Chris Brown

Henry Harrison: Today, I want to welcome my good friend Chris Brown to the show. Chris is the founder of RJ Byrd Search Group. We met through Entrepreneurs’ Organization in Dallas—we were both past presidents—and became close friends there. Interestingly, we later realized we had crossed paths as kids. I grew up in Arlington, Virginia, and Chris spent time there as well. We even belonged to the same country club. Decades later, we reconnect in Dallas. It’s a small world. Chris, welcome. Chris Brown: How’s it going, Henry? It’s funny to think about—it’s been 45 years since we were running around Washington Golf & Country Club. Makes you feel a little older. Henry Harrison: That’s true. Most of my family was involved in government in one way or another. Your family had deep ties to Washington as well. Tell us about that. Chris Brown: I grew up around Washington, D.C. My grandfather was Congressman Jim Wright, who later became Speaker of the House. My mother worked as a lobbyist. Politics was part of everyday life. After college, I went back to D.C. from 1992 to 1995. I interned and worked in the House of Representatives. It was an incredible learning experience. But it didn’t take long to realize what I didn’t want to do long term. Henry Harrison: Your first role was interesting—you worked in the House helping manage business-side operations. Not exactly what people expect when they think of government. Chris Brown: It sounds like an oxymoron—government and business. But it taught me how to serve as a liaison between different groups, vendors, and decision-makers. That skill translated directly into recruiting later on. Henry Harrison: How did you move into staffing? Chris Brown: My wife and I decided to leave D.C. in 1995. We subscribed to newspapers in Tampa, Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, and Phoenix. We faxed resumes, lined up interviews during a trip to Dallas for a wedding, and both had job offers before we flew home. I started in a sales role with Pitney Bowes, selling office equipment. It was a commodity sale, but I learned how to sell features and benefits. A friend later told me, “You never meet a stranger. You know a lot of people. You should look at recruiting.” I gave it a shot. The fears most people had about calling executives didn’t bother me. I enjoyed the conversations. Instead of selling copiers, I was representing people and their capabilities. That’s harder—but far more meaningful. This is my 30th year in the business. Henry Harrison: You founded RJ Byrd Search Group in 2007. That’s a big leap. What led to that? Chris Brown: The firm I worked for was sold. The expansion didn’t include my division, which I had built from scratch—the technology recruiting division. So I started my own company. It was exciting and difficult. When your income, compliance, and reputation depend on you, it’s different. We launched in 2007 and immediately hit the 2008–2009 financial crisis. We were small—four or five people—so we limped through it. But from Labor Day 2009 until about 18 months ago, we benefited from one of the strongest employment markets in history, especially here in DFW. Henry Harrison: On your website, you emphasize quality over quantity. Was that intentional from the start? Chris Brown: Absolutely. We didn’t want to be everything to everybody. We focused on small to mid-sized companies and dealt directly with decision-makers—CEOs, CHROs, CFOs. We positioned ourselves in a compensation segment that big retained firms didn’t want to touch—$100,000 to $250,000 roles. We told clients: you’ll get the service and delivery of a retained firm, with the speed and flexibility of a local recruiting firm. That was different in 2007. And we were disciplined about trust. One bad placement can damage a reputation instantly. Henry Harrison: What advice would you give a company hiring, or an executive looking for a role? Chris Brown: First, companies should define success clearly. Fast-forward 12 months. What has this person accomplished? What would “blown the doors off” performance look like? Most recruiters match acronyms and resumes. The real work is understanding cultural fit and competencies. For candidates, pay attention to how you’re being represented. Are you being sold something? Or is the recruiter asking thoughtful, detailed questions? Trust matters on both sides. Henry Harrison: Technology has changed recruiting. What’s had the biggest impact? Chris Brown: Every new technology—job boards, crawlers, now AI—has been predicted to eliminate recruiting firms. It never happens. AI can identify people. It cannot build trust or influence decisions. Leadership is the ability to influence. At the end of the day, hiring is about conversations. Technology supports the process. It doesn’t close deals. Henry Harrison: You’ve also served on advisory boards, including Catapult Partners and Texas Air Composites. What drew you to board work? Chris Brown: I enjoy sitting around the table with smart, successful people. I love winning—but winning isn’t always revenue. Sometimes it’s culture, tenure, or a successful acquisition. I also believe in paying it forward. When you connect people and they succeed, it comes back over time. Serving during an acquisition at Texas Air Composites was fascinating. Seeing how deals are structured behind the scenes is invaluable for any entrepreneur. Henry Harrison: When you were younger, did you imagine running your own company for nearly two decades? Chris Brown: I always thought about building better systems. As a kid, I had a paper route at 5 a.m., six days a week, while maintaining a 4.0 GPA and playing sports. That discipline stuck with me. Later I worked construction on the East Coast. Hard work, heat, humidity—it builds resilience. Henry Harrison: You’ve also climbed Everest Base Camp, Aconcagua, and Kilimanjaro. What does mountaineering teach you about business? Chris Brown: Training for survival is different than training to look good. On a mountain, you can’t control avalanches or weather. You manage risk, discipline, and mental dialogue. The hardest part isn’t physical. It’s the conversation in your head when you’re exhausted and looking at the summit. Entrepreneurs face the same thing. If you can manage that internal dialogue, you can accomplish more than you think. Henry Harrison: That’s a great note to end on. Chris, thanks for coming on. I look forward to getting our families together soon. Chris Brown: Thanks, Henry. It’s been a pleasure. Onward and upward.