Why do some recruiters struggle to break $300K while others hit seven figures in their third year? My guest, Tito Caceres, spotted a $160 billion industry that most recruiters have never even thought about. And he built a thriving business there with nothing but a credit card and relentless hustle.
Tito grew up in his family’s landscaping business and swore he’d never work in that industry. Ironically, that’s exactly where he found his million-dollar niche. After building a career in sales and recruitment, he recognized an opportunity that others had completely missed.
In 2021, he launched Bloom Talent Solutions and went all-in. First year? $600K in billings working solo with no agency pedigree. This year, he’s on pace for $1.6 million.
In this episode, you’ll hear how Tito scaled fast by going retained-only, building a transparency system that keeps clients loyal, and creating new income sources beyond placement fees. You’ll also hear why he fired clients to achieve clarity, how he packages candidates better than any resume ever could, and what it really takes to dominate a niche market. If you’ve ever wondered how far focus and follow-through can take a solo recruiter, this is your playbook.
Episode Outline and Highlights
- [3:32] How Tito went from despising the landscaping industry to building a million-dollar recruiting business in it
- [9:29] First year billings: $600K working solo with no pedigree. Here’s how he did it
- [22:05] Why Tito walked away from contingent work in year two (and never looked back)
- [24:16] The transparency system that keeps clients coming back: weekly reports, bi-weekly meetings, and QBRs
- [26:26] Performance sheets: the mandatory tool that packages candidates better than any resume ever could
- [36:08] How Tito built AI-driven recruiting systems that put him miles ahead of other recruiters
- [39:01] The subscription model that turns relationships into reliable income before placement fees even come in
- [44:19] Hiring misfires, family challenges, and the painful lessons that led to clarity
- [56:38] Revenue share partnerships with industry consultants that generate referrals on autopilot
Going 100% Retained: No More Chasing Your Tail
Most recruiters think they need to take whatever work they can get. Especially in the early years.
Tito thought the same thing until year two, when he made a decision that changed everything.
“I don’t take on any contingent deals. When I started, like most agencies, you know, hey, we want to take whatever we can get. Going into my second year, I made the decision, I’m not doing it anymore. You’re just chasing your tail sometimes and you don’t get the respect nor can you hold a client accountable when they’re working in that capacity.”
Tito now only works retained or exclusive. If a client isn’t comfortable with that? He refers them to a competitor.
This one decision eliminated the chaos of competing with other agencies. It positioned him as a true partner rather than a vendor. No more wasted effort on searches that go nowhere. No more clients who don’t respect the process. Just clean, profitable partnerships where both sides are committed.
The Transparency System That Keeps Clients Coming Back
Tito learned early that proactive communication is everything. His mentor told him: “The moment a client picks up the phone to chase you, you’ve lost an opportunity to elevate yourself.”
So Tito built a system that makes chasing him impossible.
Weekly reports emailed directly to clients. No attachments. Just sourcing activity, screenings, and search insights. Clients see exactly what’s happening without having to ask.
Bi-weekly meetings. Tito keeps clients in the loop on progress and challenges. He addresses problems before they become complaints.
Quarterly Business Reviews. These meetings review performance, metrics, and strategy. They deepen relationships and often lead to new search assignments.
The result? Clients feel informed, involved, and confident. Most of Tito’s business comes from repeat clients and referrals. The transparency system turns one-off placements into long-term partnerships.
As Tito puts it: “There’s this fear to break the bad news. There’s this fear to be like, hey, we’re taking a little bit longer. Hey, this is not working. That’s an opportunity to build trust.”
Building Recurring Income Beyond Placements
Tito didn’t stop at executive search. He built two additional income streams.
First, an AI-driven subscription service for frontline recruiting. Clients pay monthly for automated outreach that pre-screens candidates and feeds them talent.
“All of these companies are just posting jobs and hoping to God that someone walks in the door. So I can sell them the system that does this.”
Building this required hiring a technology integrator. Tito got that idea at the Recruitment Coach’s Live Summit in February. “I can’t tell you how beneficial that’s been. It’s been the best thing I’ve ever done.”
Working with Recruitment Coach gave Tito clarity on moves like this. “Being on your program, working with one of your consultants, has been super pivotal. We wouldn’t have done this without the clarity and technical understanding.”
Second, revenue share partnerships with consultants who work with landscaping companies. Fractional CFOs and COOs hear about hiring problems constantly. Tito gives them a percentage per referral.
“I want to incentivize them to let them know we’re the go-to recruiter they can trust. And that’s yielded amazing results.”
Between the subscription service and the partnerships, Tito built income streams that keep clients and referrals flowing in.
