By Paul Mizen, Managing Director of The Recruit Venture Group.

One of the best bits of advice I was ever given was about being focused on what I wanted to achieve and that concentration is a skill required by every successful recruiter.

Its concentration that allows you grow your desk, win business and fill jobs; and it is your ability to concentrate that could lead you to say goodbye to being a successful employee and hello to being the owner of a successful and profitable business.

Many great potential businesses never make it off the ground, because of a lack of concentration.

Budding recruitment entrepreneurs lose their concentration, they get bogged down finding the right software provider and spend too much time dealing with the banks, struggling to raise the capital they need to launch.

With so much to focus on, it is no surprise that recruiters trying to break out on their own, lose focus on what really matters; recruitment.

The 45 businesses which I have helped to create and continue to support today, all have one thing in common; they are free to focus on recruitment; they can concentrate on the very thing that will allow them to make their business a success.

They can do this because they have The Recruit Venture Group behind them, as an extension to their team, which allows recruiters to launch a business while concentrating on the thing they do best.

Our unique joint venture model ensures that you can hit the ground running from day one with the stressful set-up process taken care of by a team of experts in their field.

The support from The Recruit Venture Group does not end there, we will provide you with full back office support; enabling you to concentrate on winning business, finding candidates and filling jobs for your clients.

You concentrate on exactly what you currently do, providing a great service to your clients and finding the right job for your candidates but you are doing it in the best business in the world; your business.

Everything you need to grow your business is available or signposted and I will be on hand to mentor and support you through the process.

But don’t take my word for it, feel free to contact any of the business owners who were once in your shoes and are now running their own successful business with The Recruit Venture Group’s support.

 

Don’t Ditch Your New Year’s Resolutions! 

By Paul Mizen, Managing Director of The Recruit Venture Group.

In case you didn’t know, ‘World Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day’ has come and gone.

It seems the idea for such a day goes back a long way. Its supporters say, ‘why fool yourselves into believing that you’re going to keep the resolutions you make? Few people do. It’s all pointless really. So, we’ve nominated a day when you can ditch your promises without shame’.

It is an admittedly slightly humorous stance. The gym memberships taken out in January and then never used again are almost a comedy cliche now. Not too many diets last beyond February.

But, on a more serious note, there is something a bit ‘defeatist’ about such a day isn’t there? And in my world, it has a particular resonance because, for fairly obvious reasons, many recruitment start ups choose to launch in January – because taking that big, exciting, step has been a New Year’s Resolution.

To be fair, as resolutions go, it’s a pretty big one. But so are the rewards. Taking control of your own destiny, building something of your own, creating wealth and establishing a future for yourself and your family. These are the things that come from running your own business.

Would be recruitment start-ups have, in my experience, seen those goals, and rewards (because they are both) as things that can’t be achieved as an employee. Having put in the time, gained the experience and delivered the numbers, they reach a point where they realise that to all intents and purposes they’re pretty much running a business anyway. (Funny how your line manager sees ‘autonomy’ as a great blessing and boost to you, and you see having to do it alone means little support and less rewards isn’t it?).

That is when the notion, the idea, of going it alone kicks in. In addition, the entrepreneurial spirit that was the catalyst for it fires up the imagination. This is the chance to do things your way; to implement your ideas for delivering the kind of competitive, game changing recruitment consultancy you know you can create.

That is precisely the sort of person, at exactly the sort of time, we like to meet. The Recruit Venture Group exists for you. We’ll provide 100% risk free funding. We’ll help you with premises and marketing. We’ll give you access to our back office systems so that you’re in full working order from the start of your start up.

It will be your business. We will stay with you to offer support and guidance but you’ll be the boss.

Now, tell me. If you are in that mind-set, are you really going give it all up on January 17th because someone has decreed it ‘World Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day’?

Frankly, if you are, you are probably not the sort of person we’d back anyway. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but you can see my point.
More to the point, why would you ditch your dreams?

This is your chance to do something great. To shine. It’s the opportunity to see the rewards for your efforts, be acknowledged for your achievements and build a future.

We won’t buy into you if you buy into an idea like a day to ditch your dreams.

We will though back you if you’re prepared not to look back!

 

The UK’s recruitment industry continues to grow, presenting recruiters with a tremendous opportunity to win business, fill jobs and make money.

However, do not take our word for it; here is what Glynne Dyer had to say about starting-up with The Recruit Venture Group, having launched Vanta Staffing with us back in 2017.Continue reading

There are plenty of things in life that come about with little to no pre-planning – and according to our recent survey, starting your own company could be one of them!

We surveyed business owners to find out what it’s like to make the leap from employee to employer. It seems the UK is full of accidental entrepreneurs: 1/3 of full-time business owners didn’t always know they wanted to start their own company – and yet only 1% of people regret making the decision.

