Welcome to The Engine - Founders' Stories Podcast. Host Donna Owen chats with Holly Langley, founder of RE:STACK, a company helping recruiters get more from their tech. Holly shares how she went from nannying to leading a niche CRM consultancy. She talks about the power of saying no, building a strong team, and learning cash flow the hard way. With honesty and humor, Holly shares her journey, her lessons, and what it really takes to grow a business in a space few people understand.

Holly isn’t just a founder; she’s focused on making tech work better for recruiters. Her path from childcare to leading a CRM consultancy shows how passion and logic can build strong tools. Her belief in finding a niche and leading with purpose is helping change recruitment tech.

Holly worked in ops at a recruitment agency before starting RE:STACK, a firm that helps agencies use their tech better. At RE:STACK, she focuses on automation and smart tools to improve systems. She uses her real-world experience to solve common tech problems in recruitment.

• Starting RE:STACK: Holly shares why she built a tech-focused consultancy.
• Saying No Pays Off: How turning down work helped her grow faster.
• Cash Flow Lessons: Learning the hard way about managing money.
• Team Growth: Building a strong, fun team with clear roles.
• Content That Works: Why adding value helped grow her brand.

• Niche Tech Help: Holly explains how RE:STACK supports Bullhorn users.
• Startup Truths: The highs and lows of growing with little money.
• Learning Fast: Mistakes that taught her to lead and plan better.
• Leading with Heart: How her energy and belief shape her team.
• Big Goals Ahead: Why she’s thinking bigger for RE:STACK’s future.

Here are a few quotes from the episode:

• “Find a niche, own that niche, and stick with it.” – Holly
• “Running a business is the best and hardest thing I’ve done.” – Holly
• “Add value first, even if they don’t need you yet.” – Holly

Join Holly as she shares how focus, fun, and smart systems are helping recruiters get more from their tech and grow stronger in their niche.

Episode Highlights

[00:00] - Teaser

[01:33] - Meet Holly Langley: Founder of RE:STACK and CRM Expert

[02:45] - What RE:STACK Does: Helping Bullhorn Users with Tech

[03:45] - Saying No to Stay Focused: Why It Pays Off

[04:50] - From Head of Ops to Automation Lover: The Bullhorn Story

[06:29] - School Days to Startup Drive: Holly’s Early Years

[09:33] - First Career as a Nanny: Building People Skills

[14:19] - From Nanny to Recruitment: The Office Leap

[18:48] - Leaving the Job: Starting RE:STACK with No Plan B

[22:13] - Startup Struggles: The Fish & Chips Cash Flow Story

[24:45] - Too Many Clients: Fixing Internal Systems and Planning

[26:41] - Leadership Style: Fun, Equality, and Team Building

[29:58] - Office Culture: Mice Phobia and Bridesmaid Dresses

[32:42] - Funny Moments: Glastonbury and Bullhorn Merch

[34:09] - Content Strategy: Why Giving Value Built the Brand

[39:39] - Looking Ahead: RE:STACK’s Team and Training Plans

[42:13] - Big Vision: Agency Acquisitions and System Success

[44:08] - Advice to Founders: Niche, Belief, and Cash Flow Planning

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LinkedIn Accounts: 

• Holly Langley:

Welcome to the Founder Stories Podcast. Host Donna Owen talks with Alexandra Chirica, founder of Recfindr, a new tech tool helping recruiters manage client deals better. From her early days in recruitment to starting a tech business, Alexandra shares her journey, why she pivoted her product, and how she raised funds as a solo founder. She opens up about the hard lessons, the power of believing in your “why,” and what it takes to launch a startup in a space that’s new and challenging.

Alexandra isn’t just a founder; she’s driven by a clear purpose to improve how recruitment agencies work with clients. Her journey from recruiter to tech builder shows how a strong belief in a mission can shape better tools. Her focus on learning and pivoting is helping reshape recruitment tech.

Alexandra ran a recruitment agency before starting Recfindr, a tech tool to help agencies manage deals better. At Recfindr, she uses smart tools to improve how agencies work with clients. She focuses on solving real problems and learning from users, using her past to build better ways to work in recruitment.

• Building Recfindr: Alexandra talks about starting a tech tool for recruiters.
• Why the Pivot: How changing her idea helped her stay true to her mission.
• Raising Funds: What she learned from pitching and getting investment.
• From Recruiter to Founder: How her past work shaped her product.
• Smart Recruitment Tools: Using tech to help agencies work better and faster.

