Ep. 9: Chris Moylan on Grit, Growth and Starting Again

In this episode of Recruiting Alchemy, Andy Simpson is joined by Chris Moylan, CEO of Tech Link Partners, who shares the raw and real journey behind launching and scaling two recruitment businesses. From growing up on construction sites to billing £90K months, selling one company, and rebuilding after personal tragedy. Chris's story is a testament to resilience, grit, and purpose.

He opens up about how life on the phones taught him discipline, what it's really like starting a business from scratch with limited runway, and the unseen emotional toll of entrepreneurship. This is a candid look at the realities behind the founder life, the wins, the losses, and the cost of staying the course.

Whether you're thinking of launching your own agency or just want to hear from someone who's been through the fire, this episode is packed with lessons in perseverance, discipline, and starting over stronger.

🎙 Key Topics:

🔹 Why KPIs still matter, especially when scaling
 🔹 What most people get wrong about contract recruitment
 🔹 Cash flow vs. profit in growing a contract book
 🔹 Losing £280K and how it shaped his next move
 🔹 The emotional cost of entrepreneurship (and pushing through grief)
 🔹 Why consistency beats hype on LinkedIn branding

Show Notes & Timestamps

[00:00] – Opening & Introduction

• Chris on his early career in construction and sales
• How a cold call job taught him mindset and structure

[06:00] – First Steps in Recruitment

• Transitioning into recruitment with purpose
• Why he chose to go into SAP contract roles
• Learning 360 recruitment without a delivery background

[12:00] – High Performance & Culture

• The impact of working in strong sales cultures
• Thoughts on KPIs and why tracking matters
• How sales discipline drove long-term success

[18:00] – Launching His First Business

• Leaving a top billing role to go solo
• Setting up West Work Engineering
• Winning and scaling with blue-collar contract recruitment

[25:00] – Lessons from Scaling & Exiting

• From 140 contractors to 3 in a week during COVID
• Losing £280K to non-payments
• Why he exited construction to go all-in on tech

[32:00] – Personal Tragedy & Professional Rebuild

• Losing his brother and father within weeks
• How grief shaped his return to the business
• The emotional cost behind the scenes

[38:00] – Culture, Office & Discipline

• Why his team still wear suits and work in the office
• His non-negotiables and team expectations
• The long-term impact of sticking to your values

[45:00] – Advice for Future Founders

• Understanding profit vs. cash flow
• The true time to get new recruiters billing
• Avoiding comparison culture and staying in your lane

[47:00] – Building a Personal Brand

• Why he avoided posting on LinkedIn for years
• What changed and why it matters now
• Final thoughts on leadership, resilience, and growth