Case Studies

Not just happy founders. Businesses that grew.

Every business below started as a conversation with a recruiter who was good at their job and wondering whether they could do it for themselves. These are the dates, the milestones and what happened after launch.

wellrootedsearch.com

Expected a leap into the unknown. Live in six weeks, placing inside three months.

Charles thought going out on his own would be a huge leap. It was not. Emails, technology and contracts were set up around him, the business was live in six weeks, and the first placement landed at about the three month mark. By six months he had made four of them.

Time to launch: 6 weeks
First placement: Month 3

Charles HigginsDirector & Founder

First conversation
What he wanted to build, and what going out on his own meant.
Within six weeks
Well Rooted Search launches, with emails, technology and contracts in place.
Around month three
First placement made.
By month six
Four placements made.

“It's funny: when you first go out on your own, you question whether you can really run a business. Then you realise you're already doing what you've always done, just now you're building something for yourself. That changes everything. The motivation, confidence, and sense of ownership is completely different.”

Charles Higgins, Director & Founder

retelligence.co.uk

Went looking for investment. Backed himself instead, and hired twice inside a year.

Colt approached Recruiter Labs while searching for capital. He launched without raising a penny and without giving away equity, going live two months after the first conversation and growing past a solo desk within the year.

Sector. Technology: software engineering, QA and test, DevOps, infrastructure and support, and executive search across Cambridge and London.

Time to launch: 2 months
Hires in year one: 2

Colt SarginsonFounder

January 2024
First conversation about his ambitions and specialisms.
March 2024
Brand, identity and go-to-market strategy established. Retelligence launches.
March 2025
First and second employees hired.

“Launching through Recruiter Labs was one of the best business decisions I have made in my recruitment career! Having started my search looking for capital investment; I was blown away by Recruiter Labs brand, determination and passion for helping people to get up and running. It can be a lonely path setting up your own agency. With Recruiter Labs, it has softened this blow and helped me to stay focused on the things that really matter.”

Colt Sarginson, Founder

neonsearch.co.uk

One month from first conversation to launch. A New York desk three years on.

Hannah and Kimberley arrived knowing exactly which market they wanted. Chemistry conversations in January led to a launch the following month, and the business has since opened a desk in the United States.

Sector. Luxury, fashion, lifestyle, beauty, FMCG, travel and hospitality, across the UK, Europe and North America.

Time to launch: 1 month
Markets: UK, Europe, US

Hannah Milton and Kimberley CurtisCo-Founders

January 2021
Chemistry conversations about market sector and motivations for building.
February 2021
Neon Search launches.
April 2024
US expansion, opening a New York desk.

“Recruiter Labs has been an invaluable partner since the launch of our business. Their dedicated team has consistently provided incredible support, helping us build a strong business from day one. Cannot recommend the team enough.”

Kimberley Curtis, Co-Founder

A standing start to seven-figure turnover, and an award on the way.

Terry founded WeComm for the retail sector and grew it into a seven-figure business with a team in double digits, picking up Best Recruitment Start-Up along the way. The partnership with Recruiter Labs was extended into 2025.

Sector. Retail talent: eCommerce, marketing, creative, technology, data and retail operations.

Turnover: 7 figures
Headcount: Double digits

Best Recruitment Start-Up 2023, National Start-Ups
Nominated for Campaign of the Year, British Recruitment Awards
Nominated for Best New Comer, British Recruitment Awards
Finalist, Retail Partner of the Year, People in Retail Awards

Terry CannonFounder

2021
Terry founds WeComm for the retail sector.
2023
Named Best Recruitment Start-Up at the National Start-Ups Awards.
2024
Seven-figure turnover, double-digit headcount.
2025
Partnership with Recruiter Labs extended.

A business built to fund a life, not consume one.

Binay wanted travel, flexibility and time with his family, and a business that paid for them. Riva launched two months after the first conversation and has run profitably ever since on exactly those terms.

Sector. Sales talent across SaaS and business intelligence, placing founders, chief revenue officers and VPs of sales globally.

Time to launch: 2 months

Binay PatelFounder

March 2021
First chemistry conversations.
May 2021
Riva Recruitment launches and the website goes live.
2026
Running profitably as an established lifestyle business.

elitefind.io

A recruitment business she can run from anywhere, placing inside four months.

Nadya set out to build something she could run from any country. The first discussion was in November, Elite Find opened in January, and the first permanent placement followed in March.

Sector. Go-to-market teams for tech and SaaS start-ups, working globally.

Time to launch: 2 months
Launch to first placement: 2 months

Nadya AytekinFounder

November 2024
First discussion about launching a lifestyle recruitment business.
January 2025
Elite Find launches.
March 2025
First permanent placement made.

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