Sydney, Perth, Singapore, Tokyo: Inside the Four Group Build-Out of an Asia-Pacific HR Recruitment Network

AI won't replace recruiters. Discover how recruitment businesses can use AI to improve efficiency, strengthen relationships and raise the standard of service.

Discover why America is a prime market for recruitment entrepreneurs, from its world-leading economy and active labour market to investment opportunities and business growth potential.

Explore why women dominate recruitment workforces globally but remain underrepresented in leadership and how Four Pillars Group helps close the gap.

Explore why Japan’s US$72B recruitment market, strong talent demand and regulatory barriers continue to attract investment from firms like Four Pillars Group.

Reflections and Projections Favourite quote of the month: “An athlete won’t judge you for working out. A millionaire won’t judge you for starting a business. A musician won’t judge you for trying to sing a song. It’s always the people going nowhere that have something negative to say.” June marks the end of the financial year here in Australia, a time for reflection on the past 12 months, and for projection into the next 12. This month has had me in a reflective mood, thinking about my own journey, the Four Pillars Group journey, and the journeys of our founders and their businesses. The highs, the lows, the learnings, the growth – both personal and professional. One of the many things that makes Four Pillars Group a rare and compelling investor in the recruitment sector is that we’re not just sitting on the sidelines. We’re out there in the trenches, shoulder-to-shoulder with our portfolio businesses. Those who know me will know how much I value mentorship rooted in lived experience. There’s simply no substitute for guidance from someone who’s already walked the path you’re on and actually achieved what you’re striving for. Everyone at Four Pillars Group is committed to helping recruitment entrepreneurs launch and scale their businesses. Getting caught up in the daily rhythms of our work, we sometimes forget that Four Pillars itself has been on its own launch-and-scale journey as well. We were founded in 2021, right in the middle of the global pandemic and lockdown era. That wasn’t exactly a time when most people were thinking about launching a new business, let alone a recruitment business. However, by a stroke of fate, we were introduced to one recruiter who was just bold (or crazy!) enough to be planning exactly that. And so we launched Four Pillars Group while simultaneously supporting our very first founder with the launch of his healthcare recruitment business in Sydney. Fast forward to 2025, and that business is now an award-winning team of 15 across Sydney and Perth. And Four Pillars? We’ve grown into a community of six specialist recruitment businesses with about 60 people across Singapore, Tokyo, Perth, and Sydney. I still smile when I think back to signing the lease on our first Sydney office in early 2022. A modest 150 sqm on Pitt Street, it was shared by just me, our first founder, and a whole lot of spare desks. By the time our three-year lease was up, we’d outgrown it completely. Earlier this year we moved into a new (and much swankier) space three times the size – and it felt like one of our first major milestone moments. It’s an exciting time for us. We’ve now proven our concept. What began as an idea four years ago has become a living, growing, thriving business. And we’re ready for the next leap, from 6 to 12 portfolio businesses, and from 60 to 120 people, over the next three years. Want to Launch a Recruitment Company? Watch This Space Over the next six months, be sure to check this Monthly Musings column for hard-earned insights on what it really takes to launch and grow your recruitment business, including advice on sale and exit strategies. This advice will combine the most pertinent lessons I’ve learned over the years of my journey with the wisdom of the many founders I’ve had the privilege to advise and support. I’ll break it down into six key areas: What is an entrepreneur – and are you one? The importance of purpose and goals Planning with the end in mind The hustle and grind of launching Mentoring, support, and the power of community The golden rules of sale and exit We Want to Hear From You Keen to learn the ins and outs of how to launch and grow your recruitment business, from someone who has walked the path? I’d love to hear from any recruiters or early-stage founders who are curious about entrepreneurship. If you’re open to a confidential exploratory chat, don’t hesitate to get in touch today.

