A specialist recruitment company, which started at the kitchen table of one of the co-founders in Coventry, is planning to launch a new software product.
TalentTech Recruitment, a technical and technology recruitment business, was launched last May in John Ahearne’s home.
Its rapid success led to John and fellow director, Nick Goodwin, searching for suitable business premises as well as support to launch an idea for a technology programme.
After contacting the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, the duo were pointed in the direction of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) Growth Hub.
Gavin Barnett, a Business Navigator at the CWLEP Growth Hub, held meetings with John and Nick and suggested training courses as well as contacted Business Ready who helped them find their new premises – the University of Warwick Science Park’s Business Innovation Centre in Binley, Coventry – in addition to supporting them in growing the business.
John and Nick decided to launch TalentTech after working together at another recruitment company in Coventry.
Nick said: “Together, we have over 40 years’ experience in recruitment and, with backgrounds in the technical and technology fields, we felt the time was right to launch our business.
“We backed our own ability but we didn’t realise the growth and success would happen in such a short space of time.
“The advice that Gavin at the Growth Hub offered was invaluable and he has opened up so many doors for us that we didn’t know existed.
“Moving to the Business Innovation Centre is a fantastic opportunity to grow our business within the support network here because the infrastructure is great and it enables us to realise our vision.”
John added: “We have recruited three, technically orientated staff so that we can create an automated recruitment software system.
“Currently at the testing stage, it uses traditional methods via technology, and we plan to launch it later this year. There is a gap in the market because it can be used in any sector and by anyone, from in-house staff to recruitment consultants.”
Gavin said the transformation in John and Nick’s business in nine months has been dramatic.
He said: “They have both taken on board the advice we have given and they are soon going to be running not one, but two businesses!
“It is really important to gain advice before launching a business since the Growth Hub can help with many services including finding premises, access to finance and legal issues which can make a significant difference in whether a business, particularly in the early days, succeeds or fails.
“Nick and John are expanding their knowledge of running a business and the support from Business Ready will be crucial when they launch their technology software later in the year.”
Business Ready is managed by the business support team at the University of Warwick Science Park and is funded by the European Regional Development Fund and Warwickshire County Council as part of the CW Business: Start, Grow & Scale Programme.
Business adviser, Dirk Schafer from Business Ready said: “John and Nick didn’t have any previous experience of launching a software product so we’re injecting that knowledge to ensure they have the commercial and technical expertise.
“They are going to be running two different kinds of businesses and I think their software product has by far the bigger potential than their current business.
“It is about making sure they have the right skill sets within the business as the software product requires a different business model and set up.
“The recruitment market is partly a very traditional market and is slowly starting to adopt technology so there is the chance for TalentTech to enter the market with their tech product ahead of the competition.”
For more information on Business Ready and the help available go to http://www.business-ready.co.uk/
Caption: Back, from the left, Josh Salvin, David O’Neill and Mike Richards (TalentTech). Front, from the left, Dirk Schafer (Business Ready), Nick Goodwin and John Ahearne (TalentTech) and Gavin Barnett (CWLEP Growth Hub)