For colleagues Mark Knight and Steve Borondy, starting their own recruitment agency was all about freedom.
The freedom from bosses’ bad decisions and the freedom to go out and make the sort of money they were making for other people.
And now, with the support of The Recruit Venture Group, they are now business partners, embarking on a future which has the potential to deliver so much more than just a salary and commission.
Their energies are now invested in their own business, Resolute Recruitment, based in Coventry and which launched in February. It is focused on driving and logistics currently, but is expanding its commercial and industrial footprint too and serves the Midlands area.
“I was making three men very wealthy.”said Steve, 27.
“It’s pretty simple; I got into recruitment because I knew I could make money, and I’m also quite entrepreneurial. Starting a business was the logical step.”
Mark, 39, said: “I always felt like I was being held back. I was always 18 months behind where I should have been in my career. My employers’ systems and processes were outdated and slow. There were people making decisions behind closed doors and we had no control or authority to do anything.
“I had ideas on what a good recruitment agency should look like, so the only choice was to take the plunge and make it happen.”
Their skills complement each other perfectly, with Mark having ten years’ experience with the service element of the business, while for the last five years, Steve has been a multi-award winner on the business development and sales side.
Resolute Recruitment began with a conversation with The Recruit Venture Group. Mark and Steve explained their vision for a successful recruitment business and then a plan was developed to make it happen.
By providing all of the finance needed for launch as well as a modern, flexible and efficient back office solution including accounts, payroll, IT, HR, and marketing, everything was put in place for Mark and Steve to start generating revenue from day one.
The Recruit Venture Group’s joint venture model has already helped more than 60 people become recruitment entrepreneurs, building businesses already valued in the millions.
“The process is very clear and straightforward,” said Steve. You’re given the platform to execute your plan.”
While the short term is about establishing themselves, they see no limits to the potential of Resolute Recruitment. Steve said: “Our mission is to become the preferred supplier of temporary and permanent staff in the Midlands. We would ultimately aim to have offices in Leicester, Derby and Northampton. There’s a lot of work to be done, but we are now in a position to make it happen.”
And for other recruiters who may want to do the same?
“There are a lot of people out there who could do this, but will never take the step,” said Steve. “Stepping out of a safe salary is hard – I have a mortgage to pay – but with The Recruit Venture Group, so much of that stress is taken away. We know if we work hard and if we fill the gaps in our knowledge and experience, then we can build something special.
“But nothing can happen until you make a decision to go for it.”
If that’s you, contact…