5 Staffing Agency Success Stories [2024]
A staffing agency acts as the intermediary between employees and employers. The staffing agencies help match qualified employees with the right employers. With many growing businesses still cautious about increasing in-house talent, starting a staffing agency could be a profitable business opportunity.
The employer contacts a staffing agency and provides a detailed job description for the role they plan to fill. The staffing agency then creates the job on their website, or they might reach the qualified staff in their database, asking them to apply for the role. Candidates apply for the position, and the staffing agency schedules interviews to vet the potential candidates. The employer will make the final hiring decision.
Staffing agencies make money by charging job candidates or employers a markup fee.
To start a staffing agency, choose the right niche, know your startup costs, and get legally covered. Ensure you have all licenses and the permits and take out insurance.
In this list, you'll find real-world staffing agency success stories and very profitable examples of starting a staffing agency that makes money.
1. Lensa ($18M/year)
Gergo, the founder of Lensa, came up with the idea for his business after experiencing the broken hiring process firsthand. Through his previous successes in launching and selling various startups, he recognized the need for a technological solution to the career marketplace crisis. With a mission to help job seekers find their perfect career match using advanced AI technology, Lensa has seen impressive growth, with a 12% increase in revenue from the previous year and reaching a total of $22 million in revenue and 6 million new subscribers in 2022.
How much money it makes: $18M/year
How much did it cost to start: $350K
How many people on the team: 130
Hungarian founder Gergo created Lensa, an AI-powered job search platform that focuses on improving the hiring process and career marketplace, achieving a 12% increase in revenue from the previous year, reaching a total of 22 million in revenue and 6 million new subscribers in 2022.
2. Boldly ($3.84M/year)
Sandra Lewis, the founder and CEO of Boldly, came up with the idea for her business when she noticed a gap in the market for flexible, remote talent for businesses. After starting as a freelancer and receiving referrals from satisfied clients, Sandra assembled a team of professionals to meet the growing demand. By billing customers in advance on a subscription model, Boldly was able to establish long-term relationships with clients and build a strong foundation leading to their current success.
How much money it makes: $3.84M/year
How many people on the team: 120
Boldly, the subscription staffing company, has achieved $3 million in revenue through word-of-mouth referrals, and has grown to over 100 employees working across two continents, offering prized flex-time to military spouses, expats and experienced professionals focused on high quality remote work with corporations in a win-win environment.
3. CEI Staffing ($2.04M/year)
Eddie Edwards Jr., Founder and CEO of CEI Staffing, came up with the idea for his temporary staffing agency after gaining experience in various positions in the Broward County Sheriff's office. Starting as a home-based business with a revenue of $20,000 in its first year, CEI Staffing now generates over $2 million annually by providing employment solutions for local government and the private sector.
How much money it makes: $2.04M/year
How many people on the team: 68
Eddie Edwards Jr, CEO of CEI Staffing, grew his business from $20,000 in revenue to over $2 million per year using great customer service to stand out from the competition.
4. Devrize ($240K/year)
Jacob Fiore, the founder of a recruiting business called devrize, developed the idea for his business while working in the investment industry. He wanted to start a side hustle that aligned with his desire for endless financial gain, geographical flexibility, and control over his schedule. Recognizing the low barrier to entry in the talent acquisition industry, he started devrize as a contingent recruiter, focusing primarily on software engineering roles for venture capital-backed startups.
How much money it makes: $240K/year
How much did it cost to start: $400
How many people on the team: 2
A recruiting business founder shares how he found success by zeroing in on a specific niche (software engineering) and offering enticing referral bonuses ($8k for successful hires), resulting in 50% of placements coming from referrals and yielding $302,100 in revenue in Year 1.
5. iBranch Recruiters ($61.7K/year)
Tshepiso Leinane, the founder of iBranch Recruiters, came up with the idea for his business during his time in school. After participating in a regional ICT fair and winning awards for graphics design and programming, Tshepiso developed a passion for computer applications. Inspired by a call from BlackBerry to develop apps for their community, Tshepiso decided to create a mobile app that would help curb unemployment in Botswana. He conducted research and identified the need for offline capabilities and artificial intelligence to match job-seekers with employers. Tshepiso dropped out of school to pursue his idea, joined the Botswana Innovation Hub, and spent years coding and refining his platform. Through pre-launch events and pilot testing, iBranch Recruiters has gained over 90,000 users, helped 1,600 users get employed, and generated over $15,000 in sales. Despite challenges, Tshepiso's dedication to creating a user-centric app and building a strong product helped him overcome setbacks and achieve success.
How much money it makes: $61.7K/year
How much did it cost to start: $16K
How many people on the team: 5
A 24-year-old entrepreneur from Botswana founded iBranch Recruiters, which has already recorded over 90,000 users and has helped 1,600 users get employed since launching in 2020, using technology and artificial intelligence to connect graduates across Africa to employers globally.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
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