So, who are the country’s business owners? And how did they end up at the helm of their own operation?

Read on to find out about the challenges they’ve faced and the successes they’ve achieved, and gain exclusive tips on what it takes to run a business. After all – you could be next!Who are the UK’s business owners?

Starting a business can happen at any stage, but according to our survey you’re most likely to be between age 25 and 34 if you’re going to take the plunge – 45% of full-time business owners started their company at this point in their lives.

Nearly one third were a little bit older (between 35-44 years old) when they started their business. The younger generation doesn’t seem to be afraid to make a go if it either – 1 in 10 business owners launched before they turned 24. However, for many of these entrepreneurs, owning a business wasn’t always part of their future plan.

 

99% of business owners have no regrets about starting a business

 

So, we wanted to find out the secret to success – how did our respondents fund the launch of their business?

An impressive 1 in 10 managed to start their business with no funding at all. But for the rest, it seems to be a combination of things: 1/3 of people relied on bank loans and personal funds, while 23% borrowed from friends and family.

Grants or lending schemes were also a useful source, with 20% tapping into some form of government funding.

 

The answer is almost exclusively yes – only 6% of people were happier when they were working for someone else. According to our respondents, the top perks of owning a business include having more freedom, doing something they enjoy every day, and making more money.

But, with freedom comes responsibility. 1 in 10 business owners worry about supporting themselves financially, and 9% work more than they did previously.

However, just 1% say they regret starting their business, suggesting that, for most, the perks still outweigh any drawbacks. While the majority of business owners are clearly happy with their decision to go it alone, the process isn’t always easy. From the bank to the clock, there are plenty of obstacles that entrepreneurs had to navigate in the early days.

As expected, money is one of the main pain-points for business owners – 37% said raising capital was a challenge they experienced during the setup of their company, and 1 in 4 admitted that they suffered due to lack of personal income, as they didn’t have a salary when they started out.

Other typical start-up struggles included service-related challenges, such as deciding which product to offer (24% had an issue with this) and finding customers (26% said this was a challenge).

But it’s not just professional adjustments that need to be solved – people’s personal lives were also affected. According to our survey, 15% of new business owners battled with the long hours while 1 in 10 found it hard to balance their work lives with family obligations.

Of those we spoke to, the majority said their biggest worries are behind them. However, maintaining cash flow and generating enough sales are the two biggest concerns for business owners, while some are also nervous about Brexit and changes to legislation. Tips and advice from those who made it happen Hindsight is often full of revelations, and the business owners we spoke to were full of tips and advice for anyone looking to take the leap.

When asked if they wish they’d done anything differently when they started out, some common things that came to mind included regrets about:

• Not raising more money
• Not having a better business plan
• Not researching enough
• Not checking their spending

They also said they wish they had believed in themselves more! But the main piece of advice that came up again and again when asked what business owners would say to their former selves?

“Do it sooner.”

So, what are you waiting for? Starting a business may seem like a distant dream, but there’s plenty of support available if you’re one of the accidental entrepreneurs who is ready to stumble into something brand new – find out how we can help.

 

It is that time of year again!

The time of year when recruiters start to promise themselves that next year, 2019, is going to be the year.

And this time, you really mean!

It won’t be long until there is that rush of determination – again – out will come the New Year, new me attitude but far too often that rush of determination comes and goes as quickly as your gym membership.

Is its time you fulfilled your promise to yourself and made 2019 your career defining move?

Instead of just another job, with just another why not make 2019 the year you break out and start calling the shots in your own recruitment business.

During 2018, The Recruit Venture Group launched five new recruitment business and they are all thriving – you can find out more about them in the blog section of this website and feel free to call them about their experiences.

Ask yourself, where will you be this time next year?

You could be Managing Director of your own recruitment business, walking into an office every morning with your name above the door or you could be making the same New Year, new me promises once more.

With The Recruit Venture Group, starting your own recruitment business is far easier than sticking to that New Year’s resolution to shift a few pounds or drink a bit less.

Why?

Because we create your business for you.

You pick a name and logo and we do the rest, allowing you to go in on day one and hit the ground running.

We also invest in your business, we give you the headroom you need to grow your business plus a guaranteed income, there is no living off credit cards or borrowing against your house.

Our Central Services team, led by three experienced directors, will be on hand to support you throughout your journey removing the time consuming back office business, leaving you free to focus on recruitment.

With all that in place you will grow your business with our support and this time next year be thinking about where you want to take your business in 2020.

Make your move today, contact The Recruit Venture Group and make 2019 your year.

