In contrast to the subdued grey Wellington day outside – the back room of Trade Kitchen was abuzz as old friends met and new introductions were made. The diversity of the Wellington business leaders assembled and the energy levels they brought were testament to their appetite to get involved in cutting edge conversation with like-minded people.
From manufacturing to professional services, engineering to marketing and consultancies to government organisations – perspectives across the spectrum were tabled as we put our brains (and mouths) to the question: “How can you get the inside track in a competitive market?”
Troy Turner, Founder and Managing Director of Inside Recruitment took centre stage as he led the group through the key milestones of his journey – fighting stagnation and finding a new gear after 7 years in business. From how he captured his vision to getting real about what sort of company they wanted to be whilst striving for goals.
At the heart of it all the answer lay in his people and their relationship with the business. He hires the best to be the best and then gives them the freedom to do it. Putting his people and their welfare first, created a high energy, hardworking, cohesive and loyal culture. Add to this the clarity and unity of the company’s vision and you have a recipe for huge growth (20% year on year gross margin growth over the last three years), a market leading position with the NZ Government (as preferred supplier) and leading client quality scores (across the government contract sector). It’s impressive to say the least.
What’s more impressive is that both Troy and his business partner Dale have put themselves and their families at the centre of the vision. By prioritising quality over quantity, an easier work life balance was achieved… literally the definition of working smarter not harder.
Inspired by Troy’s story the group then set to work answering two headscratchers:
- How can established businesses fight stagnation and find another gear?
- How is it possible to improve both quality and quantity with limited resources?
In this convivial atmosphere stories, knowledge, learnings and laughter were all traded at a rapid rate. As we tested and contested ideas through scenarios it became clear that the variety of the attendees was juxtaposed against the like-mindedness of the wider tribe.
The end result? Everyone went away feeling inspired about business, connected to new people, keen to do it again – and that much closer to the Inside Track.
Our next think tank will be in July – stay tuned for more details!