May was a month bookended by two great cities. It began in Perth, where I spent time with recruitment business owners and experienced recruiters keen to launch or scale their own ventures. It ended in Sydney, exchanging signed agreements with the soon-to-be-announced newest member of the Four Pillars Group portfolio and community. There’s always such satisfaction in seeing our network grow – another ambitious and motivated recruitment entrepreneur joining our expanding business family. Lately, especially on my daily 10km walk around Swan River, I’ve been turning over a particular question in my mind: Of the roughly 150 recruitment business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs I meet each year, why are only 10–20% of them women? This ratio is reflected in our own community, too. Of the nine APAC portfolio business leaders we currently back, only one is female. The Four Pillars Group management team (which, I should note, is proudly 50% female) is committed to supporting more women to launch and grow recruitment businesses. So I keep wondering: (1) Why does a gender imbalance persist at the entrepreneurial level of the recruitment industry? (2) What more can we do to help close the gender gap in recruitment? Exploring the Gender Gap in Recruitment Leadership Let’s start with excluding the possible reasons for this gender imbalance. While there is a gap at leadership level, which we’ve explored in a previous article, there’s certainly not a gender imbalance across the recruitment industry as a whole. When my own journey in recruitment started in London, ahem, 30 years ago, the industry was clearly male dominated. That is certainly no longer the case, however, and I would estimate that the recruitment industry is now evenly balanced between men and women. Difference in ability isn’t a satisfactory explanation, either. Some of the most brilliant recruiters and leaders I’ve known and worked with are women. The highest performing recruiter across the whole Four Pillars Group portfolio is an outstanding female recruiter who never fails to generate a 7-figure sum in annual placement revenue. If the gender gap at leadership level isn’t a reflection of the industry’s overall gender representation, nor the capabilities of women in recruitment positions, what is it actually reflecting? Dare I ask the question… is sexism and gender inequality still alive and kicking in the recruitment industry? Gender barriers of the past have steadily – if sometimes slowly – eroded over time. And yet, the Gen X crowd I belong to (once so proud of the progress we made compared to our Baby Boomer parents) is now viewed by many Millennials and Gen Z as outdated on gender equality issues (or maybe that’s just my children reminding me). Would it be naïve, or too simplistic, to assume this gender imbalance will naturally correct itself as generations shift? Or is it equally simplistic to suggest that perhaps women are, by nature, less entrepreneurial than men? And even if there’s some truth to that notion (which I question), it immediately raises the bigger, more important question: why? The Perceived Risks of Entrepreneurship My own instinct, shaped by meeting hundreds of recruitment entrepreneurs over the past five or so years, is that the issue has more to do with the perceived realities of what’s involved in launching or scaling a recruitment business. Maybe women are more risk-averse than men. Maybe fewer women fit the “alpha” personality type that’s so often drawn to entrepreneurship. Perhaps women place greater value on work-life balance and are less willing to make the sacrifices required to launch and grow a business (which might explain why the gender gap is less pronounced in “lifestyle” recruitment businesses). Or maybe – rightly or wrongly – many women still see entrepreneurship as difficult to reconcile with other life commitments like motherhood. These are the same factors often cited to explain why women remain underrepresented at senior levels in the corporate world. The reasons behind this gender imbalance are many, varied, and deeply personal to each woman who considers launching or scaling her own business. I’ve seen this firsthand in countless honest, exploratory conversations over the years with women who’ve shared their hopes, plans, and fears around taking that leap. There’s certainly no getting away from some of the stress factors that go with launching and scaling a recruitment business. Risk is unavoidable. But like many things in life, risk and reward tend to go hand in hand. Low risks will often provide low rewards, and high risks offer the potential for high rewards. Launching and scaling your own business is hard work. It’s demanding. It can