Want to grow profitable recruitment business with a highly motivated team that doesn't need you to babysit 24/7? Click here to download your free copy of The Insider's Guide To Growing A Recruitment Business You Love
Centred Excellence
Performance development, recruitment training and coaching for recruitment business owners, managers and independent recruiters.
Success Stories
Dennis' 2-person recruitment business soared from £240K to £2.5M
- Built a temp division and high-performing team
- All while working less and upleveling his lifestyle
Dennis Howes
Co-Founder, Membership Bespoke
The Situation
Dennis Howes is the co-founder of Membership Bespoke, a recruitment specialist serving membership organisations. For twelve years, he and his business partner, Daniel, ran the company successfully—on paper. They made a decent income, never missed payroll, and Dennis enjoyed the freedom of being his own boss. But beneath the surface, they were stuck in a cycle of constant pressure and uncertainty.
“We seemed to be developing clients like crazy, but then all the work would come in, and we would have to go into fulfilment mode. We could never find the right balance,” Dennis explains. With just a 19% fill rate, they were regularly working on PSLs, competing against multiple agencies, and struggling to win exclusivity.
Though they had their good months, the bad ones were tough, and the cracks were starting to show. “There were times we had to take director’s loans to keep things moving,” Dennis admits. They were making enough to get by, but it felt like they were running on fumes. “Like most recruitment business owners, I loved the freedom of being my own boss, but the constant hustle was wearing us down.” With no pension, no savings, and the pressure to keep the business going, the future felt uncertain. “We were working hard, but it wasn’t adding up to the security we needed.” Dennis and Daniel knew they needed to take a different approach to achieve the financial freedom they craved.
It was at this point that Dennis reconnected with Nicky Coffin, his former boss, and mentor. “I always trusted Nicky, so we thought, ‘Let’s give this a go,’” Dennis recalls. They joined the ROCKIT programme, hoping to turn their small victories into consistent success.
Within two years, they had scaled the business from £240K turnover to £2.5 million with a £1 million profit, built a temp division from scratch, and secured financial freedom with a business valued at £4.5 million.
The Outcome Dennis Wanted:
- To scale the business and break past their revenue ceiling - to go beyond £1 million mark
- Achieve consistent revenue growth and increase profitability while ensuring long-term financial security
- Move from a 19% fill rate to a significantly higher success rate by securing exclusivity with clients.
- Build a temporary division from scratch to diversify revenue streams.
- Reduce reliance on PSLs and develop stronger client relationships based on exclusivity.
- Expand from a two-person operation to a high-performing team, bringing in specialists to support business growth.
- More work-life balance, stepping away from the daily grind to focus on leadership.
- Build a business with a solid foundation, aiming for long-term financial and time freedom
Final Words From Dennis About ROCKIT and His Learnings
“I want to thank Katy, Sally, and Nicky—the ROCKIT programme has transformed our business and our lives. And all this has happened in the last two years—after 12 years of trying to do it ourselves, working much harder, not smarter.
It doesn’t have to be hard. You chose to be self-employed to take control of your life and business, but sometimes that means handing over some control to the right people. It might sound counterintuitive, but it works.
You’ve got to back yourself and take action. Focus on what you do best, build a business around that, and let go of everything else. You’ll feel the difference, and things will start to align for you.
You can enjoy the journey of scaling your recruitment business again, and the key to finding that joy is to start winning. My advice is simple: take that leap with ROCKIT and start winning!”
Listen to what Dennis has to say:
Implementation and Results
After joining the ROCKIT programme, Dennis implemented key changes that completely transformed their business. From shifting their recruitment model to building team, they saw measurable results that far exceeded their expectations. Here are the specific actions and outcomes:
- Turnover soared from £240K to £2.5 million, with profits increasing from £200K to £1 million in just two years.
- Best month ever jumped from £45K to an incredible £151K in revenue.
- Secured multiple high-fee placements, with over five placements exceeding £20K each (previous best was £15K).
- Moved to exclusive-only recruitment, significantly increasing fill rates to 80% and boosting client loyalty.
- Built a thriving temporary division from scratch, adding stability and diversified revenue streams.
- Hired a dedicated marketing director, resulting in business growth and LinkedIn followers soaring to 27,000.
- Restructured the team, focusing on roles that play to their strengths, while Dennis and Daniel focused solely on sales.
- The business was valued at £4.5 million, securing financial freedom and future growth opportunities.
- Business savings grew to over £300K, providing a safety net and preparing for long-term financial security.
- More rejuvenating holidays, time with family, and a healthier lifestyle, including weight loss and personal training three times a week.
Final Words From Dawn About Working With Centred Excellence
“Nicky and Katy have helped me in so many ways. Handling my mindset has been hard for me alongside some of the issues that we’d had at the beginning of the year.
Then, becoming unwell myself, it was challenging to drag myself in and have that positive mindset. I had to have it. I had to keep going. I had a purpose and a belief that was in the pit of my stomach that no matter what, I’ve got to keep going and I did and look at the results.
My final words of advice is; follow the process and just do it. And that’s what it comes down to, do it. The programme Nicky and Katy run gives you the blueprint; it’s the map.
When we first spoke Nicky used the example of the pilot taking 500 excited people to Disney World and that most of the time on route they are off course.
However, they still have a map for where they’re going, because they’ve got 500 passengers on there that want to get to Disney World.
You give us that map. You give us that blueprint to do it. And it’s down to us, yes we might deviate off course, that’s fine, but if you follow that map and you follow the blueprint, you will get to Disney World; and I have to say it is magical when you get there.”
Dawn Turbitt MD of KSB Recruitment
Listen to what Dawn has to say:
Implementation and Results
Dawn set a new vision for the company with Katy and Nicky’s help.
With a new lease of energy and belief in hereself and the team, Dawn started to direct, coach and lead the consultants to success.
Dawn set a stretch goal of £750,000 in turnover in 12 months; bearing in mind in Feb 2018 her turnover was £16,805.
Dawn started by rigorously implementing a 90-day plan following Nicky’s structure. This included setting revenue goals, analysing how many placements they would need and how many interviews would have to take place.
KPI’s were set, and the consultants followed an accountability process; including Dawn, who shared her results on the whiteboard too; the team were buzzing.
Dawn actioned Nicky and Katy’s Gold and Silver job process with her team and removed 50% of the current unprofitable jobs they were working off the board.
The consultants started ‘specking out’ candidates using the Centredexcellence MPC strategy.
Dawn instigated a performance management process across the team resulting in the non performers leaving. This left Dawn and a small focussed team. There are two perm consultants, two temp, Dawn and a part-time secretary.
Interested in getting the same results?
More Success Stories
1st Retained Project at 25% Fee!
Best Week Ever In 3 Years!!!!
Team Made 5 Placements All In Her Absence…
Achieved £1m Turnover Business
2nd Best January For 5 Years!!!
Bigger Client Higher Rates
