What if getting fired 20 times wasn’t failure, but the exact preparation you needed to build something meaningful?
James Rowe’s story proves that chaos can turn into clarity when you apply discipline, systems, and the right mindset.
After years bouncing between traditional agencies, James realised what most experienced recruiters eventually learn: you don’t need the baggage of running a full agency to build a profitable practice. In this episode, recorded in person in London, James shares the systems, automation, and mindset shifts that have helped him and other recruiters he’s mentored build sustainable six-figure solo practices.
Whether you’re thinking about going independent or you’re already running your own desk, this conversation is packed with practical strategies you can implement immediately to scale your billings without scaling your overhead.
Episode Outline and Highlights
- [5:14] How getting fired 20+ times led to recruitment and why that chaos was perfect preparation.
- [13:15] The mindset shift: from “terrible employee” to entrepreneur.
- [14:01] The economics of solo recruiting: how to keep more of what you earn.
- [18:37] Why general recruiters won’t survive and niche specialists will.
- [24:33] The two extremes solo recruiters swing between and how to find balance.
- [29:02] Email marketing that works: lead magnets, backfilling automation, and why authenticity wins.
- [40:54] Two email tactics: under 5 lines + one follow-up trick that boosted responses 20%.
- [46:03] Lead magnets that convert: salary guides, CV templates, webinars hitting 50% response rates.
- [56:06] The ramp-up reality: first deal in 1-2 months, why resilience and community matter most.
What Most Recruiters Get Wrong About Going Solo
Most recruiters dream of going solo but get stuck on the same questions: How do I get clients? What systems do I need? Can I really make six figures on my own?
James has seen the pattern play out dozens of times. The recruiters who hit six figures aren’t working harder, they’re working smarter. They’ve eliminated the overhead that drags most practices down: no office rent eating into every placement, no salary commitments during slow months, no managing people who don’t want to be managed.
The foundation comes down to three things: deep niche specialization, smart automation, and ruthlessly low costs.
Niche specialization matters more than most realize. James describes one recruiter who only covers the West Midlands and focuses on four to five job titles within estate agency. That level of focus means clients already know who to call. “Anybody who needs that, they pick up the phone. He has coverage for every single nook and cranny.”
Smart systems don’t require massive investment. The goal isn’t building everything from scratch. It’s accessing the right systems (CRM, automation, back-office support) without the overhead or complexity of managing them yourself.
Low overhead is non-negotiable. “When you first start a business, hours equal success. You have to put in the graft.” But that effort should go into placements and client relationships, not managing office leases and payroll systems.
The timeline is realistic: most solo recruiters bill their first deal within 1-2 months. By month three, they consistently hit three to four placements. That’s the path to six figures: consistent placements in a tight niche without traditional overhead eating your margins.
Automation That Wins Clients (Not Just Clicks)
James’s backfilling campaign is a perfect example of how solo recruiters can compete without big agency resources. Using Clay, ChatGPT, and Phantom Buster, he built a system that automatically identifies when someone leaves a company, scrapes hiring manager details, and sends personalized outreach.
The outreach email is simple: “We noticed you have an open position. We’ve got X candidates in this area. Love to help.”
There was a learning curve. Early on, they tried including the candidate’s name who had left. It was a bad idea, and clients assumed they’d poached them. Lesson learned: keep it general in the initial email and bring up specifics on the phone.
Lead magnet campaigns work even better. Salary guides, CV templates, and interview prep resources have seen response rates as high as 50% when targeting warm clients. Even cold outreach hits 10%.
The advice is simple: build reusable assets. A well-crafted salary guide or webinar template pays dividends for years. Pair it with a simple lead funnel and you have a system that establishes credibility before the first conversation.
Two email tactics that changed everything:
Keep emails to four or five lines max. On follow-ups, type “Sent from my iPhone” at the bottom. That one tweak boosted response rates 20%. Why? It signals a personal, off-the-cuff message rather than a mass blast.
The Mindset Shift Nobody Talks About
The biggest challenge for recruiters going solo isn’t skill. It’s mindset. Solo recruiters often swing between two extremes: asking permission for a holiday (old employee habits) or clocking off at 4 p.m. to have beers with friends (misunderstanding what freedom actually means).
“When you first start a business, hours equal success. You have to put in the graft. Some people are so conditioned. They hear ‘you can earn £20,000 from one deal’ and they just can’t believe it.”
James knows this firsthand. He was the guy who slept through appointments and got fired on the spot. But everything clicked once he found recruitment and, more importantly, he was built for entrepreneurship.
What separates successful six-figure solo recruiters from those who struggle? James doesn’t hesitate: resilience.
“It’s so hard and you will take an absolute pounding. And it’s only compounded when it’s your business because it’s your reputation, it’s your money.”
James’s advice is simple: don’t do it alone. Build community, share stories, and support each other. The lone-wolf approach burns people out. Connection keeps you going when placements fall through or clients ghost you.