be an emotional rollercoaster. It requires sacrifice, but this sacrifice is essentially a trade-off between time and money today, for the prospect of more time and money in the future. In other words, today’s sacrifice offers tomorrow’s freedom. What Can Be Done to Address Gender Inequality in Recruitment Leadership? Turning to my second question: What can we do to support and attract more women into the recruitment entrepreneurial arena, and into the Four Pillars Group business community? It’s fair to say that the risks and stresses that go hand-in-hand with entrepreneurial endeavour cannot be eliminated. But there are ways to effectively manage and mitigate these risks and stress factors: Leave nothing to chance. Plan carefully and thoroughly. Research and road-test your ideas and plans. Surround yourself with solid support networks, including friends and family you can trust. Seek out advice and guidance from people who have successfully navigated the path that you’re contemplating. Beware the theorists and “armchair experts” – the recruitment industry has plenty of them! Ensure that you have the operational infrastructure to support your plans. We Want to Hear from You At Four Pillars Group, we’re constantly evolving our four pillars of support for recruitment entrepreneurs – funding, infrastructure, mentoring, and sale/exit – to keep them relevant and resilient to changing market conditions. Our CEO is in Sydney later this week, and I’ll be adding this gender imbalance issue to our agenda for discussion and brainstorming. I plan to revisit this topic in one of my monthly musings later this year. Get In Touch! In the meantime, I’d love to hear from any female recruiters who are open to a confidential, exploratory chat about the possibility of launching or growing their recruitment business. Please don’t hesitate to send me a message or give me a call. Let’s help your success story be a part of the industry’s progress!

You’ve decided now’s the time to launch your own recruitment business. You’ve got the experience, the network, and the drive – and let’s face it, you’ve probably been the one behind the scenes making things work in someone else’s agency for years. So now that you’re going it alone, there’s one big decision to make early on: Do you build a generalist agency that covers all sectors, or do you lock in and go deep as a specialist? The specialist vs generalist recruitment agency question is just as important for agency leaders as it is for their clients. Both models have their merits, but if you’ve spent your career becoming an expert in one or two areas, there’s a clear winner. Let’s explore the strengths of both, with a closer look at why specialism often wins out – especially in today’s market. The Upsides of the Generalist Recruitment Agency Model The generalist recruitment agency is, in a way, the public face of a very broad industry, thanks to the legacy brands of recruitment such as Adecco, Hays, Hudson, Michael Page and Robert Half, which all have deep roots as generalists. Many successful recruitment entrepreneurs have learned the ropes within these agencies, picking up valuable skills and connections along the way. Should you feel a calling towards the generalist model when launching your recruitment business, having access to broader opportunities is advantageous. You’re not confined to one vertical. If hiring slows in one sector, you can pivot to another. With a wider remit, you can approach a broader range of companies across different industries. That creates a wide variety of roles and work. For recruiters with a broad background or who enjoy the challenge of switching contexts quickly, this model can be a good fit. … and the Downsides But while variety can be exciting, it also requires a very wide (and constantly updated) knowledge base to stay credible across sectors. And in this time of lightning-fast industry transformation brought about by technology and economic shifts, generalist recruitment is far more sensitive to downturns and disruptions. When you spread your efforts thinly across multiple sectors, you’re often the last to know when demand is dropping and the first to feel it when budgets are cut. Generalist recruiters can find themselves juggling short-term contracts in one industry while another dries up completely. There’s little insulation because you’re not deeply embedded in any one market. You’re skating across the surface, rather than building influence and insight below it. As some might argue, generalists are increasingly seen as a holdover from a bygone era – an agency model for a world of work that no longer exists. Job markets are far more complex, fragmented and volatile than they were 20-30 years