Navigating Change & Winning in 2026: Live Panel Insights from TEAM Regional South Midlands

Описание: In this live special of RecTalk, filmed at the TEAM Network South Midlands Regional Meet Up, Nitin Sharma brings together a powerhouse panel of recruitment leaders to unpack the biggest lessons from 2025 and the strategies recruiters need to thrive in 2026.

Joining Nitin on the panel:
Michelle Theuma – MD at Concept Onyx Recruitment & TEAM Regional Director
Luke Pitkin – Co-Founder of Giig, a next-gen ATS/CRM
Stewart Roberts – Managing Director at Mayachi
Bethany Foley – Associate Director at Liquid Friday

This unfiltered panel digs deep into what the market really looked like in 2025 and what high-performing agencies did differently — with big insights you can roll straight into your 2026 strategy.

🔥 Key Talking Points
Why “January optimism” is a trap and what actually drives performance
Offshore resourcing (South Africa, Philippines) as a growth engine for agencies
The truth about AI in recruitment: useful, but not the magic fix recruiters hoped for
Old-school BD techniques making a comeback: door knocking, voice notes, video outreach
Networking as the #1 differentiator — the power of genuine human connection
How to rebuild trust with clients through transparency, testimonials, and data
Umbrella market issues: compliance risks, dodgy models, and what agencies must look out for
The rise of retainers, subscriptions, and engagement fees as scalable revenue models
How clients are buying differently — and why recruiters must adapt how they sell
Avoiding “rotten fruit” clients and valuing your time, expertise, and process
Selling on process, not price — using visibility, structure, and transparency to win
Why recruitment will never be replaced by tech
How to use reviews, social proof, and authenticity to drive inbound business in 2026

Packed with practical advice, lived experience, and straight-talking honesty — this is one of the most insight-heavy RecTalk panels yet.

👥 Who This Episode Is For
Solo recruiters wanting stability and predictable revenue
Agency owners planning for growth in 2026
Recruiters exploring retainers or subscription models
Anyone thinking about offshore support or restructuring their BD
Leaders wanting to improve processes, compliance, and client trust
RecTech and umbrella providers seeking to understand market sentiment

Check out TEAM Network: https://www.theteamnetwork.co.uk/

🔗 Connect with the panel
Michelle Theuma:   / michelletheuma  
Luke Pitkin:   / luke-pitkin-79060094  
Nitin Sharma:   / nitin-rectools  
Stewart Roberts:   / stewartroberts78  
Bethany Foley:   / bethanyfoley  

Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/

New episodes of RecTalk, Founder Diaries and Talking Talent drop every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Look out for The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club — dropping every Thursday.
  / the-recruitment-curry-club  

Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/

🔗 Get in touch with these recommended suppliers
Carl Jones — Konquest:   / carl-jones-66093722  
Ben Fielding — Quinset:   / benfielding  
Ross Thompson — Infinity Staff Global:   / rossnthompson  
Matt Fox — Exitus Advisory:   / matt-fox-50b10311  

#RecTalk #RecruitmentPodcast #TEAMNetwork #RecruitmentStrategy #RetainedRecruitment #Recruitment2026 #Rectools #RecruiterCommunity #RecTech #UmbrellaCompliance #RecruitmentBD #OffshoreResourcing #RecruiterLife