From Sales Consulting to Recruiting: The Journey of a Revenue Accelerator

In this podcast episode, Deep Trikannad interviews John Brandes, the Founder of SalesBountyHunter. John shares his journey from starting his business 18 months ago with the intention of doing sales consulting, to eventually realizing that 75% of his revenue was coming from recruiting. He then decided to focus on recruiting and headhunting.

John explains that his transition from sales consulting to recruiting took about 6 to 9 months. He also notes that while the transition wasn't hard, it was different and required him to learn about the recruiting business.

As a former sales professional, John talks about the challenges of transitioning to recruiting and how he had to view it as a sales process. He mentions that recruiting is about using his skills and experience to find and connect businesses with talented individuals, hence the name SalesBountyHunter.

While he initially focused on sales people, John shares that he has also found success in recruiting for the legal field, specifically law firms. He mentions that law firms constitute about half of his business, while the other half comprises sales positions and other roles.

John explains that he uses various methods to find candidates, such as job postings and using LinkedIn tools to directly reach out to potential candidates. He emphasizes the importance of taking a human approach to the recruiting process, even for candidates who may not initially seem like a good fit. He believes in building relationships and networking to create opportunities.

In terms of pitching and attracting clients, John describes his day-to-day activities as primarily focused on business development. He reaches out to businesses through job ads and cold calls, recognizing that not everyone is initially receptive to working with recruiters. However, he believes that by providing value and emphasizing time savings, he can convince potential clients of the benefits of using his services.

John discusses the balancing act of handling both the supply and demand sides of recruiting. He explains that having a successful business development side means having a lot of job opportunities to fill, which in turn requires him to focus on finding suitable candidates.

Deep Trikannad asks John about any anecdotes or lessons learned from his experiences. John reflects on the importance of persistence and knowing when to allocate resources effectively. While it's crucial to never give up, it's equally important to recognize when to move on from unproductive leads. He shares a personal story of a successful deal that required weeks of follow-up and persistence.

Towards the end of the episode, John discusses his experience of transitioning from being an employee to starting his own business. He recalls feeling restless and wanting to explore new opportunities. Inspired by his daughter's entrepreneurial journey, he took the leap and started his own business. With the support of his wife, he has been able to replace his previous income and grow his business.

In closing, Deep Trikannad asks John if there's anything else he would like to share. John encourages people to take action and not be afraid to make the first move. He emphasizes the importance of knocking on doors and not being deterred by potential rejection. He shares his own experience of making thousands of phone calls and advises listeners to overcome hesitation and just do it.

The episode concludes with Deep Trikannad expressing gratitude for John's time and sharing his excitement for John's future success.