Leading with honesty: Building a people-first recruitment agency W/ Ellie Cree

In this episode of Talent Matters, Ellie Cree, Managing Director at Savvy Recruitment, shares how her journey from junior recruiter to qualified therapist to MD shaped her people-first approach to leadership.

Ellie opens up about leaving Savvy to go travelling, training in psychodynamic therapy, and returning to help run the business with honesty, empathy, and a clear focus on personal growth.

We talk about:

• What a people-first recruitment agency looks like in practice

• How therapy informs Ellie’s approach to managing people and placing candidates

• Why honesty and transparency are more powerful than KPIs and "smile while you dial"

• What success really means and why bigger isn’t always better

• How to reframe recruitment as a vehicle for achieving personal goals

If you're in recruitment, leadership, or just figuring out what meaningful work looks like, this one's for you.

// ABOUT ELLIE CREE

Ellie is the Managing Director at Savvy Recruitment, a people-first agency specialising in the creative and media space. With a background in psychodynamic therapy, she blends empathy and honesty into every part of her leadership style, supporting her team to achieve their personal goals while building long-term, values-led client relationships.

// ABOUT WAVE

⁠⁠Wave⁠⁠ is the candidate attraction solution for recruitment agencies. Source high-calibre candidates faster and hassle-free. Build and grow a high-performing recruitment website. Buy and manage your job board contracts with ease.