Candice Rookes knows how to make things happen. As a co-founder of Recruitment Partners Inc., she helped build a business that now has offices in both Edmonton and Calgary. She’s also President of Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) Edmonton, as the second female leader to hold that title.

“In 2011, Joe Gagliardi, Kathy Fayad and I started Recruitment Partners at our kitchen tables,” says Rookes. “Six months later we leased an office and hired a receptionist. Every month we grew a little more.”

Recruitment Partners offers vetted permanent, contract, and temporary placement recruitment in addition to a career center to help recruits with resumes, interview skills and offers. The company also provides executive search for senior leadership positions.

“We get it!” says Rookes of Recruitment Partners’ services. “Finding the right fit for your business is no simple task. It is time consuming and sometimes painful. Our goal is not to only meet your expectations, but to exceed them. It’s simple; we must source you a more superior candidate than who you could find on your own for free, or our fee is unwarranted. From identifying strong, qualified candidates, to supporting you throughout the selection process and providing ongoing advice through our collaborative consultative approach, we offer a simply unparalleled experience. Whether you are a locally owned startup on your way to the top, already a well-established organization or a Fortune 500 firm, we have the solution for you.”

Rookes thinks back on the drivers of Recruitment Partners’ growth.

“When we decided to start our own business, we never thought ‘what if it doesn’t work… what is the backup plan?’ This was the plan, this was what we were going to do, and there wasn’t a second thought.”

However, the growth, especially during 2020, wasn’t without challenges.

“Hands down the COVID crisis was our biggest challenge to date,” admits Rookes. “In 24 hours we went from ‘if we had to lay off’ to ‘we are laying off some of our team today.’ It was insane, frightening, emotional and a whole bunch of other things all wrapped into one. We have an amazing team and had to lay off people that we had just hired. I hope it is something we never have to endure again. We have come out the other side, much better for it, but COVID left a scar.

“However, our greatest challenge was also our biggest opportunity and learning curve. Pre-COVID, I would have never said we could grow our business and take it to the next level while retaining the small company, personalized feel that we have with our employees, candidates and clients; but, during 2020 we launched our executive search and expanded into other parts of Canada and into the U.S., as we found working remotely allowed us to do so very effectively.”

Executive search service was launched to align with clients that were looking for more than recruitment and needed executive leadership level candidates. Rookes continues, “We expected it would take a little time to get off the ground, but to our pleasant surprise it took off faster than we anticipated, and we continue to be exceeding our expectations.”

Always agile, Recruitment Partners works with the way the market has changed. It is a constant adaptation of the local market.

“The days of employers having all the control over candidates is over. It is a candidate market now and maybe it will be for a very long time. COVID has really put things in perspective for many people. Candidates are not interested in long hours, rigid environments or lack of employee-centric cultures. They want to feel valued, be actively contributing and know they are being heard.”

Requirement Partners is up for the challenges of the new market and continues to enjoy building partnerships among employers and job seekers while having a great working environment for their team.

“We have the opportunity to change lives every single day in our community. We get to significantly impact the lives of our team, provide them life-changing opportunities and develop them into our future partners and leaders. When it is all said and done, we will leave a legacy – and that’s amazing! We are all about building long-term relationships, no matter what the dollars look like. We always want to do the right thing for our team, our candidates and for our clients.”

One way Rookes focuses on building relationships is through the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) Edmonton.

“In 2012, I had attended a learning conference where I was so underwhelmed by the peer learning experience, the facilitator, and the general feel of the room that when I went home, I spent the next couple of hours looking for somewhere, some place or group, where I could learn from and interact with other business owners and be a better leader,” says Rookes. “I wasn’t looking for a typical networking, lead generating group – I wanted more, and I wanted to be challenged. Although I had no idea what I was getting into at the time, I applied to EO, went through their newly developed test drive process and was accepted.

“Peer-to-peer learning is a big part of why I chose EO. I have had the privilege of being in the company of very established and successful entrepreneurs that are all willing to give me their time, lend an ear, and most of all not judge my choices. Having said that, peer-to-peer learning is a very small part of what EO can do for each of us. We have the opportunity to be mentored by well-known and influential business owners in our city, pursue a masters in executive education at MIT, participate in the path of leadership at regional and global levels and learn from leaders around the world at global events.”

