James Waissel’s Real Talk on Building Huntsman Consult

Let’s be honest: most founder stories are sugar-coated. But not this one.

In a refreshingly candid episode of The RAG Podcast, James Waissel - Founder of Huntsman Consult - sat down with Sean Anderson from Hoxo Media to unpack the highs, lows, and gritty middle bits of building a specialist recruitment business in the UK’s built environment sector.

This wasn’t just another feel-good startup fairytale. It was a raw, detailed, and often hilarious play-by-play of how a bloke who once flogged Pokémon cards from his mum’s car boot built one of the most credible boutique agencies in construction recruitment - in under a year.

The Leap: From Comfortable to Calculated Chaos

After years in the game (Oyster, Archer, you name it), James hit that crossroads every high-performing recruiter secretly thinks about:

“Am I building someone else’s dream... or am I finally going to build mine?”
The decision? Triggered the day after his wedding.

Backed by sheer conviction, client trust, and a wildcard investor who believed in James before he even believed in himself - Huntsman Consult was born.

His first-year target? £125,000.
His actual billing in the first nine months? Nearly £300,000.
In a down market.

That’s not luck. That’s proof of what happens when preparation meets grit.

Behind the Scenes: What Most Founders Don’t Tell You

James didn’t just plug in a laptop and “go self-employed.” He spent his six-month post-resignation cooling-off period building systems, mapping the entire industry on LinkedIn, and literally buying and flipping antique toy trains to bankroll the company. (Yes - you read that right.)

Why? Because recruitment is easy to start but hard to sustain. And he wasn’t going to let sloppy planning kill his momentum.

His guiding rule? "Minimise risk. Maximise delivery."

The Model: Quality Over Quantity, Every Time

Forget chucking CVs at clients and hoping something sticks.

Huntsman’s approach is rooted in precision. A 95% CV-to-first-interview rate. Deep market mapping. Real pre-screening. And a relationship-first, 360° strategy that clients actually remember.

As James puts it:
“This isn't about building the biggest agency. It's about building the most profitable, reliable, and respected one.”

And that’s not just talk. It’s reflected in every hire he’s made - from experienced talent like Claudine Gilbery-Phillips, who now leads Quantity Surveying, to carefully selected support in South Africa helping scale operations intelligently.

Growth Without Bloat

While most recruitment founders chase fast headcount and burnout, James is laser-focused on growing lean, profitable verticals. That includes exploring a partner model - giving high-performers equity and true ownership, not just commission and KPIs.

It’s built for smart recruiters who could go out on their own - but don’t want to. Because they’ve got the autonomy, investment, and buy-in without the lonely grind of solo startup life.

AI, Authenticity & The Future of Recruitment

AI came up (as it always does), and James didn’t dodge the hard truths. He’s bullish on using AI for what it's good at — automation, admin, and efficiency — but draws a hard line:

“AI will never replace trust. It can’t take your client for a pint or truly understand what keeps them up at night. That’s human.”

For Huntsman Consult, AI supplements the system. Not the soul.

Why This Podcast Hit Different

This wasn’t about “growth hacks” or empty motivational fluff. It was two industry leaders dissecting the real anatomy of a recruitment business - with war stories, swear words, and strategic gold woven in between.

If you’re a recruiter thinking of going solo, or a consultancy looking for a partner who gets the market beyond just buzzwords - this episode is a must-listen.

Your Move

At Huntsman Consult, we’re not playing the volume game. We’re playing the long game.
We work with built environment consultancies that value relationships, rigour, and results - not just resumes.

Ready to speak with someone who understands the QS and PM market inside and out?

Get in touch.

PM's get in touch with James Waissel
👉 Save details
📞 07554 884592
✉ james@huntsmanconsult.com

QS's get in touch with Claudine Gilbery-Phillips
👉 Save details
📞 07968 119661
✉ claudine@huntsmanconsult.com

Check out the full podcast episode here.

Video: The Rag Podcast