• Tech for Recruiters: Alexandra shares how Recfindr helps agencies close deals.
• Starting from Scratch: The ups and downs of building a product alone.
• Learning by Doing: How Past Mistakes Helped Shape Smarter Ideas.
• Believing in the Why: Why purpose matters more than the product.
• Growth by Change: How being open to new paths helped Recfindr grow.

Here are a few quotes from the episode:

• “Stick to your why, that’s what keeps you going.” - Alexandra
• “Raising money is hard, but belief in yourself is key.” - Alexandra
• “Tech can make recruitment smarter and simpler.” - Alexandra

Join Alexandra as she shares how purpose, learning, and smart tech are changing recruitment, helping agencies work better and connect more with their clients.

Episode Highlight

[00:00] - Teaser

[01:02] - Introducing Alexandra: From Recruitment to Recfindr

[01:28] - What Is Recfindr? Explaining a Digital Sales Room for Recruiters

[02:26] - Finding the Right Words: Messaging Recfindr to Recruiters

[04:07] - The Pivot Story: From Marketplace Idea to Deal Room Solution

[07:50] - Bootstrapping the Startup: Personal Investment and Hard Lessons

[08:20] - From Boutique Agency to Tech Builder: The Real Start of Recfindr

[11:39] - Raising Investment: From Angel Rejections to a VC Win

[14:58] - Post-Investment Shift: Rest, Reflection, and Real Product Discovery

[16:15] - Hiring and Product Discovery: Building a Strong Startup Team

[19:02] - The Early Years: Alexandra’s Journey from Law Aspirations to Recruitment

[22:54] - Creativity in Recruitment: How Alexandra Learned Her Niche

[24:17] - Getting Bored of Success: Why She Needed a New Challenge

[27:08] - Taking the Leap: How the Idea for Recfindr Took Shape

[28:32] - Darker Days: Stress, Fundraising Pressure, and Mental Strength

[32:25] - Looking Ahead: Scaling Recfindr and Embracing Growth

[35:26] - What’s Next: Investing,...

Welcome to the Founder Stories Podcast. Host Donna Owen is joined by Royden Greaves, founder of Jarvis, a fintech company that helps people understand and manage their pensions. From his early days growing up in Montserrat to leading a tech startup, Royden shares his journey, his passion for financial education, and how Jarvis is making pensions easier for everyone. He discusses his drive to help others, lessons from his career in finance, and the future of financial freedom.

Royden isn’t just a founder; he’s driven by helping others understand finances. His journey from growing up in Montserrat to creating Jarvis highlights how using simple tools and clear knowledge can change the way people manage their pensions. His passion for financial education is making a real difference.

Royden has a background in engineering and finance before founding Jarvis to help people with their pensions. At Jarvis, he uses tech to simplify financial planning and make understanding pensions easier. He focuses on education and smart solutions, using his experience to improve financial freedom for everyone.

• Making Pensions Simple: Royden shares how tech can simplify pension management.
• Building Jarvis: Lessons from starting a business and focusing on financial education.
• Empowering Others: Why teaching people about money can change lives.
• Background in Finance: How Royden’s experience in finance shaped his approach.
• Smart Solutions: How technology can make financial planning easier and more accessible.

• Tech for Financial Freedom: Royden explains how tech can simplify pensions.
• Starting Jarvis: The challenges and rewards of building a business from scratch.
• Learning from Failure: How Royden’s background in finance shaped his journey.
• Empowering People: How simple financial education can help individuals make better choices.
• Growth Through Innovation: Why embracing new ideas helped Royden scale Jarvis.

Here are a few quotes from the episode:

• “Financial education can change lives.” - Royden Greaves
• “Failure is just part of the journey, keep learning.” - Royden Greaves
• “Tech can simplify complex problems for everyone.” - Royden Greaves

Join Royden Greaves as he shares how financial education, innovation, and tech are making pensions simpler and empowering people to take control of their financial future.