Rookes discusses what she calls EO’s biggest impact, which is providing a safe place to be real in business and to be real in life.

“I thought I was going to learn some business strategies, take them to the office and call it a day. Instead, I learned so much more. EO has provided me with a voice and a platform to learn and recognize a dream that I didn’t even know I had. The little things and the smallest conversations at the most unique of times have had the biggest impact on me personally. EO has helped me put things in perspective (especially post COVID) and helped me consider what is important.

Now, Rookes has moved from EO member to EO president.

“EO has guided me to own my own vulnerability and my courage,” she shares. “Every single EO member that I have had the opportunity to know or interact with and talk to has somehow influenced me and prepared me for the role of President this year.  For that I am grateful!

“When I joined EO, I thought it would make me a better person in business, but what it really did was open me up to so much more.

• Vulnerability – being myself, having the courage to let people get to know me and be real with them. Being vulnerable is really the power to my success, as it is for all of us. The people that inspire me the most are authentic and vulnerable and REAL!

• Empowerment – I encourage my team to bring solutions for issues rather than exacerbate the problems. This, in turn, empowers them and develops them into leaders. By doing that we have developed a very high performing team.

• Collaboration – Teams wants to be creative and contribute to the success of the organization. Work alongside them and collaborate with them, and great things will be achieved.

• Feedback – Honest conversation with positive intent helps each team member build on their strengths and create their own opportunities for growth, and that comes from trust and respect. Feedback is how we grow.

• Fun – Remember to have fun along the way and create balance! I am good at the fun part but still working on balance!”

For those still thinking about, but have yet to join EO Edmonton, Rookes says, “Stop thinking about it! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Seriously if you are an entrepreneur and want to get outside of your comfort zone, grow, be challenged, be a better spouse, business leader and friend, EO will be transformational.”

Rookes notes with a smile, “EO Edmonton remains one of the largest and most successful EO chapters in the Canadian region, not to mention worldwide! I have been on the other side of the world when a group of EOers ran up to us asking ‘are you the Canadians?’ Maybe the ‘Canadian tuxedos’ had something to do with it, but I am telling you, the Edmonton Chapter is well recognized around the world. We are currently celebrating 30 years and a legacy that gets better every year.”

Giving back to the community is important to Rookes. Both Recruitment Partners and EO Edmonton align with her charitable values.

“At Christmas the whole Recruitment Partners team provides gifts for families through Wings. Throughout the year we support our client, Bissel Center, with whatever their greatest need is at the time. We have supported The Shoebox Project, Hope Mission, Winnifred Stewart Association, Edmonton Community Foundation and more. The best part is our team does not have to be coaxed into giving back to the community. They recognize the need and appreciate their own good fortune enough to give back. I love that!”

As for EO Edmonton, Rookes shares, “Since we are a member-run organization with 100+ members, it is difficult to align ourselves with any one cause. Having said that, we encourage our members to support and engage in as many charitable interests as they want.  Many of our members are heading up charitable causes, volunteer on boards and committees and supporting community initiatives in their own right. This past year, COVID had changed so much about how EO Edmonton interacted with each other with the cancellation of events, that in response we planned an outside event at the Edmonton Valley Zoo and collected food for our local food bank.”

Rookes concludes, EO has been instrumental in my growth as a business leader and has provided me with experiences, courage and education from which I draw on and bring to our business every day. Our team at Recruitment Partners has also been instrumental in the growth of our business. Our greatest strength is our people. We have been fortunate to have the kind of team that we can build our business around. They work hard, play hard and are ferociously protective of our culture. My business partners and our team have built an amazing culture that provides us a clarity of vision and a road map to get us where we want to go and who we want to be.”

Where does she want to be in the future? Rookes’ plans include building a house in Mexico as part of her “living my life by my design” strategy and growing her company with the next generation of leaders. For now, however, she’s looking forward to seeing EO members and clients again now that COVID restrictions have eased.

The post Living My Life By Design appeared first on EO Edmonton.

Becoming an entrepreneur was somewhat accidental, yet as I think about it, not really surprising.  I started working in our family restaurant at 9 years old, then mainly moving into jobs and roles that were 100% commission-based industries. Roles where my efforts, resulted in my income, ultimately landing me into my sweet spot career in recruitment.

