#45- Leading with Purpose: Debi Wolfe on Growth, Change, and Success in Recruiting

*SUMMARY*
In this episode of the Digital Recruiter Podcast, Clark sits down with Nick, the co-founder of JL Recruitment Group, to dive into the real-life challenges and successes of building a recruiting agency from the ground up. Nick shares his journey from working in accounting at PwC to making the jump into IT sales and recruiting. After finding his footing in the recruiting world, Nick and his longtime friend, Brian, decided to venture out on their own and start their own firm, JL Recruitment Group, focusing on accounting and finance roles.
Nick talks about the unexpected complexities of recruitment, which he initially thought would be as simple as matching candidates with jobs. He reflects on his early days in recruiting, facing rejection after rejection, and how that experience shaped his approach to building relationships with clients and candidates.
Clark and Nick also discuss the strategies that helped JL Recruitment Group navigate the often harsh reality of starting an agency. This led to them joining the Digital Recruiter program and working directly with Clark on the importance of refining client outreach, creating compelling content, and leveraging automation to streamline their processes. This has helped them significantly in building a robust client and candidate pipeline, over 5x’d their investment in 6 months and keep building on that number.
Listeners will get a glimpse into Nick’s personal growth and the lessons he’s learned along the way, from embracing new technologies to finding creative ways to engage both clients and candidates. The conversation also touches on the resilience needed to persevere through the ups and downs of agency life, and how Nick and his partner, Brian, continuously adapt their strategies to stay competitive in the recruiting landscape.

*HIGHLIGHTS*
Introduction and Background- 00:16
2. Building a Successful Staffing Business- 10:17
3. Organizational Development and Leadership- 20:15
4. Team Dynamics and Client Relations- 30:29
5. Career Development and Values- 41:22
6. Organizational Culture and Consulting- 51:37

*DEBI's BIO*
As a three-time entrepreneur and seasoned C-suite executive, she understands the unique pressures and complexities of leadership. With over 25 years of experience, she has successfully started, built, modernized, transformed, scaled, and optimized businesses and functions across various industries. Her strength lies in being a visionary growth leader who knows how to drive results through people and teams.
Throughout her career, she has consistently navigated complex challenges and seized emerging opportunities. As the founder and CEO of Science Solutions, she built a regional scientific staffing company that was later acquired by a major publicly traded firm, forming the foundation for a new division. As Division President, she executed aggressive growth strategies that transformed the business into a nationally recognized leader. Her leadership also played a key role in guiding successful acquisitions and strategic divestitures.
In her role as Chief People Officer for a London-based global professional services firm, she integrated a privately-owned business into a larger organization post-acquisition and built a transformative People & Culture department from the ground up, supporting the company's exponential growth.
Beyond her professional achievements, she is deeply committed to philanthropy, serving on advisory boards and engaging in community service projects focused on orphan care, foster care, healthcare, and education.
Having experienced the highs and lows of entrepreneurship and executive leadership, she now shares her expertise through the Imagine More Group, where she works as an advisor, consultant, and coach, helping other leaders navigate their own journeys.