First UK commercial hire. Closed first enterprise deal within 90 days.

01 — The Challenge

The founding team had never hired in the UK before. They had tried two generalist recruiters who sent CVs of candidates with strong brand names but no experience building pipeline from scratch. The role required someone who could operate without infrastructure — no SDR support, no established brand, no playbook. They needed a builder, not a manager.

02 — Our Approach

We started with a market briefing before we agreed terms — mapping the available talent pool, setting realistic salary expectations, and defining the profile that would actually succeed at their stage. We focused exclusively on candidates who had opened new territories or joined companies pre-brand in the UK. We ran a structured assessment process that tested pipeline creation methodology, not just interview performance.

03 — The Outcome

We presented three candidates in 18 days. The client made an offer to their first choice within three weeks of brief. The hire closed the company's first UK enterprise deal within 90 days of starting — a six-figure ARR contract with a FTSE 250 financial services firm.