Carrot and Stick

← Carrot and Stick26 nov 2025 · 1 u 04 min

Martin Doig and Robbie Sturgess from Verto People - Why Cold Calling Is Essential For Perm Growth

Martin Doig and Robbie Sturgess from Verto People - Why Cold Calling Is Essential For Perm Growth26 nov 20251 u 04 min

<p>Martin Doig and Robbie Sturgess, founders of Verto People, join Derry Holt to explain how their 99% perm agency not only survived a pandemic launch but rapidly scaled to 38 employees by prioritizing relentless daily Business Development (BD) over fleeting contract trends.They share their controversial stance on cold calling, detail their data-driven hiring methodology, and unpack the crucial lessons learned from scaling too fast into unfamiliar markets like Germany.Key Takeaways:- &quot;Cold Calling is alive&quot;: The controversial view that BD must be done every day, non-negotiable.- The Data-Driven Hire: Using psychometrics to vet recruiters for sales aptitude, resulting in an 80%+ success rate.- Scaling Lessons: Why they intentionally pulled out of the German market and software niches to focus resources entirely on explosive US engineering growth.- The 8-Touch Rule: How Verto ensures success by following a highly targeted, multi-touch BD process for every single candidate.</p>