Today we’d like to introduce you to Lina Restrepo.
Hi Lina , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My journey into entrepreneurship began long before I opened my agency. I spent almost nine years working in private wealth management at Merrill Lynch, Safra, and EFG Capital. During that time, I worked with recruiters whenever I considered switching roles, and the recruitment world always intrigued me — I loved the idea of connecting people to opportunities that could change their lives.
When my temporary contract at EFG was coming to an end due to a company-wide layoff, I found myself at a crossroads. Instead of fearing the uncertainty, I reached out to a well-known recruiter in the industry and asked her to mentor me. I told her I wanted to change careers, become self-employed, and build something of my own. That leap of faith was one of the defining moments of my life.
I spent six months under her mentorship, learning everything (sourcing, interviews, client relations, negotiations, the day-to-day details that make this industry both challenging and rewarding). At the end of those six months, she gave me a choice: stay under her company or take the risk and launch my own agency. I chose the risk. In January 2019, at just 25 years old, I opened my own recruitment firm.
Looking back now, seven years later, it has been a beautiful journey of growth, resilience, and self-discovery. Those early days were emotional — full of fear, confusion, and many tears — but I pushed through every obstacle. Then the pandemic hit, and like many business owners, I feared my agency wouldn’t survive. Instead of stepping back, I became extremely active on LinkedIn, sharing content, showing up consistently, and building a recognizable presence.
Today, I am deeply grateful to the 25-year-old Lina who didn’t give up. I built a business that allows me to live life on my terms: I make my own schedule, I work remotely, and I have the freedom to be a present daughter, sister, aunt, and girlfriend — and one day, a present mom. That balance has always been my dream, and I’ve worked hard to build a company that gives me that.
In 2015, I read a quote that became my guide:
“Ten years from now, make sure you can say you chose your life — you didn’t settle for it.”
As we enter 2026, I can say wholeheartedly that I did not settle. I chose this life. I built it. And my hope is to continue growing my agency, expanding my team, and helping more companies and candidates find the right match — just as I found the path meant for me.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Definitely not — and I don’t think any entrepreneur can honestly say their journey has been perfectly smooth. In the early days, the emotional challenges were very real. As a new recruiter, I put so much pressure on myself to be perfect because every candidate I presented was a reflection of me and my business.
Like many recruiters, I quickly learned that not everything goes according to plan. I experienced the classic situations every recruiter eventually faces: candidates canceling last minute, “car troubles,” surprise illnesses, pink eyes that appeared the morning of the interview, or sudden family emergencies — sometimes a little too sudden. Whether those reasons were true or not, it was hard because I was just starting out and wanted every single step to go right.
Over time, I learned one of the biggest lessons in recruitment: if things feel chaotic at the beginning of the process, it’s usually a sign the candidate is not the right fit. I learned to trust my intuition, set boundaries, and confidently stop the process when red flags appeared.
I was also fortunate to work with amazing clients who understood that last-minute cancellations are not a reflection of me or my work — they’re a reflection of the candidate. That support helped me grow thicker skin, stay focused, and refine my process.
Those challenges taught me resilience, patience, and the importance of emotional detachment from situations I cannot control. And honestly, they shaped me into the strong recruiter and business owner I am today.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Infinity Personnel is a boutique recruitment agency I founded in 2019 with the mission of bringing a more human, personalized, and relationship-driven approach to hiring. After spending nearly a decade in private wealth management and experiencing recruitment from the candidate’s side, I knew there was a better way to connect companies with great talent — one built on communication, intuition, trust, and genuine care for people. That philosophy still guides everything we do today.
We specialize in full-cycle recruiting across multiple industries, including private wealth management, finance, accounting, healthcare, operations, sales, marketing, field services, and leadership roles. Over the last seven years, we’ve helped companies of all sizes — from startups to well-established corporations — find top talent while also helping job seekers secure opportunities that truly fit their goals and lifestyle.
What sets Infinity Personnel apart is our hands-on, high-touch approach. We don’t believe in transactional recruiting or sending random resumes to hit quotas. Every candidate we present is carefully evaluated not only for skills and experience, but also for attitude, professionalism, and long-term fit. Clients trust us because we represent their brand as if it were our own — and candidates trust us because we treat them with honesty, transparency, and respect.
I am most proud of the reputation we’ve built solely through results, referrals, and relationships. Infinity Personnel didn’t grow because of advertising — it grew because clients kept coming back. They know we’re dependable, responsive, and committed to their success. And they know that when we work on a role, we are all in.
Brand-wise, Infinity Personnel stands for three things: Integrity. Intuition. Impact.
We don’t take on every search. We take on the right searches — the ones where we know we can deliver exceptional talent and measurable value. And we don’t match candidates to jobs; we match people to opportunities where they can thrive.
What I want readers to know is that Infinity Personnel is more than a recruitment agency — it’s a partner. A partner that cares about culture, retention, growth, and long-term success. A partner that understands how hard hiring can be and makes the process smoother, more efficient, and more human.
Seven years later, I still wake up grateful that I get to do this work. I built a company that gives me freedom, fulfillment, and purpose — and I get to help others change their lives through new opportunities. That’s what Infinity Personnel is all about.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I truly believe no entrepreneur succeeds alone, and I’m incredibly grateful for the people who have walked beside me throughout this journey. My family has been one of my greatest blessings—they supported me emotionally, encouraged me when I doubted myself, and reminded me that I was capable of building something meaningful, even when the path felt uncertain. Their belief in me gave me the confidence to keep going.
I also owe so much to the recruiter colleague who agreed to mentor me when I decided to switch careers. She opened the doors to this industry for me and generously shared her knowledge, her processes, and the realities of what recruitment really is. Another key person in my story is Cindy, the tutor who trained me for two weeks straight—even on weekends. I’ll never forget her telling me at the end of the training, “You’re a natural at this. It’s like you were born to be a recruiter.” Hearing that during such an early stage of my career made a huge impact on my confidence and my belief that I had found my true calling.
I’m also deeply grateful for my boyfriend, who celebrates every milestone with me—every placement, every month I hit my goals, every time I surprise myself with a new achievement. His support has made the hard days easier and the victories even sweeter.
And of course, I wouldn’t be here without my clients. Many of them have been with me for years, continually referring me to new clients and trusting me with more placements. They’ve kept me busy, growing, and in business—even when I’m working from the other side of the world “on vacation.” Because the truth is, a recruiter works 24/7, 365 days a year—and I wouldn’t change it. Their loyalty and confidence in my work have been one of the biggest drivers of Infinity Personnel’s success.
Every part of my story is connected to someone who believed in me, guided me, pushed me, or trusted me. I’m proud of the business I built, but I’m even more grateful for the people who helped me become the woman and entrepreneur I am today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://infinity-personnel.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/infinitypersonnel/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Infinitypersonnelmiami
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/infinitypersonnel/
Image Credits
Nini Photography
