The Retained Search Show – Details, episodes & analysis

What does it really take to build credibility in private equity search? In this episode of Retained Search: The Podcast, Louise sits down with Paul Press, founder of Press & Associates, to unpack the realities of operating in one of the most demanding and relationship-driven sectors in executive search.

Paul shares how he transitioned from oil and gas recruitment into a hyper-specialised private equity niche, helping PE firms build value creation teams that drive portfolio growth and successful exits. He explains why focusing narrowly on one function within one market became a competitive advantage, how long it actually takes to build trust with PE clients, and why most recruiters underestimate the patience and precision required to succeed in the space.

The conversation explores the hidden complexity behind PE hiring processes, including six-to-twelve-stage interviews, committee-driven decision making, and the challenge of advocating for unconventional candidates in risk-averse environments. Paul also discusses the “IBM rule” in private equity hiring, why firms often default to familiar logos and pedigrees, and how search partners can help clients think more creatively about operator talent.

Louise and Paul dive into the commercial side of retained search in private equity too, covering pricing expectations, what PE firms truly buy when they engage a search partner, and why perceived value matters far more than cost alone. They also examine how longer hold periods, growing competition between PE firms, and the rise of AI are reshaping the demand for operating partners and value creation professionals.

Along the way, Paul offers candid advice for recruiters considering the PE market, including who is suited to the sector and who probably is not. He reflects on the mindset shift he experienced moving from contingent recruitment into retained search and why he now sees retained as one of the most valuable and intellectually demanding services in the talent industry.

This episode is packed with insights on hyper-specialisation, credibility building, consultative search, operator hiring, AI transformation, and the future of private equity talent strategy.

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Check out our reviews: https://retrainedsearch.com/reviews/

Join our upcoming masterclasses: https://retrainedsearch.com/webinars/

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LinkedIn

Connect with Louise: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-archer-48612844/

Connect with Jordan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/retainedsearchcoach/

Follow Retrained Search: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retrained-search/

Lucy Robinson started with a laptop, a notebook of contacts, and a belief that recruitment could be done better.

Today, LCR International is a global executive search firm placing senior leaders across the fresh produce industry on six continents, with more than 90% of its work retained.

In this episode of Retrained Search, Lucy shares the real story behind the transition from contingent recruitment to retained search. From failed starts and difficult lessons to building a structured search business with forecastable revenue, stronger client relationships, and near-perfect fill rates.

We discuss:

• Why she chose one of the most niche markets in recruitment
• The mistakes she made trying to move into retained search
• Why most recruiters misunderstand retained delivery
• Building a global search firm without offices worldwide
• The difference between contingent recruiters and search consultants
•  Creating a team-based delivery model
•  How community and collaboration accelerated growth
•  Why niching down changed everything

If you are trying to move away from contingent recruitment and build a more structured, profitable, retained search business, this episode is packed with insight.

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Want to know more about our retained search training? Talk to us: https://retrainedsearch.com/book-a-demo/

Check out our reviews: https://retrainedsearch.com/reviews/

Join our upcoming masterclasses: https://retrainedsearch.com/webinars/

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LinkedIn

Connect with Louise: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-archer-48612844/

Connect with Jordan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/retainedsearchcoach/

Follow Retrained Search: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retrained-search/

In the final episode of 2025, Louise sits down with RecConnect founder Simon Lewis to unpack what’s really coming for the recruitment industry in 2026 and why traditional contingent perm is on a slow, silent death march.

Simon shares his unconventional journey from Sunday Times journalist to IT recruiter, to job board owner, to community builder for recruitment leaders. Drawing on conversations with hundreds of agency owners and economists, he explains why this moment is the most radical shift recruitment has seen in decades and why those clinging to “business as usual” are in trouble.

They dive into:

• Why contingent perm is shrinking fast (and what will replace it)
• How retained, project and subscription models create space for real consultancy
• Why human connection, not automation, will be your competitive edge in 2026
• The power of communities and shared experiences in transforming leaders, not just businesses
• Old-school tactics that are suddenly working again (think handwritten notes and real-life lunches)
• The one word Simon says should define your strategy next year: collaboration

If you’re a recruiter or recruitment leader wondering how to evolve, protect your margins and actually enjoy the next cycle, this episode is your roadmap.

🎧 Listen now, share it with a recruiter who needs a wake-up call for 2026, and hit subscribe so you don’t miss what’s coming next.

