Women in Leadership NZ: Building Recruitment Excellence – Story 5

Bridgette’s Story of Quiet Excellence: Building an Award-Winning Recruitment Business by Design

Bridgette’s leadership story shows how quiet excellence, intentional decision-making, and Freedom by Design can build an award-winning recruitment business without burnout. As co-founder of Recruitment Studio, she demonstrates how women in leadership can scale with clarity, confidence, and resilience – leading people and performance by design, not default.

Some leadership stories are loud. Others are built slowly, deliberately, and with extraordinary integrity.

This is the story of Bridgette – co-founder of Recruitment Studio – and one of the most formidable women leaders I’ve had the privilege of working alongside for more than two decades.

From Exceptional Operator to Intentional Business Owner

When Brid first sought strategic and coaching support, it wasn’t because recruitment was the problem. She is exceptional at it. The challenge was growth.

As Recruitment Studio matured, the business became more complex than the skillset that had launched it. Brid was navigating:

• A shift from operator to owner
• Partnership dynamics
• Leadership decisions with real consequences
• Long-term business strategy – under pressure

Then Covid hit. Overnight.

“I recognised I needed an experienced external perspective – someone who understood recruitment, partnerships, and the emotional reality of running a business, but who could also challenge my thinking and help me move from reactive to intentional.”

That moment of self-awareness is where real leadership begins.

Designing Leadership (Instead of Carrying It)

Since then, the most profound change hasn’t been scale – it’s been deliberateness.

Brid no longer leads through urgency or instinct alone. She now operates with:

• Clear decision frameworks
• Stronger boundaries
• Confidence without second-guessing
• A business rhythm that doesn’t rely on her being in everything

The result?

Recruitment Studio is now:
✔ More resilient
✔ More focused
✔ Less founder-dependent
✔ Better for the team — and her sanity

This shift mirrors what global research consistently shows: sustainable leadership performance comes from structure and clarity, not heroic effort (Harvard Business Review; McKinsey & Company).

Growth Without Losing the Soul

Importantly, Brid and her co-founder and partner, Jo, made a conscious decision not to pursue scale for its own sake.

They kept the business:

• Small
• Niche
• Relationship-led
• Obsessed with quality and candidate experience

And the industry noticed.

Recruitment Studio Awards & Recognition

• 🏆 Winner – Outstanding Progress in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (SEEK Awards 2023)
• 🏆 Winner – Small Recruitment Agency of the Year (SEEK Awards 2025)
• 🏆 Winner – Recruitment, Consulting & Staffing Association Awards (2024)
• 🏅 Finalist – SEEK Awards (2023, 2024)
• 🏅 Finalist – Excellence in Candidate Experience (SEEK Awards 2023)

These aren’t accidental wins. They’re the compound effect of values-led leadership, clear decision-making, and consistency over time.

Leading for Scale Means Letting Go

One of Brid’s biggest leadership insights?

“Growth isn’t about doing more – it’s about doing less, better, and letting go sooner than feels comfortable.”

That shift – from being the safety net to building capability and accountability – is what allowed her team to step up with confidence and ownership.

The business has matured not through headcount, but through:

• Role clarity
• Shared accountability
• Trust
• Capability

Which is exactly how high-performing, future-ready organisations are built.

What Freedom by Design Means Now

For Brid, Freedom by Design isn’t about stepping away – it’s about how she shows up.

It means:

• Calm confidence in direction
• Alignment with the clients and work that matter
• A business that supports life, long term

This aligns with McKinsey research on women leaders who design sustainable leadership models rather than defaulting to over-functioning or burnout patterns.

Advice for Women Leading High-Growth Businesses

Brid’s advice is refreshingly honest:

• Don’t wait until you feel “ready” – growth is messy
• Get support early and unapologetically
• Protect your energy
• Trust others – you don’t have to carry everything

This is leadership without martyrdom, and it works.

Why This Story Matters

Brid’s story is proof that:

• You don’t need to be loud to be powerful
• You don’t need to be big to be brilliant
• You do need clarity, courage, and design

If you want to see what award-winning, values-led recruitment looks like in practice, explore their work here:👉 https://www.recruitmentstudio.co.nz

This is the fifth story in our series on women in leadership – have you ready the stories of Shelley, Deane, Christina and Lou?  What resonates with you?