A story of the last 12 months: from redundancy to business owner

In October 2020 I was made redundant - they’re words I never thought I would write. I’ve been working in recruitment for well over 15 years and helped so many candidates who had been made redundant. I’d seen how absolutely heartbreaking it can be. How much stress it can create. And how desperate candidates would be to find new roles. But it was very different when the person who was redundant was me. 

In all honesty, it knocked my confidence, it made me feel really unsettled. I’d been reassuring newly redundant candidates with “something amazing will be right around the corner” but couldn’t quite believe it for myself. 

But I was wrong to feel so down-beat. Just over one year later, I’m a business owner, and working with some fantastic clients and candidates at Exceda. 

I know my story of redundancy, especially in the last 18 months, will resonate with so many, so for anyone reading this who has just experienced something similar, it will get better. 

After a few months of self-searching, Exceda was born in January 2021, and incorporated on my 40th birthday!

12 months post redundancy, the Exceda website has launched, and I’m happier and more focused and ambitious than I’ve ever been. 

So what have I learnt these past 12 months?

I am resilient. If we can get through 2020, we can get through anything and starting my first business at the beginning of 2021 was the ultimate ‘new year, new me’. 

Business owners wear a lot of hats. I’ve had to try my hand at everything from setting up a website, managing business development during a pandemic, all operational elements from finance to setting up my CRM system, and planning for my business’ future growth. 

Recruitment is recruitment. Whatever life throws at you, from previous economic slumps to pandemics, the recruitment sector is fundamentally about building strong personal relationships. And if you do it well, you can do it in any sector.  Previously my niche has been Sales and Marketing at a mid-senior level, but recently I’ve recruited everything from Senior Accountants to administrators, a Test Analyst for an IT company, a Legal Cashier for a Solicitors firm, and even a Laser Engraver for a personalised gift company!

You can also do recruitment differently! Note what I said above about doing recruitment well. Well, I wanted to prove to my clients that by doing recruitment well, by building longstanding partnerships with clients, and by really investing in their businesses growth and finding the right candidates, that staff retention would increase. So that’s why I’ve designed Exceda a bit differently. I’ve created a unique model based on a joint investment in recruitment, this means if a hire doesn’t work for your business, you aren’t expected to pay the full fee. The aim of this dual investment is that Exceda finds you better candidates, who will fit into the culture of your business. 

Who you work with makes all the difference. I’ve been working with some great clients and advising them on the (very challenging) current market. For one client, I’ve managed their whole recruitment drive, generating 12 successful hires in just 6 months. The outpouring of support has been amazing. So many people have stuck with me and offered their support throughout my journey from a recruiter, to redundancy, to a business owner. To all of you, I offer my sincerest thanks. 

It’s hard without a big team around you. The buck lies with me, and that has been really scary but I’ve learnt quickly that I know what I’m doing. I’ve also been able to use my network as teammates. I’ve worked with an excellent designer – Trudie Avery who helped with the company name, then really blew me away with my logo and branding. I had ‘help from a friend’ who designed the Exceda website and have had advice and support in marketing from a previous candidate. 

The market is tough right now. The world around us is an uncertain one and a lot of candidates are scared to leave their current roles. That makes the role of a recruiter even more challenging, made worse that some “recruitment sharks” give us all a bad rep! However, the truth is, there are some amazing employers out there offering excellent benefits and flexible working options so now could really be the perfect time to think about a move.

Don’t be afraid to make your own rules. This is an amazing bit of advice I got from within my network on LinkedIn and it’s at the heart of what I’m achieving with Exceda. I’m creating a bespoke recruitment service that really is tailored to my clients and candidates. It’s people and relationship centred and creating some really happy clients and candidates. 

So what’s next? 

I’m working on creating free online resources for clients and candidates and developing the HR and Recruitment consulting side of our business. I’m offering services far beyond “the norm” from planning hires right through to managing their progress and setting up performance review processes once they’re placed.

12 months ago, I would never have thought I would have got so far, so I’m excited to see what will happen in the next 12!