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Want to know more about our retained search training? Talk to us: https://retrainedsearch.com/book-a-demo/

Check out our reviews: https://retrainedsearch.com/reviews/

Join our upcoming masterclasses: https://retrainedsearch.com/webinars/

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LinkedIn

Connect with Louise: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-archer-48612844/

Connect with Jordan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/retainedsearchcoach/

Follow Retrained Search: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retrained-search/

Fresh off a round-the-world sprint (and a brutal back recovery), Louise Archer and Jordan Taylor tackle the biggest myth in retained search: that taking a fee upfront means you’re guaranteeing a fill. 

They reframe retained as a governed process that delivers certainty, not luck-especially on those “nightmare” briefs everyone avoids. You’ll hear the surgeon analogy that flips risk on its head, where retained doesn’t make sense, and the exact moves to close stalled projects without becoming a nag.

Plus, real wins from the community-first retainers, repeat mandates, and pipelines built on trust, not chance-and a reminder to apply the same discipline to self-care as you do to delivery.

You’ll learn:

• How to sell retained without promising an outcome you can’t control
• The delivery governance clients actually pay for (and how to show it)
• When to avoid retainers 
• How to diagnose “do they really need this now?” and close stalled deals
• Why diligent recruiters who care win most in a retained model
• The mindset and self-care rituals that keep founders sharp and decisive

If this episode hits home, share it with a recruiter who’s still gambling on contingent-and hit follow so you never miss the strategies that actually move the needle.

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Want to know more about our retained search training? Talk to us: https://retrainedsearch.com/book-a-demo/

Check out our reviews: https://retrainedsearch.com/reviews/

Join our upcoming masterclasses: https://retrainedsearch.com/webinars/

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LinkedIn

Connect with Louise: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-archer-48612844/

Connect with Jordan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/retainedsearchcoach/

Follow Retrained Search: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retrained-search/

We sit down with Jordan Shlosberg, founder & CEO of Atlas, to unpack how an AI-native, memory-driven CRM is changing the way executive search firms win work and deliver. Jordan shares the journey from building an expert network to architecting Atlas’s “remember-everything” engine, why retrofitting old CRMs with AI won’t cut it, and how features like Magic Search and BD signal tracking turn every conversation into a competitive edge.

You’ll learn:

• Memory as a moat: Why storing everything your firm hears, says, reads, and writes becomes your most defensible advantage and how it powers evidence-rich pitch decks and shortlists.
• Magic Search in action: Find “a CEO who loves Pearl Jam” and surface context from calls, emails, and chats without leaving your database.
• Zero-admin BD: Automated tracking of outreach, replies, and next steps with daily “what to focus on” guidance and dynamic heat scoring.
• Exec search vs. contingent: Building for white-glove depth and speed -  present like an exec search firm, even on contingent timelines.
• Adoption playbook: Practical ways to drive AI usage (yes, incentivise it), and why your team should be in ChatGPT/Claude as a bare minimum.
• Migration truths: What it really takes to move CRMs, why the pain is overblown, and why waiting gets costlier when competitors go AI-native.
• Compliance posture: Legitimate interest, consent controls, and one-click deletion - designing flexible workflows for GDPR-sensitive environments. (Not legal advice.)
• Revenue per head lens: How Atlas prioritises features that measurably increase billing beyond shiny demos.
• Team & build philosophy: Why a larger engineering org (and ruthless feedback loops: “tell us what you hate”) shapes a better product, faster.

About Jordan Shlosberg
Founder & CEO of Atlas. Previously built an expert network business from scratch to significant scale; early to applied AI in search and knowledge retrieval; product thinker obsessed with turning conversations into searchable, reusable firm intelligence.

If you’re pitching major mandates in the next quarter, this conversation might change how you prep your deck and run your search. Subscribe, share with a fellow search leader, and tell us what you want covered next: team@retainedsearch.com

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Want to know more about our retained search training? Talk to us: https://retrainedsearch.com/book-a-demo/

Check out our reviews: https://retrainedsearch.com/reviews/

Join our upcoming masterclasses: https://retrainedsearch.com/webinars/

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LinkedIn

Connect with Louise: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-archer-48612844/

Connect with Jordan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/retainedsearchcoach/

Follow Retrained Search: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retrained-search/

What if the best path to growth is doing more with less?

