In this episode, James Lawton speaks with Ben Hansen, The Profit Doctor, about the common traps scaling firms fall into, which he terms "Profititus"—solid revenue growth but flat net profitability. Drawing on his experience building a multi-million dollar staffing business, Ben advocates applying the Pareto principle (80/20 rule) to profitability, starting by eliminating the worst 20% of low-performing customers and employees. He emphasizes that for staffing and recruiting firms, the biggest profit leaks often come from straying outside their niche or "sweet spot" to fill challenging roles, and from a growth-obsessed psychology adopted from the VC-backed tech world. Ben encourages operations leaders to focus 20% of their energy on profitability and offers free resources to help identify and triage major profit leaks.

The SROP is hosted by James Lawton: ex-recruiter, now helping enterprise-level companies with high volume hiring with automation and AI.

More about Ben Hansen

Ben Hansen, known as The Profit Doctor, is an expert in helping businesses uncover profit leaks, fix inefficient operations, and scale sustainably. Through his flagship program, The Profit Accelerator, he helps business owners achieve an additional five points of net profitability in 90 days. Ben’s expertise centers on leveraging best practices—and learning from his own past mistakes—to optimize profitability in staffing, recruiting, and other service-based firms.

To learn more about the Profit Accelerator go to www.profitdoctor.com/accelerator

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In this episode, Sean McNicholas, Senior Commercial Manager at The OPRA Group, discusses the company’s shift from traditional transactional recruitment to a project-based model. This approach aims to align with a client's broader business goals, whether they are scaling up, launching new initiatives, or undergoing a transformation. Sean explains how this involves a comprehensive project implementation plan that includes market intelligence, talent mapping, and candidate attraction. The model emphasizes building a long-standing relationship with clients by providing continuous education and adapting to their evolving needs, rather than just filling a job.

The SROP is hosted by James Lawton: ex-recruiter, now helping enterprise-level companies with high volume hiring with automation and AI.

More about Sean McNicholas

Sean McNicholas is the Senior Commercial Manager at The OPRA Group, a recruitment specialist firm with over 35 years of experience. The OPRA Group offers a full range of people solutions, from recruitment and HR services to pre-employment screening and employee wellbeing.

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Host James Lawton speaks with Stephanie Bateman, Owner and Managing Director of Educate Staffing, about the complex process of buying out her initial investor. Stephanie discusses the initial investment that launched the business, the support the investor provided in the early years , and her eventual decision to seek full ownership around year six or seven of the business. She shares a candid and practical look at navigating the process, including the emotional strain of a family-related business dispute , the high cost of legal battles , and the critical importance of settling out of court. Ultimately, Stephanie shares key project steps for a successful buyout, emphasizing the need to be fully prepared with financial data (EBITDA, costs, multiples) and a clear understanding of the shareholders agreement before entering negotiations.

The SROP is hosted by James Lawton: ex-recruiter, now helping enterprise-level companies with high volume hiring with automation and AI.

More about Stephanie Bateman

Stephanie Bateman is the Owner and Managing Director of Educate Staffing, a trusted executive search consultancy predominantly serving schools across London. She successfully built the firm by prioritizing compliance, efficiency, and recruiter enablement. Her business journey began with a £50,000 investment from a family member, with an initial 50/50 split that later moved to a 60/40 split. After nine years in business, Stephanie successfully navigated the complex operational and personal project of buying out her investor to take full ownership of the company. She now uses her experience to share practical advice on business setup, growth, and the strategic planning required for investor buyouts.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.