This week marks 16 years since I launched my own recruitment and executive search business, and we’re celebrating!
To be honest, I’m really proud of this milestone. Sixteen years of doing work that matters. Sixteen years of navigating the highs and lows, the successes and the setbacks, and always circling back to purpose: helping people and organisations thrive through meaningful recruitment.
The legacy started in aged care and now, at the 16 year mark, we venture into other similar sectors. We’re making a mark in community care, social impact and disabilities. But we don’t forget, and continue to be specialists in the aged care executive recruitment space.
I want to take a moment to thank all of my clients and candidates, past and present. You’ve trusted me, partnered with me, and helped shape this journey. I’ve loved it most of the time… and not so much at other times! But every step has taught me something.
I also want to thank many consultants and consultancies who have and continue to recommend my business to their own clients. To be entrusted with that is to me, an indication of trust in my brand to deliver an incredible executive to these consultancies clients. I am grateful for that.
Recruitment is so much more than matching people to jobs. It’s a dance of behavioural psychology, deep listening, influence, grit, and mutual respect. When done well, it moves people, careers, and whole organisations forward.
This business has given me so much, personally and professionally. I’ve built long-lasting relationships with exceptional people. I’ve laughed (a lot), grown in ways I never expected, and played a part in shifting the face of care, one leader at a time.
And behind the scenes? I’ve raised two incredible daughters (who were just 2 and 5 when I started this business). I’ve supported and developed amazing team members (some of whom have gone on to do great things elsewhere), and I’m so proud of the impact we continue to make across aged care, health, and community sectors. This week marks 16 years since I launched my own recruitment and executive search business, and we’re celebrating!
To mark the milestone, here are 16 lessons I’ve learned in 16 years of business:
- Work diligently on replenishing your cup. You can’t pour from an empty one.
- Every recruitment job has a lesson. Even the challenging ones, in fact it’s often the challenging assignments I’ve learned the most from.
- Meet your clients in the middle. Partnership trumps perfection. Whether it’s fee negotiation, salary negotiation, who does what and when, I always try and start as I want to finish. Negotiated fairly and this has always worked well for me and favourably for our clients and candidates.
- Strategic planning drives you forward. Don’t leave direction to chance. We have loved delivering on our three year strategic plan. Cleverly designed by an amazing person (you know who you are). It is like our keep and continues to grow and challenge me every day.
- Exercise and meditate every day. The mental game is everything.
- Maintain relationships with aged care consultants. The reputable ones are goldmines of wisdom and support.
- The right match takes time, but it’s worth it. Our average time to fill is 7 weeks, sometimes this blows out, dependant on where our client job is located. But you ‘only need one’ – the right one is worth waiting for.
- Control the process. Candidates and clients alike value structure. We have a first-class recruitment methodology and when that is controlled, and followed, data shows us we get success for our clients and candidates in terms of experience, respect, stickability and time to fill. Everyone has a positive experience.
- Make time for reflection, every day. Reflecting is a superpower. It transforms experiences into insight. It also helps me spark creativity and learn from mistakes (and wins).
- Stay open to innovation and learning. Curiosity fuels progress. Our brand personality is the savvy entrepreneur, we are curious, creative and visionary. Not afraid to push the boundaries to ensure a better candidate and client experience always.
- Strong relationships = repeat business. Nurture them.
- Getting a booth at a conference? Sometimes worth it. Often… not.
- Laughter is the best medicine for a business owner. Coffee is a close second.
- Build a team smarter than you. Especially in areas outside your zone of genius.
- Act with integrity—always. Even when others don’t. We never lie. We are ethical (don’t poach our placed candidates from our clients backyards, we don’t send unsolicited resumes to organisations when they haven’t asked for them and we don’t ‘grass cut’ other recruiters who clearly are working on a job exclusively). And we are honest. Should’ve mentioned that first.
- Your brand is your reputation. Invest time and care in it, consistently. For me, reputation continues to be everything. It drives me forward and I am passionate about brand reputation. Recruiters tend to have a bad name, and that’s not something I want for mine!
What’s Next?
I’m not done. Far from it.
There’s more work to do, more leaders to support, and more care organisations to partner with. As the sector evolves, so too must we.
And as I look ahead, I’d love to hear from you:
What’s one lesson you’ve learned in business or leadership that’s shaped your journey?
Let’s keep the conversation going. I’m always up for a chat, a coffee, or a collaborative idea to strengthen the future of care.
Here’s to the next chapter.
PJ
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