I founded Chapter 2 to solve a critical problem I faced as COO at OLIVER Agency: maintaining culture and quality while rapidly scaling our global team. This challenge revealed how slow, expensive, and outdated the recruitment industry had become. Chapter 2 was born to disrupt this model, offering a faster, more cost-effective solution.
Tell us about the business – what it is, what it aims to achieve, who you work with, how you reach customers, and so on?
Chapter 2 is a disruptive recruitment talent and tech agency that builds and designs scalable talent solutions. We aim to deliver better results and cost savings for clients more efficiently than traditional methods.
We use technology and a client-centric approach to not just fill positions, but strategically build teams that drive growth while preserving each company's unique culture. We work with clients like John Lewis Partnership and Bumble and operate via three key pillars: People, Process, and Technology, each tailored to the client's needs.
We also look holistically at the talent issue and address it directly whilst building attraction, retention, and awareness attributes around it to make it future-proof. Our goal is to revolutionise talent acquisition for the modern, fast-paced business world.
How has the business evolved since its launch?
I founded Chapter 2 in 2020 just before the pandemic - which really made me challenge and test the model. At this time, there was naturally a tech focus as many businesses were working out how to navigate the new business landscape. However, now that businesses are clearer about how they operate; office-based, hybrid, and fully remote teams, our business has broadened. We recruit in every role category and are completely industry-agnostic with clients in infrastructure, retail, energy, travel, technology, finance, and more.
Tell us about the working culture at Chapter 2.
Chapter 2’s workplace culture is characterised by innovation, collaboration, and determination - so I would like to think! I see it daily. We regularly get together as a global team to discuss the business, connect, and celebrate the wins and each other. We engage with our teams to ask the pertinent or difficult questions about work, balance, and personal development and find solutions.
Naturally, as an international business, we are diverse and inclusive, but all of our team members embody our values: passionate, relentless, honest, loyal, and results-driven. Essentially, Chapter 2 is made by our team members and we want them to be fulfilled and happy which in turn, drives the company’s overall success.
How are you funded?
Founding this business meant bootstrapping it. Profits have been invested back into the business and used to innovate our own products, proprietary tech and develop our model. We’ve been successful because of our amazing clients and our dedicated teams, learning evolving, and driving forward.
We recently also gained investment from Steven Bartlett, which will help accelerate our growth and technology development. For us it's not so much about the investment's monetary value, it's about the support this shows for our model, which we really believe in. Steven’s experience in scaling businesses and his network are invaluable assets as well. Steven was drawn to our approach of combining tech innovation with a deep understanding of client's needs, and his investment will allow us to expand our team and help more businesses find the right talent efficiently.
What has been your biggest challenge so far and how have you overcome this?
Every business faces challenges at some point and Chapter 2 is no different. I think our biggest hurdles so far have come from being an industry trailblazer. It was initially a challenge to demonstrate the benefit of our three pillars as it was so new to the market until Collinson took the chance on us.
We replaced a big established RPO agency within their business, and they really bought into not just the embedded talent, but our data intelligence and importantly our employer branding arm, all of which have resulted in a successful partnership, as since working with Chapter 2, Collinson have more than halved their annual talent acquisition spend.
How does Chapter 2 answer an unmet need?
Our model is geared at supporting in-house teams either with peaks in demand, or with attracting candidates through employer branding content, all underpinned by intelligence that enables clients to make data-led decisions.
We don't just fill vacancies, we want the right value and cultural fit to ensure a reduction in attrition, we want to create internal pride in existing teams encouraging them to be advocates. In short, we don't just treat one problem, we look holistically at the entire talent ecosystem.
What’s in store for the future?
We're really excited for the next stage in our evolution. We already have great clients and we're keen to get working with more. Steven's reputation and business network is of great interest to us, but for us, his investment and involvement cement our belief that our model works. We will continue to develop in all three pillars with the most imminent being the full release of The Book which is Chapter 2's proprietary platform that curates communities of talent for our clients.
What one piece of advice would you give other founders or future founders?
Never lose a client through a lack of innovation. This is a firm belief of mine. Learn and adapt, listen to your clients, look at what's happening around you, and innovate. Solve problems but keep looking forward not back.
And finally, a more personal question! What’s your daily routine and the rules you’re living by at the moment?
Chapter 2 is my baby, and I'm immensely proud of what we've achieved to date - but my family is what dominates my daily routine and I wouldn't have it any other way! I have set some personal goals for the year which include running the Chicago marathon in October, having a date night with my wife at least twice a month, and being a good dad; teaching them love. I hope that's the one I'm succeeding at the most.
Leo Harrison is the Founder and CEO of Chapter 2.
