Navigating Change & Winning in 2026: Live Panel Insights from TEAM Regional South Midlands

In this live special of RecTalk, filmed at the TEAM Network South Midlands Regional Meet Up, Nitin Sharma brings together a powerhouse panel of recruitment leaders to unpack the biggest lessons from 2025 and the strategies recruiters need to thrive in 2026.Joining Nitin on the panel:Michelle Theuma – MD at Concept Onyx Recruitment & TEAM Regional DirectorLuke Pitkin – Co-Founder of Giig, a next-gen ATS/CRMStewart Roberts – Managing Director at MayachiBethany Foley – Associate Director at Liquid FridayThis unfiltered panel digs deep into what the market really looked like in 2025 and what high-performing agencies did differently — with big insights you can roll straight into your 2026 strategy.🔥 Key Talking PointsWhy “January optimism” is a trap and what actually drives performanceOffshore resourcing (South Africa, Philippines) as a growth engine for agenciesThe truth about AI in recruitment: useful, but not the magic fix recruiters hoped forOld-school BD techniques making a comeback: door knocking, voice notes, video outreachNetworking as the #1 differentiator — the power of genuine human connectionHow to rebuild trust with clients through transparency, testimonials, and dataUmbrella market issues: compliance risks, dodgy models, and what agencies must look out forThe rise of retainers, subscriptions, and engagement fees as scalable revenue modelsHow clients are buying differently — and why recruiters must adapt how they sellAvoiding “rotten fruit” clients and valuing your time, expertise, and processSelling on process, not price — using visibility, structure, and transparency to winWhy recruitment will never be replaced by techHow to use reviews, social proof, and authenticity to drive inbound business in 2026Packed with practical advice, lived experience, and straight-talking honesty — this is one of the most insight-heavy RecTalk panels yet.👥 Who This Episode Is ForSolo recruiters wanting stability and predictable revenueAgency owners planning for growth in 2026Recruiters exploring retainers or subscription modelsAnyone thinking about offshore support or restructuring their BDLeaders wanting to improve processes, compliance, and client trustRecTech and umbrella providers seeking to understand market sentimentCheck out TEAM Network: https://www.theteamnetwork.co.uk/🔗 Connect with the panelMichelle Theuma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelletheuma/Luke Pitkin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-pitkin-79060094/Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/Stewart Roberts: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stewartroberts78/Bethany Foley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethanyfoley/Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/New episodes of RecTalk, Founder Diaries and Talking Talent drop every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.Look out for The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club — dropping every Thursday.https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/🔗 Get in touch with these recommended suppliersCarl Jones — Konquest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-jones-66093722/Ben Fielding — Quinset: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benfielding/Ross Thompson — Infinity Staff Global: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossnthompson/Matt Fox — Exitus Advisory: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-fox-50b10311/#RecTalk #RecruitmentPodcast #TEAMNetwork #RecruitmentStrategy #RetainedRecruitment #Recruitment2026 #Rectools #RecruiterCommunity #RecTech #UmbrellaCompliance #RecruitmentBD #OffshoreResourcing #RecruiterLife