Growing a Recruitment Company from Startup to 120 People | How to Scale Your Agency Globally

Why do most recruitment companies stall at 10 to 20 people, while others scale to 100+ across continents? In this episode, you’ll hear directly from someone who’s done it.

STR Group is a family of specialist recruitment brands focused on STEM sectors. As co-founder, Clive Hutchings has spent over two decades growing the business to more than 120 staff across the UK, Europe, and the US—all while staying profitable, adaptable, and values-driven.

In this interview, Clive breaks down what it really takes to build a multi-brand, international recruitment group, the leadership philosophy behind STR’s culture, and the gritty truths behind scaling a business beyond yourself.

Episode Outline and Highlights

[3:35] The early days: starting out in a basement with a phone and zero clients

[10:45] The operational and leadership shifts needed to grow from 10 to 100+ employees

[17:10] Why many recruitment founders plateau—and how to avoid it

[24:20] The importance of co-founder dynamics and “multifaceted leadership”

[28:55] International expansion: what worked and what failed in the US

[35:20] STR’s “make it happen” culture and the daily mantra that drives performance

[41:00] Rookie vs experienced consultants—how to develop and balance both

[48:45] The case for cold calling in 2025

[52:30] Balancing contract and perm to build a more resilient business

[56:15] Mental fitness, running, family—and the surprising role of alpacas in staying grounded

Leadership That Scales

One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation is the importance of evolving your role as a founder. Clive credits much of STR’s growth to the fact that he didn’t try to do everything himself. Instead, he and his co-founder took on complementary leadership roles—allowing each to focus on their strengths while building out a business that could scale beyond them.
If you’re stuck juggling billing, management, and strategy, this is your sign to rethink your leadership structure. Building a scalable firm means building scalable leadership—and that starts with letting go of being the bottleneck.

Culture You Can Replicate

Culture isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a competitive advantage. At STR, the “make it happen” mantra became more than a slogan; it was a daily mindset that helped the team stay focused, take ownership, and remain commercially sharp as the business scaled.

As you grow beyond a small team, you’ll need a culture that can travel across desks, offices, and even continents. A clear, replicable culture creates alignment without micromanagement, making it easier to scale while maintaining high standards.
“Is what I’m doing right now making me money?” It’s a simple question—but it changes how people work.”

Expansion That Works

Opening new offices is easy. Making them work is hard. One of STR’s biggest lessons was that expansion only works when your company’s DNA goes with it. Outsiders didn’t build their most successful US office—it was led by someone already immersed in STR’s values and working methods.
So if you’re considering launching in a new market, don’t just focus on strategy or headcount. Ask yourself: Who will carry your culture? The right leader, with the right cultural alignment, is often the difference between a struggling office and a thriving one.

Clive Hutchings Bio and Contact Info

Clive Hutchings has worked in Technical Recruitment since 1996. he established STR Group in 2000, which has evolved into a collection of niche brands in STEM sectors operating across the UK, Europe, and the USA. STR’s brands deliver people solutions in Life Sciences, Technical Engineering, Automation and Robotics, Maritime & Architecture. Now with offices in Portsmouth, Gatwick, Detroit, and Switzerland, they provide various solutions from contingent contract and permanent, through to retained, managed services, MSP, and Project solutions.

Aside from work, Clive is a family man with 5 children and a long-suffering wife. He enjoys football, hiking, being outdoors, and looking after his sheep, having recently taken a course in lambing.

Clive on LinkedIn
STR website link

People and Resources Mentioned

• Blackfield Associates website link
• Navis Consulting website link
• Urban Recruitment website link
• Insignis Talent website link
• Talos Automation website link

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