ago, when generalists were in their heyday (even though many legacy-tier generalists have long since branched out into specialist brands and solutions services.) Advantages of The Specialist Agency Model On the other side of the specialist vs generalist recruitment agency equation is the power of niche. Specialists can be more than one thing, i.e. focused on a particular sector, vertical, or even a specific type of role (e.g. data engineers in financial services, or senior leadership in education). Or, a combination of these. Here is why it works, especially when you’re starting out: You already have the credibility The odds are that your career has taken you deep into one or two specific sectors. You’ve been to the conferences, built relationships with hiring managers, and understand the quirks of the roles and the nuances of the industry. That makes you someone who ‘gets it’, which is key for building trust with clients and candidates alike. You’re easier to recommend When someone asks, “Do you know a recruiter in [sector]?”, you want your name to be the immediate answer. Specialists are memorable. A generalist might fade into the crowd, but a specialist stands out. You can go narrow and deep Rather than spreading your time thinly across industries, you can dig deep and build robust talent pipelines. You’re nurturing long-term candidate relationships and becoming the go-to recruiter when hard-to-fill roles crop up. Specialists can develop a far more consultative relationship with clients. Being an advisor on salary trends, talent shortages and competitor activity is a cut above flicking over resumes. It adds real commercial value and positions you as a partner, not a vendor. Premium fees and retained work Clients will pay more for recruiters who understand their world. As a specialist, you can often command higher fees, and in many cases, move into retained or exclusive work. That means more predictable revenue and deeper client relationships. A clearer brand position From a marketing perspective, being a specialist makes it easier to define your niche. Tailoring your messaging and building authority is easier. Your website, your content, your pitch all works harder when it speaks to one audience really well. What About the Downsides of Being a Specialist? Of course, no model is without its trade-offs. Specialising in a single sector does come with some risks: Market dependency If your chosen industry hits a downturn, it can directly and substantially impact your pipeline. Diversification, at least eventually, becomes important. Limited scope (at first) You may miss out on roles in other sectors where you could technically deliver, but which fall outside your brand promise. Scaling takes careful planning As your agency grows, you’ll need to think strategically about when and how to add verticals without diluting your niche expertise. But here’s the thing: these aren’t dealbreakers. They’re simply factors to plan for. With the right foundations, specialist agencies are well-positioned to adapt and expand over time. You don’t have to stay small or siloed. The idea is to simply start with a specific focus. Build deep roots, then grow the branches Start as a Specialist. Grow with Intention. It might be tempting to keep things broad when you’re starting out. More roles means more chances to place, right? But in reality, starting wide often leads to shallow wins. You’re competing against bigger agencies with bigger teams and broader resources. Starting as a specialist gives you a foundation to build from. You can always expand into adjacent markets later – healthcare into aged care, fintech into SaaS, construction into renewables. But you’ll do it as someone with an established brand and a clear value proposition, not just another recruiter trying to be all things to all people. The Takeaway In short? The advantages of being a specialist far outweigh the downsides, especially when you’re launching your recruitment business. You’ll build credibility faster and differentiate more easily. You’re not building someone else’s recruitment business. You’re building your recruitment business. Start with what you know best, and scale from there. Get Help with Launching Your Recruitment Business Starting your own recruitment business is an exciting journey, but you don’t have to do it alone. With the right support, you can create a business that reflects your vision and makes the right impact for your clients and candidates. To help you achieve your goals, Four Pillars Group uses business plans that combine years of acquired wisdom in the industry with strategies tailored to your unique offering. Let’s talk about your dreams – get in touch today to take the first step.

