$28 Million Staffing Agency Exit: Diane Prince’s Step-by-Step Playbook on Niches, Scaling, and Life After Selling

Ever wondered how to build, scale, and sell a recruiting agency for $28 million? Host Benjamin Mena welcomes back Diane Prince, who shares the inside story of her multi-million dollar staffing agency exit. Discover why niches lead to riches, what buyers seek in acquisitions, and how to scale your recruiting business—no matter your starting point.

Diane openly shares the playbook for successful agency exits, highlighting the power of specializing in a niche, building recurring revenue streams, and the realities post-acquisition. Avoid common pitfalls and leverage actionable insights to grow your recruiting desk or agency efficiently.

Key Insights from This Episode:

• Diane’s roadmap to a $28M exit within just 6 years, including bouncing back after a failed deal post-9/11.
• Why a clear niche strategy commands top multiples and how to identify and dominate yours.
• Essential buyer considerations during acquisitions: solid bookkeeping, client diversity, account integration, and a robust leadership team.
• The post-exit reality check: common mistakes recruiters make and strategies to avoid the 'shiny object syndrome.'
• Proven scaling tactics: leveraging VAs, maintaining a robust sales pipeline, and creating compelling, problem-solving content.

Episode Highlights:

[07:27] Selling for Maximum Value: Solid bookkeeping, diverse client revenue, and deep client integration are critical. Start by hiring a skilled bookkeeper.

[13:06] Navigating Life Post-Exit: Diane’s lessons on managing newfound wealth—taking strategic breaks, prudent investing, and pacing your next big move.

[22:08] Mastering Your Niche: Keep it simple—select a market where you have strong connections, deep knowledge, and solve real problems through targeted content.

[25:35] Surviving Market Downturns: Diversify your services within your niche to weather industry fluctuations and position yourself for rapid recovery.

[37:06] Consistency in Sales is King: Never neglect business development. Utilize VAs to expand capacity and consistently build your pipeline.

5 Essential Takeaways:

1. Own Your Niche: Specialists earn higher margins and valuations.
2. Maintain Pristine Books: Clean financials maximize your firm's value.
3. Prioritize Recurring Revenue: Stable cash flow protects your agency.
4. Real-Problem Content Wins: Solve actual client challenges to dominate your market.
5. Pivot Strategically: Explore adjacent opportunities if your niche slows down.

Ready to Scale?

Make 2025 your breakthrough recruiting year. Listen, subscribe, and connect with Benjamin & Diane to elevate your career.

🔗 Key Resources:

• Episode Sponsor: Pin – Your 24/7 Recruiting Assistant: https://www.pin.com/
• AI Recruiting Summit 2025: https://ai-recruiting-summit-2025.heysummit.com/
• Finish The Year Strong 2025: https://rock-the-year-2025.heysummit.com/
• Free PeopleGPT Trial: https://juicebox.ai/?via=b6912d
• Free Talin AI Trial: https://app.talin.ai/signup?via=recruiter
• Subscribe to The Elite Recruiter Podcast Emails: https://eliterecruiterpodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribe
• Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/75bWuhGpMJ0

Follow Diane Prince:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianeprincejohnston/

Host Benjamin Mena:

• Select Source Solutions: http://www.selectsourcesolutions.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminmena/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benlmena/