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Expert Hiring Support Without Agency Prices
From £1,500 /month
You're Stuck in the Middle
Your team is growing.
You need to hire.
However, your options aren’t great:
DIY hiring consumes 80-150 hours per role - time you could spend on product and customers.
Traditional agencies charge up to £15,000 per hire or up to 30% of the salary. That's 1-2 months of revenue for many smaller and/or bootstrapped companies.
Freelance recruiters are hit-or-miss. No consistency. No strategic guidance. No ongoing support. And definitely no 12 month free replacement guarantee.
You need expert hiring support that fits your budget and grows with you.
That’s exactly what the Starter Retainer is designed to do for you.
What You Get
Monthly Strategy Call (60 minutes)
Dedicated strategic time each month to review your hiring roadmap, discuss team structure, benchmark compensation and plan your next moves.
Not a sales call – a working session.
Priority
Access
When you have an urgent role, you jump to the front of the queue.
No waiting weeks to get started.
Your hiring needs come first.
Ad-Hoc Support
(Min. 2 hours/month)
Slack and email access for quick questions between calls.
“Should I make this offer?”
“How do I handle this candidate situation?”
“What’s market rate for this role?” – answered within 24 hours.
Job Description Review & Optimisation
Before you post a role, I’ll review and optimise your job description.
We’ll make sure you’re attracting the right candidates – not wasting time on mismatches.
Interview Process Consultation
Get guidance on structuring interviews, what questions to ask and how to evaluate candidates using the Chemistry First methodology.
Build hiring skills that last.
Transparent Pricing
Monthly Retainer:
£1,500
3-month minimum commitment
+ Placement Fee:
£3,500 per hire
(Discounted from £5,500-£12,000 for non-retainer clients)
Guarantee:
12-month
Industry leading full replacement guarantee if the hire doesn’t work out in their first 12 months
What this means in real terms:
If you hire 2 people in 6 months:
Retainer: £9,000 (6 months × £1,500)
Placements: £7,000 (2 hires × £3,500)
Total: £16,000
Is This Right For You?
Ideal For
- Bootstrapped or angel-funded teams (5-20 people)
- Revenue £250K-£2M
- Hiring 1-4 people in the next 12 months
- No dedicated HR or recruiting function
- Want strategic guidance, not just CV delivery
- Value chemistry and culture fit as much as skills
Not For You If
- You're pre-revenue (project-based hiring may be better)
- You need 10+ hires in the next 3 months (consider Fractional)
- You just want the cheapest option (we're affordable, not cheap)
- You want someone to "just send CVs" without strategic input
The Bridge to Fractional
Many Starter Retainer clients grow into full Fractional Talent Partner relationships as their hiring needs increase.
It’s a natural progression:
Start with Starter Retainer at 5-15 employees
→ Upgrade to Fractional as you grow past 15-20 people and hiring volume increases.
The Starter Retainer builds the relationship and establishes processes, making the transition seamless for you.
Ready to Stop DIY Hiring?
Book a free 30-minute strategy call. We’ll discuss your team, your hiring plans, and whether the Starter Retainer is the right fit.
No pressure. No sales pitch. Just a conversation about building your team the right way.
