How to Build a $5.5M Recruitment Business Almost Entirely Through Referrals

The Resilient Recruiter

How do you build an endless stream of referrals to sustain your recruitment business—especially during an economic downturn?

Brandon Glyck’s answer: relentless follow-ups. But not in the way you might expect. It’s not about hounding clients—it’s about staying top-of-mind with consistency, care, and value.

Brandon is the CEO of Quantum Search Partners in Virginia, where he leads a high-performing team of tech and executive recruiters. The firm has been recognized on the Inc. 500 list three years in a row (2021–2023) and was twice named a Washington Business Journal Best Place to Work (2023, 2024).

In this episode, Brandon shares the mindset, systems, and long-game strategy that helped him and his team build a $5.5M firm primarily through referrals, plus how they weathered both the 2008 recession and the 2023 tech downturn by doubling down on outbound business development.

🎯 Episode Highlights:

[03:15] Brandon’s start in recruiting at age 18

[11:24] How they adapted to the 2008 recession

[15:24] Building a $5.5M referral-based business through follow-ups

[33:12] “Those who appear hungry will starve” – Brandon’s unique approach

[37:46] Navigating the 2023 tech downturn with outbound BD

[44:02] Tech stacks, automation, and where to personalize

[53:48] What the next 18 years look like for Quantum

[56:49] Building a culture rooted in shared vision and values

[1:01:30] Why he leans into retained and executive search

Referrals Through Follow-Up, Not Force

Brandon’s version of follow-up is rooted in genuine care and consistency, not pressure. He explains how his team uses multiple touchpoints (calls, texts, emails), segmented lists, and value-first outreach (like resume reviews) to stay top-of-mind without being pushy.

His “relentless follow-up” strategy is:

Consistent, not intense

Relationship-first, not transactional

Built on goodwill, not just sales goals

Long-term oriented—some referrals take years

Resilience in 2008 and 2023

Brandon shares how he started his career making cold calls from a printed directory—and how that hustle helped them survive after losing their biggest client during the 2008 financial crisis. That same mindset carried through to 2023, when the tech market slowed and they had to retool their outbound strategy.

Key tactics included:

Diversifying verticals

Testing multiple BD methods

Focusing on personalization over automation

Creating a repeatable, scalable BD process

Age Is Not a Differentiator

Brandon made his first placement at age 18 while still in school. Inspired by his father, he learned by doing and developed a mindset that age is not a limiting factor—confidence, curiosity, and consistency are.

His early success was built on:

A humble willingness to learn

Confidence from observing real recruiters in action

Treating everyone—from CEO to janitor—with equal respect

About Brandon Glyck

Brandon is CEO of Quantum Search Partners and a passionate, competitive leader in executive and tech search. He’s a former Princeton football player with a psychology degree, and outside of work enjoys fitness, travel, and start-up investing.

People & Tools Mentioned:
Charlie Saffro | Brent Orsuga | Jeremy Jenson
Crelate | Dripify

Related Episodes You’ll Enjoy:
TRR#228 – The 4 Talent Magnets That Drive Recruiter Retention
TRR#218 – Grit and Growth in a $2M Firm
TRR#217 – Scaling to $12M with Lead Generation

Connect with Brandon:
LinkedIn | Quantum Search Partners

Connect with Mark Whitby:
Free Strategy Call | LinkedIn | Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach

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