2 Cities. 4 Lunches. One Playbook for Building a Valuable Recruitment Business
Over a few days in London and Manchester, we hosted four lunches with Greg Savage, bringing together a mix of recruitment leaders and agency owners.
Each session centred around Greg’s take on what it really means to build a valuable recruitment business today. But what stood out wasn’t just the presentation, it was everything that came after. The conversations were open, honest and grounded in the realities of running an agency right now.
A different kind of room
Rather than presenting to the room, the sessions created a space for discussion, shared experiences and real insights into how UK agencies are operating today.
That format made a difference. People leaned in, shared more, and got into the detail. Across all four lunches, a similar thread kept coming up: there’s a real appetite for clarity right now. Clarity on where to focus, how to stand out, and how to build something sustainable in a market that feels increasingly complex.
The playbook in practice
Greg’s session sparked strong discussion across a number of key areas that are shaping how modern recruitment businesses are built and valued.
A clear standout was the importance of going narrow and deep as a specialist. Agencies that are winning are those who truly understand their niche, their clients and the value they bring, rather than trying to be everything to everyone.
There was also a strong focus on understanding financial performance at a deeper level. Knowing your cost per consultant, tracking productivity and building a business with clear visibility across your margins is becoming essential for sustainable growth.
Additionally, fee pressure remains a constant challenge. Many leaders shared that clients are pushing back harder on rates, which is forcing agencies to think differently about how they structure deals and communicate their intrinsic value.
At the same time, there was a clear shift towards winning more work through exclusivity and leveraging internal databases more effectively. Agencies that take control of their networks and position themselves as true partners are seeing stronger, more predictable outcomes.
Where operations meet valuation
One of the most valuable extensions of the playbook was how closely operational excellence is tied to business value.
As agencies grow, the backend becomes increasingly important. Payroll, funding, systems and processes are no longer just administrative functions, they directly impact how confidently businesses can scale.
Conversely, small inefficiencies that may go unnoticed early on can quickly become barriers to growth at scale. The agencies that are getting ahead are those investing early in the right infrastructure to support both performance and resilience.
These conversations closely reflect what we’re seeing across the market. Growth is no longer just about revenue, it’s about building a business that is structured, scalable and ultimately valuable.
The role of partnerships
These lunches were also a great example of what strong partnerships can look like in practice.
Working closely with the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) and Greg Savage, we filled the room with industry leaders and operators, creating an environment that was both insightful and highly relevant.
It reinforced something we strongly believe at Apositive, building a valuable recruitment business doesn’t happen in isolation. Having the right partners around you can make a big difference, whether that’s in navigating challenges, unlocking growth, or just having better visibility across the business.
A huge thank you
Lastly, a big thank you to Greg Savage for sharing his time, experience and playbook across all four sessions.
And to everyone who joined us, your openness, engagement and willingness to contribute is what made these lunches truly invaluable.
What’s next
The UK recruitment market is evolving quickly, but the themes from these conversations feel pretty consistent.
For anyone focused on building long-term value, the opportunity is there. But it starts with getting the fundamentals right, knowing your numbers, focusing your niche, and having the right structure in place to support growth.
If you’re thinking about how this applies to your own business, we’re always happy to pick up the conversation.