When we talk about scaling in recruitment, it’s easy to focus on headcount or pipeline. But growing a recruitment business comes from a deeper foundation: how well your systems support your people. At Four Pillars, we’ve been thinking a lot about how we can build a more efficient and human centred business. That’s why, as part of our focus on operational excellence this year, we’re dedicating each quarter to exploring and improving a different area of our internal operations. For Q1, we’re diving into AI, as we’ve identified its powerful potential to improve how we work both internally and externally. For some, AI in recruitment means software that scans resumes or conducts video interviews. At Four Pillars, we’re taking a broader view. We see AI as a commercial lever: lifting margins, speeding up delivery, and enhancing the client experience. It’s about reducing admin, not people, because recruitment is still, at its core, a people business. Trialling AI in the Wild The first area we’re exploring is AI powered note taking. These tools use voice recognition and natural language processing to transcribe and summarise meetings in real time. The idea is simple: let people stay fully engaged in conversation instead of splitting their focus with typing. We’re trialling a few platforms, assessing how well they integrate with our workflows and whether they genuinely lighten the load for our team. Our goal is twofold: Free up consultants from admin heavy tasks so they can focus on what they do best, building relationships and delivering value Lift the quality of our service by capturing key insights and follow ups from every meeting, consistently and accurately So far, the results are promising. Conversations flow more naturally when no one is trying to type and think at the same time. The summaries we’re getting are clear, well structured, and easy to share. AI powered note taking also brings benefits to internal handovers and client documentation. Everyone is literally on the same page and it shows. Follow through is sharper, details aren’t missed, and the whole team is moving with more confidence and clarity. Early Lessons We’re Leaning Into Like any operational change, getting real value from AI takes more than just downloading a new tool. It works best when introduced with clear purpose and practical planning. Here are three early lessons we’re leaning into: Start small and specific. It’s easy to get distracted by all the things AI could do. We’ve had more success focusing on one or two clear use cases. This keeps testing realistic and results measurable Involve the team early. From the start, we’ve been open about what these tools are and what they’re meant to support. That clarity builds trust. When people know AI isn’t here to replace them, they’re more curious and willing to experiment Make it seamless. For new tech to stick, it has to slot naturally into how people already work. If it adds friction, it won’t last Why This Matters for Growth Minded Recruiters If you’re thinking about how to scale your recruitment business, technology should be part of the conversation. As with any investment, it pays to understand the potential return before you dive in. A good way to start is by trialling a tool that solves a clear problem, something simple with obvious value. Technology won’t fix every challenge, but when used smartly, it lets people focus on the work only humans can do: building relationships, thinking strategically, and delivering real service to clients and candidates. That’s the kind of impact we’re excited about. More Insights for Growing Your Recruitment Business We’re still early in our AI journey, and we’re learning every day. But one thing is clear. When the right tools are used with the right intent, they can add real value for people, clients, and candidates alike. If you’re exploring how AI could support your growth plans, we’re happy to share what’s working and what we’re still figuring out. Feel free to get in touch with me or the team at Four Pillars Group.

Working from home (WFH) quickly became the norm for many of us during the pandemic, but is it still the best option for your recruitment business? Is offering a WFH policy for employees a smart move or a terrible idea? And just how productive is working from home these days?  These are questions we hear often from recruitment leaders across Australia. And the truth is, there’s no clear-cut yes or no answer. Like most things in business, there are plenty of work from home pros and cons to weigh up before deciding what’s right for you and your team. If you’re managing your recruitment business and wondering whether flexible work arrangements still stack up, we’ve broken down the good, the bad, and the ugly of working from home. The Pros of Working From Home – ‘The Good’ It’s Great for Your EVP As we’ve talked about in our blog on employee value propositions (EVP), having a clear and well-thought-out WFH policy for employees can be a big selling point when it comes to attracting and retaining people. Giving employees the option to work from home means they can save on commuting time and transport costs, which are especially valued perks in big cities where travel times regularly blow out. And let’s be honest: most professionals now expect at least a little leeway when it comes to location throughout the week. If your business is struggling to attract talent, consider making judicious use of the phrase ‘options to work from home’ in your job ads. About 41% of employers say WFH gives them a better ability to attract candidates, while 44% say it improves staff retention, AHRI research