Freelance, your own agency or a platform: which route suits you?
If you want to go independent, you usually see two options: start alone or set up your own agency. There’s a third. I’ve seen all three up close, and none of them is the best for everyone.
Gauthier · 16 October 2026 · 5 min read
Most recruiters who knock on my door have actually already made the decision: they want to work for themselves. The only question is how. Do you become a freelance recruiter, completely on your own? Do you build your own agency with a team? Or do you choose something in between?
Over ten years, Vince and I built Greystone into an agency with offices in Antwerp, Ghent, Brussels and Amsterdam. Along the way, we saw recruiters start out on their own, and we launched Shortlist because a route was missing. Below, I set them side by side, honestly.
Route 1: freelance, all on your own
You set up your BV (private limited company), call your first clients and you’re off. Everything you bill comes into your own BV, and you decide everything yourself: who you work with, when and how.
That’s the great strength of this route, and its flip side too. Because it all falls on you as well. You bring in your own clients, send your own invoices and chase them until they’re paid. You choose and pay for your own tools, even in the months when nothing comes in. If a client realises they can work around you, you’re on your own. And who’s going to spar with you when a deal gets stuck?
Who does it work for? For the recruiter with a full database and loyal clients who won’t drop them, who also likes doing their own admin. If you know someone like that, you also know there aren’t many of them.
Route 2: your own agency with staff
You rent an office, hire recruiters and build a brand. You don’t just earn on what you bill yourself, but also on your team’s work. That’s the route Vince and I took with Greystone, and it can pay off handsomely.
But let’s not be naive about it: it’s a completely different job. You become a manager, trainer and entrepreneur all at once. You bill less yourself, because your time goes into hiring, coaching and keeping the agency running. You pay salaries and rent every month, even when your team has a bad month. And a bad hire costs you more than you think. Count on a few years before it’s really up and running.
Who does it work for? For those who’d rather build than bill, and for whom leading isn’t a burden but a driving force. If you want to take that path without starting from scratch, Greystone Partners is the better way.
Route 3: a platform like Shortlist
The third route sits in between. You work as an independent through your own BV, with your own clients and your own diary. But you’re not on your own: you work on a sales floor among other seniors, with the tools and a back office that handles everything but the calls. We send the invoices, track down backdoors and sit beside you when a client gets difficult.
That comes at a price: you give up part of your margin. How much depends on what you bill, because it’s calculated per bracket, and the more you bill, the smaller the share you give up. You’ll find what you get in return in Why work with Shortlist?
Who does it work for? For experienced recruiters who want to be independent, but not alone. Who want to bill instead of doing admin, and who don’t want to miss the energy of a floor.
Side by side
| Freelance, alone | Own agency | Platform like Shortlist | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you keep | Everything, minus your own costs | Your own billing plus the margin on your team, minus all costs | Part of your billing, with no fixed costs |
| Your risk | All on you | The biggest: salaries and rent never stop | Small: no fixed costs |
| Your freedom | Complete | Plenty, but your team needs your time | Plenty: no manager and no targets |
| Who backs you | No one, unless you buy it in | Your own team | A floor, mentoring and a back office |
| Who it’s for | Recruiters with their own network who want to do everything themselves | Builders who want to lead | Experienced recruiters who want to bill, not do admin |
How do you choose?
Three questions to help you decide:
- Do you want to bill or build? If you want to stay on the phone yourself, routes 1 and 3 fit best. If you want to lead a team, route 2 is yours.
- How much of the job do you want to shoulder yourself? If you also want to handle the invoices, the tools and the disputes yourself, you can go it alone. If you’d rather spend your time billing, then don’t.
- How much risk can you take? An agency has the highest fixed costs, a platform the lowest.
If you’re still wondering whether you’re ready at all, start by reading When is the right time to go independent?
Frequently asked questions
Can you switch routes later?
Yes. You can start through a platform and carry on alone later, or go the other way and build a team. Your BV stays yours, whatever you choose.
How much do you keep with each route?
That depends on too much to capture in one number: your billing, your costs and your team. You can work out in a minute what you’d keep through Shortlist with the calculator. How it gets from billing to your bank account is explained in How much does an independent recruiter earn?
Do you need your own BV?
For routes 1 and 3, you work through your own BV. For an agency with staff, you need a company anyway.
You’ll find all the steps in one place in our guide Becoming an independent recruiter in Belgium.
Curious which route suits you? Have a chat with me about it via Join us.