We sit down with James Ward, founder of Clarity R2R, to unpack how a leadership-focused, values-driven R2R firm can scale in the United States without chasing headcount. From Manchester beginnings to a Miami base, James explains why a less saturated US market - with around 25,000 staffing firms serving 350 million people - creates space for specialist search across technology, life sciences, and financial services.

We get candid about hiring mistakes, the cost of premature ops hires, and the moment a management coach forced a hard reset on vision and values. James breaks down his operating spine - outbound searches for billing manager to board level, principals placed by referral, not volume. He shares how he qualifies clients for retained work, when exclusive beats contingent, and how to decide when a full search process is truly needed.

Expect practical insights on:

• Building a lean A-team that outbills larger firms
• Using deposits to protect focus and forecast revenue
• What top recruiters want from employers today
• Why being on the ground still matters in US expansion

If you’re exploring retained search or considering a US move, this is your playbook on client selection, capacity management, and building a high-performance culture.

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Want to know more about our retained search training? Talk to us: https://retrainedsearch.com/book-a-demo/

Check out our reviews: https://retrainedsearch.com/reviews/

Join our upcoming masterclasses: https://retrainedsearch.com/webinars/

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LinkedIn

Connect with Louise: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-archer-48612844/

Connect with Jordan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/retainedsearchcoach/

Follow Retrained Search: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retrained-search/

Want to know why retained search works in one of the toughest arenas - search-to-search - and how boutique firms are turning that challenge into a competitive moat?

We sit down with Candice Bourne, Director at Bourne Consulting to unpack the real mechanics of retained search for recruiter-to-recruiter hires: from patient sourcing of passive originators to brand signals that actually move the needle.

Candice traces her pivot from a contingent background to a partnership-first model, showing how trust, process, and precision outperform volume when candidates are high-performing and time-poor. We explore what’s selling in today’s market - and what’s not - after a year that’s pushed delivery roles to the background while keeping demand for true originators front and center.

You’ll hear how SME boutiques can compete with global names through sharper storytelling, credible client rosters, and genuine cross-sell support - and how adjacent revenue lines like interim, leadership advisory, and mapping can smooth cycles and deepen client relationships.

Then we go tactical: two standout retained wins, from building a financial services practice in the UAE from a cold start to placing a CFO-practice consultant who later launched a New York office. Along the way, we talk sourcing BD talent, engaging passive candidates without breaking trust, and why informal first conversations often outperform formal interviews when the stakes are high.

We wrap with a look at where the action is next - the US and Middle East - and the recurring themes shaping the future of search, from AI’s impact on research to the evolving role of the researcher.

If you’re a recruiter considering the shift from contingent to retained—or already partway there - you’ll take away practical advice, global insights, and plenty of inspiration from someone who’s done it.

Follow the show, share it with a colleague debating retained vs. contingent, and leave a quick review to help more recruiters find us.

Got a story or question from the field? Email team@retrainedsearch.com
or connect with us on LinkedIn.

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Want to know more about our retained search training? Talk to us: https://retrainedsearch.com/book-a-demo/

Check out our reviews: https://retrainedsearch.com/reviews/

Join our upcoming masterclasses: https://retrainedsearch.com/webinars/

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LinkedIn

Connect with Louise: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-archer-48612844/

Connect with Jordan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/retainedsearchcoach/

Follow Retrained Search: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retrained-search/

Louise Archer, Sophie Robertson, David Wolstenholme and Adrian Byra come together to announce their exciting Sydney Masterclass Event taking place on October 23rd at the Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel, designed to help Australian recruiters navigate changing market conditions with innovative strategies.

You'll Learn

• How to win exclusivity and commitment in cautious markets, avoid costly delivery pitfalls, and guarantee fill rates that keep clients coming back.
• How to uncover hidden temp opportunities, avoid margin-draining mistakes, and create the stability your business needs in uncertain times.
• How to leverage offshore teams and AI to cut costs, boost productivity, and keep margins healthy when revenue is under pressure.
• How to stand out with content that addresses clients’ biggest fears, builds authority, and wins trust when budgets are tight.

Join us at the Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel on Thursday, October 23rd for a full-day masterclass that will transform how you approach recruitment in today's changing market. 

