EP 69 - How He Sold a £2.1M RPO: The Future of Recruitment w/ Nicholas Thomas

What if the biggest opportunities in recruitment right now aren’t about more clients, more jobs or more tools… but about shifting how you position your service so you’re seen as a partner, not a CV supplier?

In this episode, I’m joined by Nicholas Thomas, CEO and Founder of Everhire, who has built one of the fastest-growing civil engineering and renewable energy recruitment agencies operating across the UK, US and Scandinavia. After starting his career in a corporate environment, Nicholas went on to build Everhire into a multi-office, multi-country operation — fuelled by retainers, subscription hiring models and a value-led process that clients buy into before fees are even discussed.

We dive into the realities of selling retainers and RPOs, the commercial journey from cold prospect to seven-figure subscription, the mindset shift recruiters must make to become true partners, and why delivery-only models won’t survive the next wave of AI. This conversation is honest, strategic, and full of the lessons most recruiters never get taught — but desperately need.

If you’re a recruiter, leader or founder who wants to win better clients, sell higher-value work and future-proof your desk or business, this episode is essential listening.

We explore:
✅ How Nicholas sold a £2.1M RPO — and why the client said yes
✅ Why most recruiters fail to sell retainers (and how to fix it today)
✅ The shift from “cost centre” to “strategic investment”
✅ The customer journey from first call → retained → subscription model
✅ Why delivery-only recruiters will be replaced by AI
✅ How Everhire build value through process, not promises
✅ The mindset and behaviours behind high-value selling
✅ Why consultants avoid discomfort — and how to develop resilience
✅ Building and scaling offices across the UK, Sweden, Denmark & Texas
✅ Digital distraction, dopamine & why presence improves performance
✅ The difference between transactional recruiting and true partnership
✅ What founders must build to survive the next 5 years of industry change

⏱ Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro and welcome
01:00 – Who is Nicholas Thomas?
02:30 – Selling a £2.1M subscription RPO
06:30 – Why recruiters can’t sell retainers
10:00 – Shifting recruitment from cost to investment
15:00 – The commercial journey to RPO
20:00 – Why process beats persuasion
26:00 – UK vs Sweden vs US recruitment culture
32:00 – Skillset vs markets: what really creates a top biller
38:00 – AI, automation and the death of pure delivery
45:00 – Internal standards, ads and the power of process
52:00 – Trainees, terms and negotiation confidence
58:00 – Discomfort, resilience & mindset in sales
01:05:00 – Digital distraction, dopamine & focus
01:12:00 – Scaling internationally the right way
01:16:00 – Nicholas’ 1% Better tip

🔗 Connect with Nicholas
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/everhire-nicholas/

🔗 Connect with Charles Kyriakou
LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1/⁠
TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@charles.kyriakou⁠
Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1-better-recruitment-podcast/id1775201502⁠
YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@charleskyriakou⁠
LinkedIn Newsletter: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7244346543967731712⁠

🔗 Find out more about SourceWhale 🐋Mention 1% better recruitment podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou, when you sign up, by clicking the ⁠link⁠, or head to ⁠https://sourcewhale.com/demo⁠ to get started.