Build a $1.7M Recruitment Business with the 70/30 Model No Overhead Costs

What if getting fired 20 times wasn't failure—but the exact preparation you needed to build something meaningful? James Rowe went from serial job-hopper (yes, 20+ jobs) to founder of TRE – The Recruitment Experts, a platform generating £1.7-2M annually with just 5 head office staff supporting 18+ independent recruiters. His 70/30 split model is changing how recruitment businesses operate: there is no office rent, no salary guarantees, and no managing underperformers. Experienced recruiters keep 70% of fees while TRE handles the CRM, automation, AI tools, and back-office admin. In this episode, recorded in person in London, you'll discover: The exact 70/30 model that eliminates traditional agency overhead while scaling revenue How James's backfilling campaign uses Clay, ChatGPT, and Phantom Buster to automate outreach (and why one version backfired) Lead magnet strategies hitting 50% response rates with warm clients The two email tactics that boosted responses 20% (hint: one involves typing "Sent from my iPhone") Why general recruiters won't survive the AI wave—and why niche specialists with strong databases will thrive The mindset shift from employee to entrepreneur, and why resilience beats talent Key Timestamps: 5:14 - From 20 firings to recruitment during COVID 14:01 - The 70/30 model explained 29:02 - Automation campaigns that actually work 40:54 - Two email tips that changed everything 56:06 - Why resilience and community matter most About James Rowe: James is the Managing Director of The Recruitment Experts (TRE), helping experienced recruiters launch independent businesses within 4 days. A semi-professional rugby player turned ultra-marathon runner (he recently completed 65 miles!), James applies the same discipline to business systems, AI automation, and helping recruiters break free from the 9-5. Resources Mentioned: Clay.com Lemlist ChatGPT Phantom Buster Want help scaling YOUR recruitment business? Get Mark's FREE 30-minute strategy call: www.RecruitmentCoach.com/strategy-session Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter for weekly interviews with top recruitment professionals sharing proven strategies to grow your agency.