In this episode of Recruiting Alchemy, Andy Simpson is joined by Chris Moylan, CEO of Tech Link Partners, who shares the raw and real journey behind launching and scaling two recruitment businesses. From growing up on construction sites to billing £90K months, selling one company, and rebuilding after personal tragedy. Chris's story is a testament to resilience, grit, and purpose.He opens up about how life on the phones taught him discipline, what it's really like starting a business from scratch with limited runway, and the unseen emotional toll of entrepreneurship. This is a candid look at the realities behind the founder life, the wins, the losses, and the cost of staying the course.Whether you're thinking of launching your own agency or just want to hear from someone who's been through the fire, this episode is packed with lessons in perseverance, discipline, and starting over stronger.🎙 Key Topics:🔹 Why KPIs still matter, especially when scaling 🔹 What most people get wrong about contract recruitment 🔹 Cash flow vs. profit in growing a contract book 🔹 Losing £280K and how it shaped his next move 🔹 The emotional cost of entrepreneurship (and pushing through grief) 🔹 Why consistency beats hype on LinkedIn brandingShow Notes & Timestamps[00:00] – Opening & IntroductionChris on his early career in construction and salesHow a cold call job taught him mindset and structure[06:00] – First Steps in RecruitmentTransitioning into recruitment with purposeWhy he chose to go into SAP contract rolesLearning 360 recruitment without a delivery background[12:00] – High Performance & CultureThe impact of working in strong sales culturesThoughts on KPIs and why tracking mattersHow sales discipline drove long-term success[18:00] – Launching His First BusinessLeaving a top billing role to go soloSetting up West Work EngineeringWinning and scaling with blue-collar contract recruitment[25:00] – Lessons from Scaling & ExitingFrom 140 contractors to 3 in a week during COVIDLosing £280K to non-paymentsWhy he exited construction to go all-in on tech[32:00] – Personal Tragedy & Professional RebuildLosing his brother and father within weeksHow grief shaped his return to the businessThe emotional cost behind the scenes[38:00] – Culture, Office & DisciplineWhy his team still wear suits and work in the officeHis non-negotiables and team expectationsThe long-term impact of sticking to your values[45:00] – Advice for Future FoundersUnderstanding profit vs. cash flowThe true time to get new recruiters billingAvoiding comparison culture and staying in your lane[47:00] – Building a Personal BrandWhy he avoided posting on LinkedIn for yearsWhat changed and why it matters nowFinal thoughts on leadership, resilience, and growth

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