Bill Gates and Warren Buffett were both asked at the same time what was the biggest factor in their success.

They both answered the same thing: Focus.

If that’s not enough, here’s an 89-second interview with Jony Ive on how much Steve Jobs valued focus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKBVLzOZyLw

I mention it in this month’s FTDOMA and I watch it at least once a month.

So, we all know focus is so important, but how can you stay focused?

It comes down to one simple question you and the rest of the team can ask at any time.

That’s the key theme in this week’s message. Enjoy (and please watch that Jony Ive video, too).

All business owners want four things from their business: income, free time, job satisfaction and wealth.
 
In other words, you need enough money to lead the life you want, the time to enjoy it, a great job, and a retirement fund to allow you to enjoy your sunshine years in style.
 
The sole purpose of your business is to deliver these four things. But too often, it doesn’t.
 
In this edition of FTDOMA, we will start a new era simply by documenting exactly what you want in these four areas.
 
If you feel that you work too hard for your business, then this video blog is an absolute necessity.

Building a niche is hard.
 
You must choose the right discipline, not too big so you stand a chance of cornering the market but not too small so you can’t make enough money.
 
Plus, the competition will probably have already occupied the most lucrative niches before you even start.
 
But supposing there was a way to cheat the system?
 
Well, that’s the subject of this week’s FTDOMA.
 
We are going to explore a way to niche down in any discipline, and it is much less hassle to build your candidate/contractor pool.
 
SPOILER ALERT: think quality, not discipline.

When I work with recruiters, I notice that their approach to fulfilment is not bad, but it’s not great either.
 
And yet, to be successful in this climate, it must be well above average.
 
The bottom line is that’s what clients buy from recruiters: your ability to really understand vacancies and find great matching candidates that other agencies can’t find.
 
So, check out this video and start measuring how good you/your team are at fulfilment.
 
I believe that being great at fulfilment is the foundation for a successful recruitment firm.

Our mission is to make you all winners – simple as that.
 
2025 will be about better quality instructional videos and better tools to open up and develop relationships.
 
We’re also digging deeper into tactical BD for those who need instant results.
 
Not to mention, we’ll be ramping up our deep-dive workshop programme.
 
So, check out the full program of gear you can expect from us in the first quarter of this edition of FTDOMA.

It's been a challenging year, but hopefully, 2025 will be better.

In this message, I'd like to ask you to do three things that will make your 2025 more productive.

Don't worry, they aren't hard, take very little time and cost no money.

But we do want to start the year well. The three things relate to: -

• What you want from your business.
• A simple way of hitting January running.
• How can you increase the rate of change you want to make to your business.

So do enjoy it and I'll see you next time.

As the owner of a small recruitment firm, you need to think like a recruiter a lot of the time.
 
But not all the time. That’s a mistake many rec firm owners make at their cost.
 
In this episode of FTDOMA, I will explore five ways business owners think differently from recruiters.
 
I’ll also talk about the balance between the two you need to find.
 
The more you work “on” your business today, the less you’ll need to work “in” your business tomorrow.
 
I would urge you to watch, absorb, and consider how this should influence your behavior.
 
It will have a gigantic impact on your business if you do.

Specking in the most suitable candidates for clients and prospects was a reliable way to make an extra placement.

Not so much now because there are fewer roles, and hiring managers are getting better CVs from their incumbent agencies.

In this edition of the FTDOMA, I will share two tips that could help you once again make money from specking in candidates.

First, focus on exclusivity with your candidates (even having a product for them).

Second, I’ll explain how to start a specking email or call in a way that gets more attention.

I know people using these techniques to make placements – the question is, can you make them work for you?

It has to be worth a try, I’d say.

We all know that the market we are all working in is hard.
 
There are fewer vacancies around, and incumbent agencies are increasingly satisfying the needs of their clients (and your prospects).
 
So, what are you supposed to do?
 
The best approach is changing the narrative from “Can I recruit for you?” to “I think you might be very interested in this.”
 
In this edition of FTDOMA, I explain how to do this using the white-label content we have produced for you.
 
If you hit a prospect with a sales pitch before they are ready to buy, it probably won’t end well for you.
 
Add value and build a relationship, and the work will come to you as soon as it can.

Leadership comes down to three big activities (and other smaller ones).

1. Focus and direction
2. The Team
3. Change

 All three apply if you have a team, whereas only 1 and 3 apply if you’re on your own.

In this edition of FTDOMA, I explain the activities of each of these leadership components and why they are so important.

 A company without strong leadership can never be great. Even if that company only has one person in it.