Season 8 | Ep19 FIFA to Founder: How a 20yr old Harry Portch built HM Staffing by accident

On this week’s episode of The RAG Podcast with Harry Portch, founder of HM Staffing.  

Harry’s journey is anything but ordinary. He started his business at just 20 years old – almost by accident – while playing FIFA! 

Now, six years later, he’s built a leading sales and marketing recruitment agency, transitioned to a fully remote model, and became a LinkedIn Top Voice.  

In this episode, you’ll hear about:  

- How Harry started his business + the COVID-19 challenges he had to face right from the start

- Why he wanted to take the risk and launch a business so early in his career (and the lessons he learned from his mistakes) 

- How Harry is building a recognisable personal brand and staying authentic online  

- His insights into managing business growth, going fully remote, and dealing with industry negativity  

If you’re interested in building a business, growing your personal brand, or scaling a company with Gen Z talent, this episode is for you!  

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Harry Portch and HM Staffing

02:46 Harry's journey into recruitment

05:01 The accidental entrepreneur

09:00 Early challenges and growth

14:40 Navigating COVID-19 and its impact

19:47 Scaling the business post-COVID

21:11 Building a personal brand on LinkedIn

25:50 The importance of authenticity in content

30:00 Handling negativity and staying positive

34:21 Introduction to Atlas and Founders License

35:19 Negotiating with clients: the art of influence

36:14 Handling unsolicited opinions

37:09 The trade-off of public exposure

38:35 The emotional journey of content creation

39:34 The shift from private to public identity

40:58 Authenticity in online presence

42:21 The impact of remote work on lifestyle

44:14 The challenges of letting people go

45:37 Navigating business growth and challenges

46:35 Transitioning to a remote work model

49:20 The benefits of remote work culture

52:12 Future hiring strategies

54:05 Balancing work and family life

57:31 The realities of business ownership

01:00:18 Vision for the future of the business

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If you’re a recruiter who’d love to listen and learn from some of the greatest recruitment owners and leaders, then you need to listen to The RAG Podcast!

We’re having real and raw conversations with successful recruitment entrepreneurs about what is happening in their businesses right now and their plans to navigate market changes.

Episodes are released every Wednesday at 12 pm 

https://www.youtube.com/c/HoxoMedia?sub_confirmation=1

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Episode sponsor: Hoxo

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