Episode Highlight

[00:00:00] - Teaser

[00:01:29] - Introducing Royden: From Financial Services to Founding Jarvis

[00:01:58] - Childhood & Drive: Creativity, Failure, and Restlessness

[00:05:19] - From Cardboard Wings to Corporate Desks: Journey into Financial Services

[00:10:16] - Ethics Over Profit: Royden's Real Reason for Founding Jarvis

[00:19:23] - The Birth of Jarvis: A Desk, A Thought, A Revolution

[00:25:03] - Why Pensions Are a Mess: Historical Context & Modern Ignorance

[00:32:06] - Unpacking the £36 Billion Problem: Lost Pots and Missed Opportunities

[00:38:14] - Building Jarvis: Vision, Lean Execution, and Empowering the Underserved

[00:45:55] - Pearls of Wisdom: How to Reclaim Time and Take Control of Your Financial Future

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LinkedIn Accounts: 

• Royden Greaves: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roydengreaves/ 
• Jarvis:

Welcome to The Engine - Founders' Stories Podcast. Host Donna Owen is joined by Thomas Vose, founder of HireAra, a startup that uses AI to help recruiters format CVs. From a student project to a big tech acquisition, Tom talks about how he turned a simple idea into a fast-growing business and shares lessons on risk, teamwork, and the future of AI.

Thomas isn’t just an entrepreneur; he loves finding smart solutions to problems. His journey from launching a startup to a major tech acquisition shows how spotting small pain points and using AI can change industries, especially in making processes faster and easier for businesses.

Thomas has a background in aerospace and engineering before starting his company to improve recruitment. At his company, HireAra, he uses AI to streamline CV formatting, making the process faster and easier. He focuses on smart tech and efficiency, applying his experience in engineering and problem-solving to help businesses grow.

• Solving Recruitment Problems: Tom explains how AI can make CV formatting easier.
• Building a Startup: Lessons learned from taking risks and following his vision.
• Innovative Thinking: Why using new tech can change traditional industries.
• Tech and Engineering: How Tom’s background in engineering shaped his business.
• Faster Processes: How AI speeds up work and makes things more efficient.

• Using AI for Efficiency: Tom shows how AI can improve recruitment processes.
• Building a Business: The challenges and rewards of starting from scratch.
• Learning from Experience: How Tom’s background in engineering helped him innovate.
• Simplifying Work: How AI makes tasks faster and more effective.
• Adapting and Growing: Why being open to new ideas helped Tom scale his company.

Here are a few quotes from the episode:

• “Entrepreneurs are always looking for better ways to solve problems.” - Thomas Vose
• “A safety net lets you take risks without fearing failure.” - Thomas Vose
• “AI is changing industries, but human creativity makes it powerful.” - Thomas Vose

Join Thomas Vose as he shares how innovative thinking, AI, and entrepreneurship are transforming recruitment and paving the way for faster, smarter business growth.

Episode Highlights

[00:00] - Teaser

[01:04] - Guest Introduction: Thomas Vose

[03:08] - Early Entrepreneurial Journey and the Influence of Family

[05:30] - The Entrepreneurial Mindset: Drive, Curiosity, and Problem-Solving

[07:30] - From AI and Policy to Solving Recruitment Pain Points

[10:55] - The Future of AI: Speed, Revenue, and Corporate Adoption

[14:05] - The Journey from Startup to Acquisition and Rapid Growth

[16:50] - The Hidden Challenges of Acquisition and Key Lessons for Founders

[20:20] - Building a Team: Trust, Relentless Drive, and Friendship

[22:45] - The Power of Teamwork and Stress During Rapid Growth

[26:01] - The Impact of AI on Critical Thinking and Human Intelligence

[27:49] - Founder Mindset, Risk, and the Power of Perspective

[35:35] - Building a Sales Team with the Right People and Process

[41:50] - Final Thoughts: Embracing Risk and Starting a Business

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LinkedIn Accounts: 

• Thomas Vose:

Ready to supercharge your growth? Join Donna Owen on The Engine – Founders Stories, where she sits down with SaaS and fintech trailblazers who’ve broken free from the founder-led sales grind and built predictable, scalable revenue engines. In each bite-sized episode, you’ll pick up real-world tactics—from hiring that crucial first rep to rolling out budget-smart tech stacks—that you can put into action today. Whether you’re a founder, sales leader, or advisor hungry for fresh, proven playbooks, Donna’s candid chats deliver the inspiration and know-how to fuel your next breakthrough. Subscribe now and let’s kickstart your revenue revolution!