Here, former Datto and Pax8 VP James Bergl discusses his transformation from recruiter skeptic to recruitment professional. Frustrated by persistent recruitment challenges during his time as a SaaS sales leader, he decided to dive into the industry himself, determined to reshape it from the inside.
If only our sales team were as quick at calling leads as recruiters are at phoning the hiring manager soon after a job advert goes live!
“I’ve got someone that would be perfect for the role.”
“I have just been helping your competitor build their sales team—I can help you too.”
“I noticed you’re hiring—we specialize in those types of roles.”
We’ve heard them all, and then some.
And then there comes the time when you desperately need that role filled—the one that’s been open for three excruciating months. You succumb to the insistent recruiter with their rubbing hands and wry smile, the one you need to remortgage your house to afford!
Once you agree on a “discounted” rate of 21%, they spend the next week bombarding you with candidates so mismatched, you wouldn’t wish them on your worst enemy. After a few weeks of mediocre interviews, evenings spent sipping Merlot, you toss a coin to decide your fate—will it be Dave, or Sarah you extend an offer to?
Of course, I’ve sprinkled some creative licensing here. And indeed, the reality may be far from this narrative for some. For instance, I worked with Gillian from Pulse when I was building Datto, and we were in perfect sync. Gillian’s hit rate was about 7 hires from 9 candidates put through. She understood, or 'got', our ideal candidate profile and she delivered - and I truly trusted her when she said ‘You’ll like Lauren, she’s perfect for your culture”.
But, as often is the case, it is hit and miss. And the misses? They are painful and expensive—and they are the reason we dodge outsourcing to recruiters for as long as we possibly can. They’re a key reason that recruiters get such a bad wrap.
They’re a necessary evil. You can’t grow or scale a business quickly without help. Sure, you can get some part-time assistance. You work with them because you have to, not because you want to. If they throw enough CVs at you, surely one will stick, right?
And what about the candidate side? They promise you the world, tell you they will phone you right back and you’re in with a chance.
They’re your best friend through the process until you get that dreaded call, or email, or LinkedIn message. “They really liked you, but they thought you lacked experience in... [enter anything].” And then… vamoosh. They’re gone like a bat into the night, off to find someone else that can be of more value to them.
So…you can imagine my reaction when I had that Google Meet call with my former colleague from N-able 10+ years ago, Machiel, late one evening, who asked, “Would you be interested in setting up Bluebird Recruitment in Australia?” It was a slight cough, a splutter, and a polite British reply: “I’m humbled and honoured, but I think I’ll decline!”
The months passed by, and my appetite for entrepreneurship was growing. I threw ideas back and forth - some were amazing - and some were terrible! The worry of ‘will this be a success?’ often eats you away until you’re malnourished mind brands the idea as silly…
The months ticked by, and my simmering appetite for entrepreneurship hit boiling point at the same time as my decision to exit the corporate world.
As the ideas ricocheted in my mind, I carved out a simple yet robust framework to evaluate each budding entrepreneurial concept.
Having been virtually nudged by Machiel, I put the idea of setting up a recruiting business through this model, and here were the outcomes:
Internal Reflection
What am I good at? Building high-performing sales teams. Over the years, I’ve hired and built many high performance GTM teams. And I love it!
What do I enjoy? I’m a builder at heart and start-up/scale-up businesses are where my passion lies. I also love to have fun, disrupt, build and leave a legacy to look back upon.
Identifying the Gap
What is broken? SaaS Sales Recruitment, especially in high-growth sectors, is fundamentally flawed. The industry is marred by poor service and a breach of trust, often leaving both companies and candidates disillusioned.
Why is it broken? The low barrier to entry in the recruitment industry means it’s teeming with individuals who can talk a good game but lack the real-world experience necessary to deliver a quality experience and outcome. This discrepancy results in a mismatch of expectations and realities.
What would solve it? A service grounded in trust, delivering not just placements, but quality service, strategic advice, actionable coaching and a business model that puts doing what’s right above what’s profitable. For SaaS startups and scale-up companies, the edge lies in partnering with someone who understands their unique challenges—someone who’s been in the same trenches over the years.
Market Viability
Can I deliver it? Absolutely. Having been integral in talent identification and team building for over a decade, I back myself in the nuances that set a merely good candidate apart from a great one and both the quantitative and qualitative approach to interviewing and onboarding top talent.
Will people pay for it? Undoubtedly. In a market crying out for quality, companies are more than willing to invest in a service that offers not just recruitment but a strategic advantage. At the end of the day it’s unrealistic that you can build a business by yourself - and if you have to choose a strategic partner, you will choose one that delivers the highest value.
An industry friend, Moheb, once passed on some advice he was given: Is there a gap in the market and a market in the gap? I hope you can see that both of these questions respond with a resounding ‘yes’...and that is why I have set-up a recruitment firm - to build a business that delivers incomparable value.
Today, we’re working with many MSP vendors that want to launch into APAC with either full time or fractional sales teams. We have trodden the path, fought the battles, have the war wounds and can accelerate MSP revenue growth, fast!
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