Live from TEAM Network North West – What 2025 Taught Us & How Recruiters Win in 2026

This episode of RecTalk was recorded live at the TEAM Network North West Regional Meet Up in December of 2025, bringing together four experienced voices from across the recruitment ecosystem for an honest, no-BS panel discussion on where the industry has been, where it’s heading, and what recruiters actually need to do to stay relevant.Joining Nitin Sharma on the panel are:Owain Wilson – Goldfinch & Partners (Legal & retained recruitment specialist)Samantha Moore – Medical Technology Talent (MedTech recruitment across UK, USA & Canada)Vincent Seddon – Simplicity in Business (Recruitment finance & back-office support)Kirsty Craig – KCA People & TEAM North West Regional DirectorThis wasn’t theory — it was real-world experience from operators who’ve lived through a turbulent market.Topics include:A brutally honest review of 2025: what worked, what didn’t, and why some recruiters thrived while others struggledThe growing divide between agencies that adapt vs those that stand stillMoving away from pure contingent models into retained, RPO, temp, L&D and advisory servicesWhy diversification is no longer optional for many recruitment businessesThe importance of employer branding, candidate experience, and people engagementHow clients really view recruitment (hint: often as a “distraction”) and how to turn that into opportunityExit strategies vs lifestyle businesses — and why most recruiters don’t actually have a planWhat makes a saleable recruitment business in today’s marketPredictions for 2026 and why optimism alone isn’t a strategyA refreshingly balanced take on AI vs automation — why AI is just a tool, not a silver bulletWhy recruitment will always remain a people business, no matter how advanced tech becomesThere’s also plenty of audience interaction, war stories, strong opinions, and practical takeaways you can apply straight away.Who this episode is forRecruitment agency founders feeling stuck or uncertain about the futureRecruiters considering moving into retained, RPO, temp, or advisory modelsBusiness owners thinking about exit strategies (or realising they should be)Recruiters overwhelmed by AI hype and wanting a grounded perspectiveAnyone in recruitment who wants to future-proof their business for 2026 and beyond🔗 Connect with the panel guestsOwain Wilson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/owain-w-41772888/Samantha Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthaleighmoore/Vincent Seddon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincent-seddon/Kirsty Craig: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstycraig/Watch the previous panel at TEAM South Midlands:https://youtu.be/Exdj3AIfSgghttps://open.spotify.com/episode/3ONPLLAUPFVqV2jefLrIyICheck out TEAM Network: https://www.theteamnetwork.co.uk/🔗 Connect with the hostNitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/New episodes of RecTalk, including Founder Diaries and Talking Talent, currently drop on Wednesday and Friday.Look out for new episodes of The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club — dropping on Thursday.https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/🔗 Get in touch with these recommended suppliersRobert Woodford — The Marketing Junction: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marketing4recs/Barry Cullen — recLAW: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrycullen/Andrew Philipson — JOBBA: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewphilipson/ Ross Thompson — Infinity Staff Global: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossnthompson/Dougie Loan — SourceWhale: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougieloan/Andrew Constantinou — Nodex: https://www.linkedin.com/in/apconstantinou/#RecTalk #RecruitmentPodcast #TEAMNetwork #RecruitmentLeadership #RecruitmentAgency #RecruitmentTrends #FutureOfRecruitment #RetainedRecruitment #RecruitmentBusiness #RecruitmentStrategy #AIInRecruitment