2 years of Exceda

Founded in the midst of the pandemic, it’s safe to say that the Exceda Ltd journey has been a rollercoaster. 

For much of the last two years, I’ve been a solopreneur and if I’m honest, it’s been pretty relentless. Exceda has grown so rapidly that it’s felt like my feet haven’t touched the ground. 

I wanted to take this opportunity, two years in, to give an honest review of Exceda’s journey. It’s been successful, don’t get me wrong, but it’s also been exhausting. So here are the lessons I’ve learnt in the last 12 months. 

Slow down 

This year has not been without challenges. Personally, 2022 was a really tough year, there’s been a lot going on outside of building a new business. Until December, I hadn’t taken a week off since January 2021. As soon as I had a week off, I realised what a mistake I’d made. 

For the first 18 months of operations I was on my own, so when I stopped, so did Exceda. However, rest is so important when it comes to leading a new business. Without rest, I was burnt out and exhausted. I wasn’t able to put my head over the parapet and see everything that we have achieved in the last two years. 

If there’s one piece of advice I can give to someone in the same position, make sure you rest, schedule time off, and enjoy it.

Reflect 

After being go, go, go for so long it’s only recently that I’ve been able to reflect on the last 12 months and how much we have achieved. 

Firstly, I’ve realised that I’ve had a whole team of supporters around me these last two years. I’ve worked with the fantastic Trudy Avery on design, the lovely Emma Spradbury on HR and our values, the ever-wonderful Alice Hargreaves on all things marketing and business development, and the inspirational leader Carl Elsby as my mentor. I’ve also had the support of friends, family, my partner, and of course all of Exceda’s fantastic clients and candidates. 

Our clients and candidates make Exceda who we are. They share our ethos for creating long-lasting connections. Our candidates are looking for the right role, and our clients are looking to support their employees long-term. 

Celebrate 

It’s a little-known fact that Exceda and I share a birthday. Therefore, the 14 January, is a double cause for celebration. 

First things first, it wouldn’t be a review of the last year without celebrating the arrival of Niki Scruton. In September, Niki became our first full-time employee and Exceda’s Recruitment Partner. Niki took a leap of faith, leaving behind the world of sales to join a recruitment company, and I could not be more grateful. It’s hard to believe that she’s been with us for just 4 months. In that time, she’s sourced countless candidates, placed numerous roles, and met so many of our clients. We’ve also grown so close as friends, and I value her contributions to Exceda and her support immensely. 

This is also the year that Exceda smashed the VAT threshold, I said we’ve been busy! Bringing a startup to that stage is no easy task, and it’s something that would have been impossible without all of Exceda’s supporters. So thank you. 

We’ve also made sure that we’ve created lots of resources for businesses. We recognise that these last few years have created a job market that is unlike any of us have experienced before. Not every business has the opportunity to use a specialist recruiter internally or externally, which is why we created our free-to-download, Exceda Guides. They cover everything from creating a job specification to managing a remote and hybrid team. Our goal is to support businesses throughout their recruitment process and employee lifecycle, to create a happier world of work for employees. 

We also developed our case studies, working with some of our fantastic clients including Document Genetics and Elsby. They’re an interesting read for any business that is looking to grow its employees and develop its internal processes. 

Over the next year, our goal is to create even more resources, with a range of resources geared at candidates and jobseekers too.

Speaking of our goals, we worked with Emma Spradbury this year to develop the Exceda values. They’re three values that Niki and I were already living and breathing, but they serve as a fantastic reminder of why we’re here and why we do what we do. Working on things like values can seem unimportant when you’re building a business, but actually, they’re something that I celebrate whenever I’m reminded of them. 

Final thoughts

I look forward to a more balanced, healthier, and happier next 12 months. With Niki by my side, I’m confident that it’s going to be another super successful year. 

To all of our supporters, thank you, and to anyone who needs support through their growth and recruitment plans, you know where to find us.