Book now to secure your spot. Spaces are limited: https://recruitment-masterclass.vercel.app/

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Want to know more about our retained search training? Talk to us: https://retrainedsearch.com/book-a-demo/

Check out our reviews: https://retrainedsearch.com/reviews/

Join our upcoming masterclasses: https://retrainedsearch.com/webinars/

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LinkedIn

Connect with Louise: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-archer-48612844/

Connect with Jordan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/retainedsearchcoach/

Follow Retrained Search: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retrained-search/

Pete Watson, founder of Mint R2R and Recruitment United, offers a refreshingly honest look at the realities of Australian recruitment today. With over 21 years building Australia’s longest-serving Rec to Rec business, Pete brings a unique perspective on how the industry is evolving and why community might be the secret ingredient most recruiters are missing.

Pete's journey from running pubs in Manchester to becoming a recruitment entrepreneur began with a simple phone call from a friend boasting about an £11,000 monthly bonus. That call sparked a career spanning two decades and continents, culminating in multiple successful ventures designed to bring recruiters together. His most passionate project, Recruitment United, was born from a personal realization while on the treadmill - that the isolation of running a small recruitment agency was taking a toll. "My life was somewhat isolated, dare I say, lonely," Pete admits, describing the moment he decided to create something that would connect independent recruiters across Australia.

In this episode, Pete shares:

• Why the Australian recruitment market remains resilient-though uneven-across verticals
• How community and collaboration can transform an industry built on competition
• The untapped opportunity of retained search, including the story of one regional recruiter who trebled his revenue by converting contingent jobs to retained searches
• Why AI should be seen as an opportunity, not a threat, for relationship-driven recruiters
• His advice for navigating market slowdowns: “Now is the time you raise your game. Now is the time you be way more visible.”

Whether you’re thinking about starting your own agency, shifting towards retained search, or simply craving connection in an often-isolated profession, Pete’s insights provide both inspiration and practical guidance. His message is clear: the future of recruitment isn’t about fighting competition, it’s about putting an arm around each other.

If you're interested in joining Recruitment United or learning more about Pete's ventures, connect with him on LinkedIn or call him directly at 0432 666 701.

Find out more about our upcoming Recruitment Masterclass in Sydney: https://recruitment-masterclass.vercel.app/

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Want to know more about our retained search training? Talk to us: https://retrainedsearch.com/book-a-demo/

Check out our reviews: https://retrainedsearch.com/reviews/

Join our upcoming masterclasses: https://retrainedsearch.com/webinars/

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LinkedIn

Connect with Louise: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-archer-48612844/

Connect with Jordan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/retainedsearchcoach/

Follow Retrained Search: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retrained-search/

The recruitment landscape is shifting fast and AI is handing boutique search firms the edge to compete with industry giants. In this conversation, we unpack how artificial intelligence is transforming workflows, enhancing capabilities, and reshaping competitive dynamics in executive search without losing the human touch.

Jord shares how he went from using ChatGPT as “Google on steroids” to fully integrating AI into his day-to-day, like building a laser-targeted prospect list in minutes that once took days. Sarah shows how AI-driven analysis surfaced patterns in their marketing data that would’ve taken a full day to find manually.

We also contrast adoption styles across the industry. While some larger firms cite concerns (GDPR, candidate experience) and move cautiously, smaller boutiques are embracing AI, winning work by pairing human judgment with AI-assisted speed and polish. The takeaway: AI won’t replace your expertise; it amplifies it, freeing you to focus on high-value conversations and relationships.

What you’ll learn:

• Using AI for research & prospecting to turn hours into minutes
• Creating custom GPTs that understand your niche, process, and brand voice
• Analyzing business data with AI to uncover patterns humans might miss
• Producing client-ready deliverables that rival larger firms’ output
• Recording yourself and using AI to keep your authentic voice in content
• Training AI like a new hire: invest upfront to get better downstream results
• Running strategic reviews with AI to spot growth opportunities
• Applying AI personally first to build comfort and momentum

Join us:
Want to supercharge BD with AI? Thursday, September 18 at 1:00 PM UK - our webinar covers actionable plays to leverage AI in your search firm while keeping the humanity front and center. Bring your own AI wins and questions, we’d love to hear how you’re using these tools.

Join with a click here: https://www.linkedin.com/events/7371891640543748097/

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Want to know more about our retained search training? Talk to us: https://retrainedsearch.com/book-a-demo/

Check out our reviews: https://retrainedsearch.com/reviews/

Join our upcoming masterclasses: https://retrainedsearch.com/webinars/

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LinkedIn

Connect with Louise: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-archer-48612844/

Connect with Jordan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/retainedsearchcoach/

Follow Retrained Search: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retrained-search/