Heathgate Search
Catching up with Liam Squires, Director of Heathgate Search, on how partnering with 3R gave him the support he needed while retaining control over his business plans, allowing him to focus on developing relationships and billing quickly!
As a successful and driven recruiter, Liam spent a lot of time and hard work building and developing new, strong relationships with a variety of clients. However, quickly he recognised that despite his efforts, he would receive a small percentage of the fee.
The doubts were reinforced whilst working from home during the lockdown. Given the time to reflect on his future career progression and what he wants to do, Liam decided to take a leap of faith and pursue his dream of becoming a recruitment business owner.
“My first step was to put out some feelers and begin researching different recruitment software providers. Then, I remembered that some of my friends set up their business Talent Lab in Bristol – and they had been established with 3R for 4 years.
So, I got in contact with them to get some advice and tips and find out more about 3R and the services they offer. Based on their recommendations, I got in contact with 3R.”
What were your biggest concerns when deciding to start-up a recruitment business?
“For me, I had two main concerns. The biggest concern was quickly getting the back-office set up so that I could focus on the sales/billing. I had worked hard on building strong relationships with clients in my previous companies, but I was now ready to put in that work for my own business.
The other concern was that I knew starting your own business meant that you have to make a jump and there is a risk when you do, so it was important that there was some reassurance when I needed it.”
Starting your own business can be a daunting endeavour. Having the right people there to provide you with support and reassurance is an important part of the journey.
As I was doing my research, 3R was a constant recommendation so I got into contact with Kim and I was given a detailed demo. I could ask any challenging questions, get guidance for aspects of recruitment that I needed advice on, and learn more about what 3R could offer my business.
“I think the regular conversations with Kim and having her as a dedicated point of contact kept the process consistent. With starting a business on your own, at times it can become really isolating and, in those times, I appreciated having someone experienced to rely on.
Through those conversations, we were able to develop trust and build good rapport, so I felt more comfortable with the transition from being an employee to a business owner. I felt even more confident about my position as a start-up business.”
How has the 3R CRM & back-office technology supported your business so far?
“The CRM I think is great because of how straight forward it is to use. Being able to group people for categories like sectors and skill sets is great to be able to manage my candidates easily. It simplifies the process, and I don’t have to waste time trying to manage my data.”
The back-office is great for seeing important information quickly and is crystal clear. For example, there is an audit trail of reporting for paid and outstanding invoices, all of your upcoming perm, contractor timesheets, and detailed weekly statements.With 3R I was able to quickly get my business up and running and then the technology gives me real insight into my business whenever I need it.
What have been the highs and lows of starting your own business so far?
“I’d say my highest high so far has been getting a deal worth over £10,000 through within my first six weeks of my new business. The hard work I had put in combined with the smooth transition of launching with 3R meant I was able to quickly get paid and focus on making more deals.
The one annoying low that I have experienced so far is putting in the time and effort only for offers to get rejected, whether that be because of a counteroffer or change of heart. I try my best to manage my candidates thoroughly to check their reasons for change and their seriousness regarding a position, but sometimes people are unpredictable.”
What additional support has 3R provided you with so far?
“The technology has of course made the start-up and management of the business straightforward but something that is equally important is always having someone available to answer the phone and provide support.
The team have been very valuable in quickly responding to any questions and queries that come up and getting any issues resolved promptly.”
Always having someone available to answer the phone and provide help and support when I need it.”
And, your future plans?
“I think once I hit my personal business growth targets of certain figures, I will look into investing in hiring staff and potentially bringing on a partner. Someone who has a similar growth mindset and can help me grow the business.
In terms of working with 3R, the support and guidance I will need will mostly be around additional recruitment business support services such as job boards, marketing, SEO, websites, and HR support.
The market right now is highly competitive so working on things like the marketing side of the business is so important to stand out in the crowd and raise awareness of the brand as well as make my website stand out and reach a larger audience.”
I can say it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done and I’m so happy to have 3R there as a supportive partner as I grow.
Talk to us today
Being ex-recruiters, we're always happy to talk!
Get in touch with our experienced team to explore your bespoke solution.