 

If you are the sort of recruiter, that goes above and beyond for your candidates and clients, The Recruit Venture Group believe you should reap the rewards of your efforts for yourself.

The best way to do that is to take back control of your career and start building a business that that will allow you to build real wealth for you future.

We have helped over 55 recruiters make their move to become business owners and everyone has the same comment, “I wish I had done this years ago.”

You will receive a guaranteed a salary from day one and as your business grows so will your income and with The Recruit Venture Group behind you, every resource you need to grow your business, and in turn your income, with will made available.

We are an extension to your team that takes care of the time consuming back-office business, leaving you free to do what you do best… recruitment!

Our years of experience, and the 46 businesses we have launched to date, are evidence of how giving recruiters the ability to focus on recruitment from day one is a recipe for success.

Instead of getting bogged down chasing payments, you are free to win business and fill jobs, growing your business as if it was your own desk.

Being free to focus on what are best at is the best way to make the most of your talents, its also the best way to tackle the challenges that recruiters are facing today.

Attracting candidates isn’t easy, but it can be done if you have the time to dedicated to not only sourcing candidates but also treating them properly as well.

With the back-office not eating into your precious time you will have the time to not only treat candidates properly but also make regular visits to your clients, giving them the time and attention they need.

Recruitment is, at its heart, a people-focused business and the truth is you can run a successful and profitable recruitment business if you have the time to build strong relationships with your candidates and clients.

You will not be doing it alone though, with The Recruit Venture Group you will be able to launch your business with a team you pick to give you the best possible chance of success.

As a new boss of a new, your new, recruitment company you can achieve far more than you will think possible because you have the chance to make the most of your time.

 

The Recruit Venture Group’s Managing Director Paul Mizen explains why the top line from a recently published study by the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, grabbedContinue reading

Perhaps it is the name, but when a function of a business is labelled ‘back office’ it can seem as if it doesn’t really matter.

But when a newly launched recruitment business faces an overhead of thousands of pounds per month just to run the functions known as ‘back office’, perhaps it is time to sit up and take notice.

Hiring in accountancy and payroll services, HR and legal expertise, IT consultancy and marketing and PR can be phenomenally expensive, especially in those early days of a start-up where cash flow is a matter of survival.

So the back office may not be a sexy subject, but by offering the full suite of administrative support, it is clear to see why The Recruit Venture Group offers a huge advantage for talented recruitment professionals looking to start their own agency.

The Recruit Venture Group finds driven, ambitious recruiters who are looking to reap the full rewards of their hard work and who want to see where their talents can take them.

The Recruit Venture Group offers them 100% of the finance needed to launch their own independent business, risk free, and works with them to plan the launch. It can all happen within just a few months of the first conversation where its joint venture model smoothly and quickly opens the doors to entrepreneurship.

With the back office taken care of, the new recruitment entrepreneur is left to channel their energies and talents into recruiting. That means the revenues come in from day one, and with none of the worries of back office overheads escalating out of control.

In those early days when there are so many plates to spin, having that security with cash flow is so vital.

But The Recruit Venture Group is also about offering peace of mind on the quality of it’s back office service.

New entrepreneurs starting a business cannot afford mistakes when starting out. Imagine a serious payroll error meaning new candidates were not paid on time – it would be hugely damaging.

The Recruit Venture Group back office function already supports 49 recruitment businesses with a team of experienced staff who know exactly what the industry requires. This is a back office function that is specifically set up for the recruitment sector, helping new businesses to expand and grow.

That support grows seamlessly as the business expands, meaning scaling up the Enterprise comes without barriers.

 

“The Recruit Venture Group offers a comprehensive solution which is tailored specifically to the needs of the recruitment sector.

“Not only do our new joint venture partners get a first-class back office function from day one, they can also then focus purely on building clients, filling vacancies and driving revenues, knowing it is all taken care of.

“For a new start-up, that’s a huge advantage over someone who has launched a business solo.”

 

Britain is full of start-up wannabes – but few are brave enough to chase their dream jobs.

Business owners are living the dream, while 1/3 of employees want to leave their jobs.

If you were to step into a workplace and ask the employees “is this really where you want to be?” what do you think most of them would say?

Obviously the answers you receive would depend on who you speak to (and how far away their boss is sitting!). But, according to our research, it’s unlikely you’ll hear a resounding ‘yes’.

Our recent survey revealed that 70% of working Brits are not currently in their dream jobs and 1 in 3 want to leave their position.

We spoke to full time business owners, side business owners, and employees living across the UK to get a feel for the modern workplace climate. Find out who is whistling while they work, and which people are more likely to have one eye on the door…

Dream job or daydreaming about a change?

