FOUNDER DIARIES - Authenticity, Trauma & Truth in Recruitment with Chris O’Connell
In this deeply honest episode of Founder Diaries, host Nitin Sharma sits down with Chris O’Connell, founder of BASE Mindset, for one of the most raw and real conversations on RecTalk. This episode goes far beyond recruitment tactics. Chris opens up about his personal journey — from childhood trauma, building and losing a multi-million-pound recruitment business, battling validation addiction on LinkedIn, navigating heartbreak, money mindset struggles, men’s mental health, faith, and what it really means to be authentic as a founder. Together, Nitin and Chris explore why so many recruitment leaders look successful on the outside but feel disconnected on the inside — and why becoming the CEO of your life must come before being the CEO of your business. Topics covered include: * What authenticity actually means in recruitment (and why most people fake it) * The danger of building a LinkedIn persona for validation * Childhood trauma, resilience, and how it shapes leadership decisions * Losing everything financially — and rebuilding with purpose * Why financial stability creates better founders (not greed) * Money as a tool, not an identity * Men’s mental health in recruitment leadership * Walking away from bad clients, red flags, and toxic opportunities * Why relationships beat tech, automation, and “harassment as a service” * Traditional recruitment fundamentals that still work today * Why purpose now beats profit — and still makes money * Becoming discerning, slowing down, and choosing integrity * Chris’s upcoming book: Become the CEO of Your Life This is not a highlight-reel episode. It’s a conversation for founders who are tired of pretending and ready to lead with truth. 🔗 Connect with the guest Chris O’Connell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itschrisoconnell/ BASE Mindset: https://basemindset.com/ 🔗 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 on Wednesday and Friday — Monday episodes will return soon! Look out for new episodes of The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club — dropping on 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 Robert Woodford — The Marketing Junction: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marketing4recs/ Barry Cullen — recLAW: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrycullen/ Andrew Philipson — JOBBA: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewphilipson/ Ross Thompson — Infinity Staff Global: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossnthompson/ Dougie Loan — SourceWhale: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougieloan/ Andrew Constantinou — Nodex: https://www.linkedin.com/in/apconstantinou/
