RecFest 2026 Preview: Merch, Mayhem, Entrepreneurship & Why Relationships Matter

Recorded on the eve of RecFest, Nitin Sharma is joined by Sean Kennedy and Sunjay Vyas for a very unofficial, very unfiltered preview of what’s about to happen.The conversation kicks off with what makes RecFest different from your typical recruitment or HR event: the combination of learning, networking, socialising and simply having a bloody good time. With so many recruitment and talent acquisition teams working remotely, events like RecFest have become an opportunity to reconnect with people you might not have seen for months — or since the previous RecFest.The guys also get into one of the most anticipated RecFest traditions: the merch review. From clothing and jerseys to stationery, hydration and snacks, the competition is getting serious. Expect strong opinions, questionable judging criteria and some early predictions about who could take home the coveted merch crown.But beneath the laughs, there are some more serious conversations too.Sean talks about how people can misunderstand what he actually does — seeing him as “the funny video guy” rather than someone using content to generate genuine commercial results. That leads into a wider discussion about positioning, finding your ICP and not worrying too much about what people outside your target audience think of you.Sunjay also opens up about taking the leap into entrepreneurship, going all-in on his podcast outsourcing business with his wife, Anisha. They discuss leaving employment behind, building a financial runway, dealing with uncertainty and the mindset required to back yourself when there’s no guaranteed salary waiting at the end of the month.There’s also a brilliant conversation about mentorship, helping other people succeed and the importance of bringing people up with you. For Nitin, success isn’t just about what you build yourself — it’s about helping the people around you build something too.And, naturally, there are plenty of tangents along the way: Kenya, cigars, phone shops, WhatsApp calls, questionable career choices, the agency people attempting to infiltrate RecFest and a few things that the editors will probably have to remove.Most importantly, this is a conversation between three people who genuinely enjoy spending time together. The chemistry, friendship and sense of community are what make this episode feel less like a formal podcast and more like three mates getting together before one of the biggest events in the recruitment calendar.Who is this episode for:Talent acquisition and recruitment professionals heading to RecFest 2026Recruitment technology and HR tech professionalsRecruitment marketers and content creatorsAnyone considering leaving employment to start their own businessRecruiters and TA leaders interested in networking and personal brandingAnyone who enjoys the less corporate, more human side of recruitment🔗 Connect with the hostsNitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/Sean Kennedy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanthetaguy/Sunjay Vyas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunjayvyas/🔗 Get in touch with these recommended suppliersSourceWhale: https://sourcewhale.com/CoRecruit: https://corecruit.com/Ascen: https://www.ascen.com/Infinity Staff Global: https://www.infinitystaffglobal.com/Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/Listen to RecTalk on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/#RecTalk #RecFest2026 #Recruitment #TalentAcquisition #RecruitmentMarketing #RecruitmentTech #HRTech #EmployerBranding #PersonalBranding #Podcasting #RecruitmentCommunity #RecTech