How I Built a $4M Recruitment Agency and Walked Away: Lessons, Offshoring, Burnout, and AI Insights with Gregory Fischer artwork
The Elite Recruiter Podcast

How I Built a $4M Recruitment Agency and Walked Away: Lessons, Offshoring, Burnout, and AI Insights with Gregory Fischer

  • S1E271
  • 59:20
  • October 27th 2025

Ever wondered what it really takes to scale a recruitment agency from the ground up—and have the guts to walk away at the top? In this episode, Benjamin Mena sits down with Gregory Fischer, who built AMI Network to over $4M in gross margin and $1.4M EBITDA—then left it all to build a new agency his way, powered by offshoring, smarter processes, and AI.

🎯 2026 Sales and BD Recruiter Summit: https://bd-sales-recruiter-2026.heysummit.com/

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Inside the Episode

Gregory opens up about the raw, unfiltered reality behind scaling and leading a multimillion-dollar agency—then choosing to start over. From burnout and purpose to AI and offshoring, this episode dives deep into the lessons most recruiters never hear.

You’ll hear how Gregory broke a four-year revenue plateau by fixing niche problems, building inclusive offshore leadership, and blending AI with human talent. He shares what worked, what failed, and why redefining success beyond commission was his biggest transformation.

What You’ll Learn

  • How to break the $1M ceiling in direct hire revenue through niching and strategic account management.
  • Gregory’s blueprint for offshoring that actually works—role clarity, KPIs, cultural integration, and incentives.
  • Real talk on burnout, fulfillment, and purpose—and how to reignite your drive beyond money.
  • When AI and offshoring work together (and when they don’t).
  • The unfiltered truth about equity, ownership, and walking away—what to know before making your own leap.

Key Takeaways

  1. Scaling Up the Right Way: Growth comes from freeing senior recruiters for high-value work and empowering offshore teams.
  2. Offshoring That Delivers: Success depends on structure, communication, and cultural alignment.
  3. Purpose Over Paychecks: Your “why” sustains you long after commissions fade.
  4. AI vs. Offshore Talent: AI enhances people—it doesn’t replace them.
  5. The Exit Playbook: If you’re considering equity, partnership, or leaving, plan both emotionally and strategically.

Ready to rethink your recruiting business, team strategy, or personal definition of success?

🎧 Hit play, subscribe, and take notes—this is your roadmap to scaling smart, leading better, and finding meaning in your work.

👉 Subscribe to The Elite Recruiter Podcast for weekly actionable strategies.

👉 Connect with Benjamin Mena and Gregory Fischer on LinkedIn for more insights.

👉 Share this episode with your team and start conversations that move your business forward.

Links & Sponsors

🎯 2026 Sales and BD Recruiter Summit: https://bd-sales-recruiter-2026.heysummit.com/

🚀 Atlas – AI-first ATS & CRM: https://recruitwithatlas.com

⚡ Free Trial – PeopleGPT: https://juicebox.ai/?via=b6912d

⚡ Free Trial – Talin AI: https://app.talin.ai/signup?via=recruiter

⚡Free Trial of Pin: https://www.pin.com/

📩 Subscribe for podcast updates: https://eliterecruiterpodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribe

▶️ YouTube: https://youtu.be/-LtafFz9z8A

🔗 Follow Gregory Fischer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/offshoreisasuperpower/

🌐 Host – Benjamin Mena, Select Source Solutions: http://www.selectsourcesolutions.com/

💼 Benjamin Mena LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminmena/

📸 Benjamin Mena Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benlmena/

Hit play, subscribe, and share—this is your moment to scale smarter, lead better, and truly thrive in recruiting.

The Elite Recruiter Podcast

The Elite Recruiter Podcast is the number one podcast for recruiting professionals.

This is where the top recruiters share: How they got there. What kind of work did it take. Tips, Tools, and Tricks. The Mindset needed to get them to where they are. What they are doing with their success. Goals and visions for the future. So please join me on this journey as I interview some of the best in our industry.

Benjamin Mena

The Elite Recruiter Podcast Host

https://www.eliterecruiterpodcast.com/

Meet the Hosts

Benjamin Mena avatar
Benjamin Mena
Host

Benjamin Mena is the founder of Select Source Solutions and the host of The Elite Recruiter Podcast — one of the top global podcasts for agency and executive recruiters. With over a decade of experience placing top talent in the government contracting (GovCon) and cleared space, Ben brings a no-BS approach to the business of recruiting.

Each week, he interviews high-performing recruiters, agency owners, and industry innovators to uncover the real stories behind their success. From six-figure solo producers to million-dollar billers and AI-powered solopreneurs, Ben’s mission is simple: help recruiters level up their careers and businesses through actionable insights, raw conversations, and a community of like-minded professionals.

Based between the U.S. and Bordeaux, France, Ben is also a dad, summit host, and advocate for the future of AI-powered recruiting.