 

We asked respondents how they feel about their current position or whether there’s something else they’d rather be doing. People who run their own business are more likely to be satisfied with their working lives – 74% of business owners say they’re currently in their dream jobs, compared to just 13% of employees.

Should I stay or should I go?

So, what’s holding so many of us back?

Despite the fact that 34% of employees would like to leave their current role, money, location, and family arrangements are the three biggest barriers that are keeping people in positions they don’t like.

If I could be anything, I’d be a…

For those dreaming about leaping into a new career, the industry they’d most like to land in is Leisure, Sport, and Tourism, with many saying they like the sound of being a travel/holiday rep.

Creative Arts and Design was also a popular ‘if only’ industry, with many wishing they’d had a hand in inventing the Internet (or at least Facebook).

If I could have invented anything, I’d have invented…

 

Start-up wannabes

It seems the real goal for full-time employees is to be at the helm of their own operation – 1 in 3 employees dream about starting their own business. Doing so could be the key to being happy at work: of those who have managed to start their own business, 55% say they were always sure that it was the career they wanted.

However, for many, there are serious factors getting in the way of turning the dream into a reality.

If only I didn’t have to worry about…

Some people have taken steps to fulfil their goal by starting a business on the side while still working at another job. But fear has prevented many from turning their side business into a full-time position – 34% are too scared at the thought of not having a regular income, and 28% are afraid of failure.

Despite Brexit uncertainty, just 9% of would be entrepreneurs said that Britain leaving the European Union had stopped them starting their own business.

Making a change: Who dares?

Our survey revealed that many of us are dreaming about other things we could be doing – but does anyone actually dare take the steps needed to alter their career path?

Only 11% of full-time employees are actually thinking about changing their job in the next year – more than half believe it’s too late or are unsure. People who have started side businesses are slightly more optimistic – 48% say it’s not too late to make a change yet.

Age is a factor that was consistently mentioned when we asked employees why they haven’t pursued their dream job. Those aged 45 and older are the most likely to believe it’s too late to change careers, and a surprising 10% of 18-24-year olds already fear they’re locked in for the long haul.

How old is too old?

 

As our survey has shown, many of us want to take control of our careers, and those who make the leap are more likely to enjoy their working lives. It might seem there’s a mountain of difficulty between thinking about launching your own start-up and taking the steps to get there, but it doesn’t have to be that way! We can help you stop daydreaming and start living the dream – find out how.

 

 

When you don’t focus on the goals what you see is obstacles.

That is based on something Henry Ford said, it is through something I believe to be absolutely true about starting up and running a recruitment business.

Let’s say you’re a recruitment consultant, with some experience and a solid track record when it comes to placing candidates and hitting the numbers. You’re at the stage when the idea of running your own show is somehow always there in your mind.

Let’s go further and say that you do it. You take the leap, find the funding and start up. Now stop and think what happens next. Suddenly, at precisely the moment you want to focus on building a client base and delivering that gold standard service you believe in so much you’ve got a thousand other things to do.  And, (please take this constructively) some of them are things you’re quite possibly not very good at.

You’ve never had to wear as many as hats as this before. There’s the marketing and website to sort. You have to arrange the premises and leases. Suppliers want paying, staff want briefings and guidance, the bank wants to talk to you and HMRC would like you to get in touch. Now!

Suddenly it’s all down to you, and you are going to be out of your comfort zone. So, because you’re determined to be the boss and get your business running properly you direct your attention to all of those issues. And those issues become obstacles. They get in the way of what you want to be doing and, frankly, what you should be doing. Because if you’re not ‘doing’ recruitment your business will have a rather different problem than those you’re trying to solve. It will have a problem called failure.

At The Recruit Venture Group, we have now helped almost 50 recruitment businesses to start up and they are running successfully. One of the reasons for their success is that as joint venture partners they are able to focus on their goals, and therefore don’t have to stare at obstacles.

From the initial risk free funding – a massive help in itself – to the mentoring and support we provide they’ve had a package of guidance and back up that allows them the freedom to focus.

All of those distractions I mentioned, and many more besides, are things that we look after for them. The marketing, the premises, the tax issues are all covered. Crucially they have access to our back office systems meaning their administration is up to speed. Vitally we keep them informed of industry legislation and rulings.

None of this is at the cost of their autonomy. As a joint venture partner with us you run your own business. And that’s the point. You can get on with running your business, doing what you’re best at. Because you doing what you’re best at will result in your business growing. You running around trying to do things that – sorry – you’re not necessarily very good at anyway will result in your business floundering.

Avoid the obstacles. Because obstacles are things you only see when you’re not focused on the goals. And your goal is to be the best recruitment business on your patch.

You’ll only achieve that if you have the freedom to focus – on recruitment.