Most recruitment leaders assume entering the US market starts with opening an office. For Jamie Fraser and InterEx Group, that wasn’t the case.
Before relocating to Miami, the business spent almost a year building US clients, generating contract revenue and establishing a strong foothold in the market from the UK, a common and practical strategy we have coined as Recruit From Afar™. The physical move came later, once the foundations had already been built.
In this interview, Jamie discusses the ambitions behind InterEx’s growth, the realities of building a US recruitment business from the UK and the point at which opening an office became the logical next step.
Key Takeaways from InterEx’s US Expansion
- Build relationships before opening an office.
- Generate revenue and validate demand before relocating.
- Adapt to US time zones and ways of working.
- Develop repeatable processes that can scale internationally.
- Open an office when it helps accelerate growth, not before.
Jamie, what were your ambitions when founding the business at age 23?
“My ultimate goal was to be the best in the market”
Before launching InterEx, Jamie worked for a global recruitment business where he experienced rapid growth and significant success early in his career. However, he felt there was a lack of recognition and opportunity, which ultimately drove him to start his own business. His ambition became the foundation of InterEx’s growth strategy. Since launching in 2016, the company has grown rapidly, specialising in cloud, data, Microsoft and security recruitment.
Why did you decide to enter the US market?
“I want a big company. I want to increase our headcount and I want more people involved in the business. I want our brand presence to be bigger, and to earn more money. I want to scale quicker. Simply put, in my opinion, the US is the only market you can do that in.”
Many recruitment leaders we speak to share similar ambitions when considering international expansion. The US remains the world’s largest staffing market and offers significant opportunities for recruitment businesses looking to increase revenue, expand headcount and grow their market presence.
What was the biggest challenge of starting a US business from the UK?
Time zone
“The challenge was the time zone difference and getting people to commit to hours.”
For Jamie, the biggest challenge wasn’t winning clients. It was managing the operational realities of servicing the US market from the UK.
InterEx’s UK-based team worked late into the evening to support US clients and candidates, requiring flexibility, commitment and operational discipline.
“I was fortunate to have a very committed and hardworking team that worked from the UK. My team sometimes didn’t finish until the early hours of the morning. This wasn’t enforced, but operating in the US market from the UK required us to adapt our working hours significantly.“
How did you approach carrying out business development remotely from the UK?
“I don’t think you need to meet a client face-to-face to grow the relationship.”
Despite operating remotely, InterEx built relationships with some of the world’s largest organisations using calls, virtual meetings and consistent business development activity. While face-to-face engagement plays a role, Jamie believes recruitment businesses can achieve significant success by leveraging the right processes and technologies.
“This job can be done at a high level with tools such as Teams, by having the right conversations and by doing the right cold calling. That’s what my team are trained on; how to grow a desk quickly and effectively.”
What instigated the need for a physical presence in the US?
“Doing business from the UK offered us a solid foundation.”
InterEx had already spent close to a year building a contract book in the US before Jamie relocated. The business was winning clients, generating revenue and building momentum from the UK.
“We built up a good contract book, but I felt we weren’t able to reach our full potential.”
Opening an office wasn’t about proving there was demand in the US. The move to Miami was about getting closer to the market, growing faster and building on the foundations that had already been established. For recruitment businesses considering international expansion, it’s a reminder that opening an office doesn’t have to be the first step. InterEx spent nearly a year building relationships and winning business before making the decision to relocate.
Why did you choose Miami to set up your business?
“There was no recognised staffing business in Miami dominating the market.”
My goal for InterEx was to become the number one staffing company in Miami. This was where we wanted to make the biggest impact before expanding into other locations.
What were the challenges of moving to Miami?
“We had our difficulties at the start but now I’m loving it”
When Jamie moved to Miami, he found the initial setup difficult in terms of sorting out issues like housing, Social Security numbers and banking.
“My advice to anyone moving to the US is to understand both the personal and business requirements before you relocate. It’s not quick and it’s important to know what you’re doing before you arrive.”
Did you grow through the expatriation of UK staff or employment of US nationals?
“I am a big believer of the UK recruitment culture. I brought over five UK consultants to Miami. I also hired a US consultant and brought him to London so he could understand our culture and processes.”
Throughout the interview, Jamie repeatedly comes back to culture, process and standards. Bringing people together in London gave new hires the opportunity to see first-hand how InterEx operated before helping build the next chapter of the business in Miami.
“I believe many of the strengths of UK recruitment can translate successfully into the US market and that’s something we’ve worked hard to maintain as we have grown.”
Thinking about expanding into the US?
For InterEx Group, a US office wasn't the starting point; it was the next step to scale the business. Before relocating, the business spent almost a year building relationships, generating revenue and proving the opportunity from the UK. Once that foundation was in place, opening an office became a natural progression rather than a leap into the unknown.
If you're considering entering the US market, start by understanding whether your agency is commercially and operationally ready. Book a call with one of our expansion consultants to understand how you can get started in the US from your home office using our Recruit From Afar™ method.
Disclaimer: Workwell Global does not endorse any personal views or opinions expressed by the interviewee. All information is provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, tax, immigration or professional advice. Independent advice should always be sought based on your specific circumstances.