Season 9 | Ep4 Ricky Burns: How to build £1.1M profit in year one (after losing it all at 32)

Episode notes

Ricky Burns: How to build £1.1M profit in year one (after losing it all at 32) Ricky Burns made incredible money at 28 Then he drank it all away. Partied it into oblivion and got hit with a massive VAT bill he couldn't pay. Most people never recover from that kind of failure, but at 32, he decided to shut the business down and start again. He went back into employment for 11 years. Ran European divisions. Watched. Learned. Took notes on what actually works. Then in September 2024 he launched Pulse Group with his co-founder Tony. 12 months later: £1.4M in fees £1.1M in EBITDA (profit) I don't know anyone who's achieved these numbers in year one. This week on The RAG Podcast, Ricky breaks it all down. We cover: How they hit £1.1M profit in 12 months (it's simpler than you think) What killed his first business (beyond the partying) The 10 years of lessons that made the comeback inevitable Why he paired recruitment with SOW consultancy The systems and client focus driving 83% margins How AI is making them more efficient without adding headcount Why work-life balance is now non-negotiable This isn't your typical "I scaled fast" story.

• Season 9 | Ep35 Oliver Paull: £800K in 3 Years, Solo, From a London Flat79 / 100
• Season 9 | Ep34 Mathew Gollop: 7 to 85 People, a Near Collapse, and the Free Idea That Paid Him Back79 / 100
• Season 9 | Ep33 Greg Fischer: $4.2M Revenue, $1.4M Net - Then He Left With Nothing but a Handshake72 / 100
• Season 9 | Ep32 Paul Strouts: When Growing Headcount Is a Strategy and When It Is Just a Cost
• Season 9 | Ep31 Nathan O'Connell: Building a £1M R2R business on 4 x Retained Clients