This week's Carrot & Stick Podcast episode features a truly compelling guest: Chris O'Connell. Many in the recruitment world know Chris from LinkedIn, where he boasts 75,000 followers, but his story goes much deeper than social media success.
Host Derry Holt sits down with Chris for a raw and honest conversation covering his incredible journey: building a recruitment agency from scratch to £25 million turnover, facing a "horrendous" Private Equity (PE) exit that nearly broke him, and the lessons learned on his path back.
Beyond the gripping personal narrative, Chris shares powerful insights on crucial topics for anyone in a leadership or sales role today:
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Authentic Leadership: Is it okay to be vulnerable? Where's the line?
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Business Development: Has automation gone too far, sacrificing the human touch?
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LinkedIn: How to leverage the platform without falling prey to vanity metrics and fakery.
Why You Need to Listen:
Chris O'Connell's story is more than just a business case study; it's a deeply human exploration of resilience, ambition, and the often-unseen challenges of leadership. In this episode, you'll hear firsthand about:
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The Dark Side of Exits: What really happens when a PE deal goes wrong? Chris shares the unfiltered truth about losing control, culture clashes ("counting coffee granules"), and the immense personal cost – a vital cautionary tale for founders.
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The Power of Real Connection: Forget the corporate mask. Chris argues why genuine vulnerability and admitting struggles are essential for building trust and high-performing teams. Discover how he uses authenticity to connect.
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Smarter Business Development: Is your outreach effective or just noise? Learn why Chris advocates for deep specialisation ("inch wide, mile deep") and a careful blend of automation and crucial human touchpoints.
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LinkedIn Beyond the Likes: It's a powerful tool, but also a potential trap. Chris discusses his love-hate relationship with the platform and how to use it with intention, focusing on value and real conversations over vanity metrics.
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Leading a Balanced Life: How did focusing 99.9% on the business impact Chris? He shares hard-won lessons on becoming the "CEO of Your Life," prioritising well-being alongside business goals for sustainable success.
About the Guest:
Chris O'Connell has 26 years of recruitment experience, starting at SThree Group before founding and scaling his own agency to £25M turnover. After a challenging business exit, he rebuilt his career, leveraging his story on LinkedIn to gain 75,000 followers. Today, he coaches over 65 recruitment business owners on strategy, growth, culture, and BD, hosts his own podcast, and is publishing a book, "Become the CEO of Your Life."
Listen to the Full Episode:
