Lauren Stiebing was recently invited to Mark Whitby‘s Resilient Recruiter Podcast to discuss how increasingly important it is to develop a strong personal brand to be successful as a recruiter. That applies to all recruitment consultants but is especially critical for independent recruiters and owners of small recruiting and staffing agencies.

My guest today—Lauren Stiebing—is a great example of a recruiter who has embraced personal branding as a way to differentiate herself in a crowded market. Lauren started her search firm, LS International, in the US and has built a thriving global practice in the CPG/FMCG space. There were many factors that contributed to her success, including her relentless persistence.

In our conversation, we talk about the challenge of building a client base from scratch and the learning curve associated with mastering the ins and outs of business development. She shares the unique challenges she faced and the different strategies she’s used to successfully build her recruitment business. She’s one of my superstar clients and it’s a wonderful privilege to welcome her to the show.

Discussed in this episode:

• [2:43] The background of Lauren Stiebing’s company—LS International
• [3:53] Key milestones in the development of her business
• [7:15] What were some of Lauren’s biggest achievements?
• [8:20] The values she embraces building a personal brand
• [10:51] What is the concept of hard feedback?
• [13:14] Developing relationships with blue-chip multinational companies
• [14:54] What persistence looks like in the recruitment industry
• [15:54] Using conferences and speaking engagements to network
• [19:00] The upside of starting a podcast
• [25:13] Competing with brand-name search firms
• [28:39] Why large brands choose her over more established firms
• [31:40] How did Lauren end up in Barcelona?
• [32:21] Why build a team versus being a single recruiter?
• [34:30] How Lauren juggles being a billing manager and recruiter
• [35:47] Lauren’s vision for the future of LS International