shows. Flexibility = Happier Employees Offering flexible working from home options shows trust in your employees, and trust is a powerful motivator. When employees have the freedom to manage their day, structure their workload, and avoid the distractions of a noisy office, it can boost morale and job satisfaction. Plus, flexibility often translates to better work-life balance, which means happier, more engaged employees who are less likely to burn out or leave your business. Reduced Office Overheads Managing your recruitment business is also about managing costs. With fewer people in the office every day, you might be able to reduce your commercial lease footprint, saving you big money on rent, utilities and other office expenses. Hot-desking setups can work well in this environment, particularly if your team rotates their in-office days. Less noise, more space, and reduced costs? Sounds pretty good. Access to an Infinite Talent Pool One of the biggest upsides of working from home is access to a larger talent pool to fish in. In a cost-of-living crisis, where many professionals are seeking to live in places with affordable housing costs, the calibre of talent available is becoming more dispersed. The best recruiters and managers might not live in your immediate area. Remote work lets you tap into skills from other cities, regions – or even globally – to build the best team for your business. Develop a digital culture While nothing beats the camaraderie and culture of a buzzing office, working from home does encourage teams to develop strong digital communication habits. Tools like Teams, Zoom or Slack become the norm, helping employees stay connected no matter where they are. Encouraging employees to be familiar with working and communicating remote comes in handy during emergencies. A clear WFH policy is useful for business continuity planning. The Cons of Working From Home – ‘The Bad’ Managing Underperformance is Tricky Keeping track of individual performance can be onerous when teams are off site. Without the visibility you have in the office, managers need to rely on clear KPIs, data tracking, and regular check-ins to understand how people are performing. Setting clear expectations from the start is crucial for mitigating underperformance risks. Hours, deliverables, and communication guidelines all need to be spelled out in your WFH policy for employees. And if performance dips, you need a process in place for bringing employees back into the office for additional support or supervision until they’re back on track. Team Dynamics Can Take a Hit WFH has its perks, but over time it can lead to employees working in silos if left unchecked. For recruitment agencies, where collaboration, energy, and bouncing ideas off colleagues is part of the job, this can quietly erode your team culture. Make sure you’re still creating opportunities for people to connect in person or virtually. Team days, morning stand-ups, or Friday wins sessions can help reinforce a sense of belonging and keep everyone on target. Social Isolation is Real It’s important to remember that not everyone wants to work from home. Assuming that everyone does can be a huge misstep. Some employees thrive on the social buzz of an office, while others get distracted easily. Conversely, some employees can genuinely lock in while working from home and produce results they can’t get in the office. Preference for WFH comes down to personality factors, work styles, and each employee’s living situation. What works for one person may not work for another. Also consider the stage of development each employee is at. Team members who are still early in their careers or going through training may be better off working on site as much as possible. Before locking in a working from home model, talk to your team. Creating a hybrid model that gives people choice (while meeting business needs) is often the best compromise, provided you have on and off ramps for deciding who and when can work from home. .. And ‘The Ugly’ – What You Can’t Afford to Ignore Workplace Health and Safety Still Applies As a cautious HR Director (or a fun-sponge, depending on who you ask), it’s my duty to consider the business risks that arise from people management decisions. Whether your employees are in the office or working from home, you still have a duty of care as an employer. When creating a WFH policy for employees, health and safety must be accounted for. Ensure your employees have a safe and suitable home working environment. That doesn’t mean you need to send an OH&S consultant to their lounge room, but it does mean having clear guidelines around ergonomic setups, equipment provision, and expectations for safe work practices. A simple checklist or self-assessment form can go a long way in managing risk. Not to mention a signed agreement that outlines responsibilities on both sides. The Takeaway Like most big decisions when managing your recruitment business, creating a WFH policy for employees comes down to balance. The work from home pros and cons are many and they’ll look different for every agency, every team, and every role. What matters most is understanding what works for your business model, your clients, and your people. WFH isn’t going anywhere – but how you shape it to suit your recruitment business is entirely up to you. Talk to Us Need help shaping a WFH policy for employees that actually works for your business? At Four Pillars Group, we partner with recruitment businesses to help them grow and manage the challenges of scaling up. Please feel free to reach out to me or the team to find out how we can help.