Podcasts

Most American executives have never set foot in Latin America, and their entire mental model of the region comes from Netflix. That is the uncomfortable truth Brian Samson laid out when host Simon Child pushed him to explain why U.S. companies are suddenly rethinking where they build their engineering teams. Samson did not dance around it. Child kept circling back to the same question throughout the conversation: what is actually driving this shift, and why now?

Join Managing Partner Simon Childs as he sits down with Matt to unpack a career built across Sydney, Singapore, Japan, and beyond — from chartered accountancy to recruitment leadership, entrepreneurship, and multiple successful business exits. Matt shares how he built BeathChapman and RMI, why merging with Ethos created a stronger front-office brand, and what it was really like selling to the Will Group, a Japanese listed staffing company that acquired one of his businesses. He also explains how the Will Group’s portfolio approach, hands-off operating style, and strong hospitality made it a compelling partner. The conversation goes deep on valuation mechanics, earnouts, non-competes, and the realities of due diligence with a Japanese public company. Matt also reflects on what he learned from growing and selling businesses in Asia, why governance matters from day one, and how founders can set themselves up for a successful five-year exit.

Join Managing Partner Simon Childs as he sits down with Nick Baxter, former CEO and now Chairman of the In Group, for an unfiltered conversation spanning 24 years of recruitment leadership and transformation. Nick shares his evolution from joining a nine-person startup to co-building Investigo into a £270-million, six-brand talent solutions powerhouse. He also reveals what convinced them about partnering with Career International, a trailblazer in the recruitment industry and one of China’s first to scale globally, and how it transformed their approach from organic growth to strategic acquisition.

Recruitment Transactions International (RTI) is the first global matching platform for buyers, investors, and sellers in the recruitment and staffing industry. For our 13th podcast, RTI Managing Partner Simon Childs is joined by three leaders in the global talent / outsourcing space: Brian Samson, Founder of Plugg Technologies (nearshoring in Latin America / Mexico), Van Dang, Founder of Savvycom (software development outsourcing in Vietnam), and James Miles, COO of Talent Hero (EOR / global hiring platform in the Philippines).

In Part 2 of this two-part series, Dan talks about his experience in starting Cube19 after the sale of Broadbean Technology. He shares his experience securing funding for Cube19, its ten-year journey leading to its exit, and why Bullhorn was the right fit for Cube19. He also discusses his role as SVP Analytics at Bullhorn and why he eventually left.

Dan also discusses his current involvements with Ebsta, SAAS Academy, and Recruiter Insider, the technology it offers, and gives general advice to anyone considering starting an HR tech product.

For our 11th podcast, RTI Managing Partner Simon Childs talks to highly successful entrepreneur Dan McGuire to highlight his remarkable transition from recruiter to HR tech entrepreneur, his role in various tech-driven businesses, and his ongoing journey as a serial entrepreneur, investor, advisor, and coach.

Oconic Managing Partner Paul Daley discusses the challenges and strategies involved in RPO integration within larger recruitment businesses. Additionally, he shares insights into the complexities of RPO M&A, including stakeholder alignment, deal team structure, and market trends.

Industry legend Greg Savage discusses the high failure rate of M&As in the recruitment and staffing industry and highlights the common reasons for their failure.

What does a textbook, perfect post-merger integration of a recruitment & staffing business look like? Jeff Kaye, Managing Director at Starfish Partners, who may just have the perfect case study. For our 8th podcast, RTI Managing Partner speaks with Jeff about building a comprehensive investment ecosystem that can change the way recruitment firms scale and create value for exits.

Jeff draws on his vast experience as a recruiter, entrepreneur, and investor who has spent over three decades building businesses and investing in the recruitment industry, including his involvement with K Bassman, the largest single-site search business in the US, and Next Level Exchange, a recruiting training and consulting organization. He also discusses the growth of Sanford Rose Associates, a franchise he acquired in 2012, and his current role as Managing Director at Starfish Partners.

Starfish Partners, an international investment and ownership platform for niched professional and mid-to-upper management search specialists, provides capital for recruiting firms looking to scale as well as exit strategies for owners seeking to secure value for their firm in cash and/or stock.