The First 365 Days: Building a PR Search Firm
by Warren Madlin, Director at MadlinHanna Consulting
This week marks one year since Miriam and I launched MadlinHanna Consulting – with the sole aim of providing a best-in-class recruitment service to candidates and clients in the communications sector.
Here’s how it went.
The leap into the dark…
…was a leap, but not so much darkness. Making the shift from offering the recruitment service the PR industry was used to (and we were used to), to the service our clients and candidates experience today was hard work and required constant evaluation to avoid slipping into old habits.
Spending quality time advising clients and candidates who weren’t going to lead to immediate revenue was a risk for an early-stage start up – but it paid off. It turns out ‘trust trumps all’ when prominent firms in the corporate world are deciding which agency will find them the senior people to guard their reputation, but it wasn’t offered on a plate. Trust took us time to earn, and we wouldn’t be in the position we are today without it.
Say yes first, evaluate later
We adopted this mantra early on. Too many search firms have struggled to grow because of a fear of the unknown. We know we can fill roles in corporate and financial communications – but in the past year we have also placed candidates across analyst relations, CSR, investor access, internal comms and digital.
The approach was one of taking a problem of any shape or size and giving our best shot at providing a solution – it didn’t work out 100% of the time, but on the occasions it did it took us pleasantly by surprise how successful a flexible approach to clients can be.
Take advice, but go it alone
We wouldn’t have navigated the complex world of HMRC, regulations and contracts without the priceless help of a select few individuals.
However, when it comes to day-to-day decision making Miriam and I have benefited enormously from being the only ones who have a say – minimising the number of concerned parties to the two of us, who sit three feet apart from one another, has enabled rapid action with no constraints.
The next 365 days
We are trying not to complain, but things are incredibly busy at the moment. Plans to hire are being brought forward and we cannot wait to share the fun with have with new team members in the not-too-distant future.
Thank you to everyone who made the first year at MadlinHanna possible and we look forward to meeting the people who will make our second year just as enjoyable.
MadlinHanna Consulting is a recruitment consultancy specialising in corporate affairs, covering public affairs, corporate communications and financial PR. Contact us on 020 8088 4102 for more information or a confidential conversation.