Survival Skills for 2025
Welcome to a special roundtable masterclass edition of RecTalk, hosted by Nitin Sharma. Get ready for pure, unfiltered industry knowledge from five of the most respected brains in recruitment… and Bobby. 😉 In this honest (and hilarious) discussion, Nitin is joined by: * Keith Davidson – Recruitment Funding Solutions * Bobby Banerjee – Elev8 Learning * Stewart Roberts – Mayachi * Christian Mather – One Day Wealth * Kan Mallawathantri – Avensys Tech This masterclass digs into what recruitment leaders are really facing in 2025 — from market nerves to founder burnout, tech chaos, and financial blind spots. Expect a perfect mix of insight, humour, real-life horror stories, and actionable advice. Key Topics Include: * 📉 Is the market bad… or just back to normal? Why negativity is creeping in and what’s actually happening behind the scenes. * 🚀 The rise of new starts: Why top billers are leaving big agencies due to commission changes and choosing to build lifestyle-led micro-agencies. * 💸 Founders going bust: The hidden reasons agencies collapse — and what experienced suppliers are seeing every day. * 🧮 Accounting disasters: From directors misunderstanding VAT to accountants who don’t understand recruitment — and how it destroys businesses. * 🧪 1-to-1 vs 360 models, tech stacks, funding models: Why agency blueprints no longer exist — and how owners can choose the right structure. * 🤝 How to tell a good supplier from a terrible one: Social proof, reputation, referrals, and why “leaflet marketing logic” actually makes sense. * 🧠 Consultative selling over desperation selling: Why humans sniff out urgency — and why giving value first always wins. * 📚 Training, BD, and muscle memory: Why many recruiters revert to short-term panic instead of building sustainable habits. * 💻 Tech realities: * 4-year-old laptops failing with modern cloud tools * Tech stack bloat from chasing shiny objects * Why support is more important than software * Practical £50 fixes that save agencies thousands * 🧯 Cyber security, AI myths & snake oil: The panel cuts through hype, fear, and opportunists exploiting uncertainty. * ⚖️ 2025 legislation (Employment Rights Bill, finance changes, zero-hour reforms): Why agencies must act now — not “when it affects us”. * 🫶 Vulnerability as a superpower: Asking for help, leaning on experts, and avoiding expensive mistakes by outsourcing to specialists. * 🌱 Playing the long game: Planting seeds, building reputation, and making decisions that matter 2–5 years ahead. Packed with stories, strategies, and plenty of banter — this is one of the most comprehensive “state of the industry” conversations recruitment leaders will hear all year. 🙋 Who This Episode Is For: * Recruitment founders (new or seasoned) * Aspiring agency owners * Solo recruiters scaling for the first time * Ops, L&D, finance, and back-office leaders * Anyone trying to understand the real state of recruitment in 2025 * Anyone tired of hype and wanting straight-talking advice 🔗 Connect with the panel Keith Davidson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-davidson-rfsqps/ Recruitment Funding Solutions: https://www.rectools.io/product/recruitment-funding-solutions-2/ Bobby Banerjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbybanerjee/ Elev8 Learning: https://www.rectools.io/product/elev8-learning/ Stewart Roberts: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stewartroberts78/ Mayachi: https://www.rectools.io/product/mayachi-ltd/ Christian Mather: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianmather/ One Day Wealth: https://www.rectools.io/product/one-day-wealth/ Kan Mallawathantri: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kan-avensystech/ Avensys Tech: https://www.rectools.io/product/avensys-tech/ 🔗 Connect with the host Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/ Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/ New episodes of RecTalk, including Founder Diaries and Talking Talent, drop every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Also look out for The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club — dropping on a Thursday. https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/ Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/ 🔗 Get in touch with these recommended suppliers Ross Thompson — Infinity Staff Global: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossnthompson/ Matt Fox — Exitus Advisory: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-fox-50b10311/ SourceFlow: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sourceflow/ Robert Woodford — The Marketing Junction: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marketing4recs/ Carl Jones — Konquest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-jones-66093722/ &D
