Matt Fox on Selling Recruitment Businesses, Buy-and-Build & Why More Founders Are Looking to Exit

In this episode of RecTalk, Nitin Sharma sits down once again with Matt Fox, Founder of Exitus Advisory, to discuss one of the hottest topics in recruitment right now: selling recruitment businesses.Matt shares what he's seeing across the SME recruitment market, why more founders are considering an exit, and why buyer appetite remains surprisingly strong despite ongoing economic uncertainty. The conversation explores business valuations, buy-and-build strategies, deal structures, common misconceptions about selling a recruitment business, and what founders can do to maximise value before heading to market.The pair also discuss founder burnout, market volatility, the challenges recruitment leaders have faced over the last decade, and why many business owners are reassessing what success really looks like. Rather than chasing ever-increasing valuation targets, many founders are focusing on lifestyle, financial security, and reducing stress.Matt provides practical insight into:Why now may still be a good time to sell a recruitment businessThe current appetite from buyers in the recruitment marketHow buy-and-build groups evaluate acquisition opportunitiesWhat makes a recruitment business attractive to buyersCommon mistakes founders make when preparing for saleHow debt, liabilities, compliance issues, and operational challenges impact dealsThe importance of transparency during due diligenceReal-world examples of recent recruitment business transactionsThe role of specialist recruitment M&A advisors versus general business brokersHow recruitment business owners can prepare for a future exit strategyWhether you're actively considering an exit, exploring growth through acquisition, or simply curious about how recruitment M&A works, this episode is packed with practical advice and valuable market insight.🔗 Connect with the guestMatt Fox: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-fox-50b10311/Learn more about Exitus Advisory: https://www.rectools.io/product/exitus-advisory/🔗 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) drop regularly on Wednesday and Friday.Also look out for new episodes of Talking Talent and The Mixed Grill (the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club).https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/#RecTalk #Recruitment #RecruitmentBusiness #RecruitmentFounder #RecruitmentLeadership #BusinessSale #BusinessExit #RecruitmentMAndA #ExitStrategy #BuyAndBuild #RecruitmentIndustry #StaffingIndustry #MattFox #ExitusAdvisory #NitinSharma #Rectools