Season 5 | Ep 21 - Liam Thomas on the reality of leading his agency whilst losing his business partner after a 7 year battle with cancer

This week's episode was one that I wanted to have but was also really nervous about. It is without a doubt the most emotional and heartbreaking conversation I have ever recorded.I was joined by Liam Thomas, the Founder of Highfield Professional Solutions & Data X Connect, a specialist recruitment agency headquartered on the South Coast of England with 45 staff.Liam launched the business with his mate and business partner, Sam Hughes, 15 years ago when they were both 25 and fearless!A classic recruitment founder story.But in 2014, when the business was well-established and growing, Sam was diagnosed with Stage 4 Bowel Cancer. The diagnosis changed everything for them.Over the next 7 years, Sam battled everything that came his way and the business continued to grow. Liam admits he was in denial and always believed his partner and friend would be back to work full time again one day.In September 2021, Sam lost his life after an incredible fight.In this episode Liam talks about it all: when they started the business, coping with the diagnosis,  and dealing with the reality of losing Sam.There were tears shed during the recording and I hope it moves you as much as it moved me.I am so proud of Liam for speaking about this and I am sure you will be too.The RAG sponsorsDistrict4Do you feel like you’re not surrounded by peers and you’ve stopped learning? Imagine only working alongside other experienced recruiters who you can really collaborate with while having the freedom to do it your way. If you’re thinking of a change, check out District4 where you can launch your own business and not be alone!Visit www.district4.io/hoxo for more infoVincereVincere.io published a playbook, like a buyers guide, for those shopping around for a new system. Inside you will find:- ROI-driven strategy to building out a comprehensive feature checklist- How to assemble an effective CRM evaluation team- Battle-tested compliance & security vendor scorecards- Understanding inclusion versus integration- Power plays & frameworks for vendor due diligenceDownload here:  https://bit.ly/3C2G1s3Go to www.vincere.io/rag  to book a demo - RAG listeners get an exclusive deal!