Fast forward to 2011… myself along with my now business partners, Joe & Kathy decided that there was an opportunity for us to do things better. To lead change in the recruitment industry. We quit our jobs and started out on our own as Recruitment Partners Inc. There was lots that we didn’t know, and lots that we had to learn. All we really knew for sure was how to recruit good people, and how to build outstanding relationships.  We started the company from our kitchens and focused on growth. Six months later we were operating in a real office and continuing to grow month over month.  Within a year I joined EO and continued to grow our company, team, clients, and more.

Today Recruitment Partners has offices in both Edmonton & Calgary, with a combined team of 25 plus people. With an entrepreneurial mindset, we’ve more recently started RPI Executive Search to provide a greater service to our clients as well. While I may not have initially set out to be an entrepreneur, I know it’s exactly where I need to be.

Through my own journey, I’ve learned an absolute ton. Lessons that have been huge for me and our business. While it would be impossible to speak to them all, here’s a few take-aways.

Lessons Learned

Develop your Core values early and let your core values DRIVE your culture. CULTURE will drive everything else!  Wish I knew the power of this sooner….LOL!

In the words of Warren Rustand, who I hold a tremendous amount of respect for (and if you ever have a chance to learn from him, jump all over it, he’s amazing)

• Be a better person, every day
• Every day, you choose how you show up. You either show up with energy, time and determination to be the best you can be, or you don’t.  It’s your choice
• Are you feeling exhausted and stressed, too bad, the world needs you; the World Needs Entrepreneurs!
• Success is relevant only when measured against your own potential
• No amount of talent will overcome a bad attitude
• The past doesn’t matter – let it go!
• Live life by Design – with Intention & with Purpose
• Wake up every day and ask yourself – Why am I alive today?
• Don’t let anger shape your life!
• BE PROUD!

Being an entrepreneur is bigger than yourself. Great things don’t happen alone in business. We need to support and be there for each other. We need to celebrate our contributions to our communities, our Province, and the entrepreneurial world. That is what EO is all about. It allows us to learn and grow together. It’s far more challenging to go it alone, so let’s go far together!

– CANDICE ROOKES, EO Member, Forum Chair, and Incoming President

The post RECRUITING, ENTREPRENEURS appeared first on EO Edmonton.

They say that it’s often lonely at the top. As a new budding entrepreneur with a year under his belt in 2013, David Brown could absolutely relate. Having started Core Real Estate Group with a vision, passion, drive, and ingenuity, Dave found himself questioning, and looking for more. Even though he had started several small companies in the past and had obtained his MBA, he longed for more real-world knowledge and experience. Knowledge on strategy, structure, and process. At the age of 33, when lots of people are trying to simply build a career, Dave was singlehandedly building and crafting an Enterprise.

Like most successful individuals, Dave not only surrounded himself with good people, but actively sought out opportunities to grow in knowledge and experience. With a firm push from a good friend and EO Member at the time, Stephen Petasky, Dave took the leap and applied into the EO Accelerator Program. As EOA is a program designed to help newer entrepreneurs scale through rich learning days, monthly peer meetings, and facilitated coaching, it seemed to be exactly what he needed and was looking for.

Although he recounts having nerves walking into the room the first day, he quickly realized within the hour that he had found his tribe. He knew that this experience and these people would be the change maker in helping him to achieve his dreams. Through EOA, Dave found peers to share experiences with, to relate to, and to gain a huge sense of belonging with. Although he admits the initial learning days were like drinking from a firehose, he managed to take home massive value and learnings on business strategy, process, people, and finances. He learned about setting goals, benchmarking, and accountability, and brought it all back to his business.

Over his three years in the program, Dave felt incredibly grateful for the coaches and entrepreneurs that he was able to share with and learn from. People like Ken Barry, Noah Jones, Jacqueline Jacek, Roger Cable, and Bryan Smith to name only a few. Dave was able to cut his teeth along side of, and guided by other great people and entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs that were also in the same trenches as he was. Entrepreneurs with similar challenges, drive, and passion as he had. In implementing his learnings, Core was able to scale 6x over the same three-year timeframe. No easy feat to say the least.

Arming him with more than simply business knowledge, but wholistic life changing lessons and experiences, Dave mentions that EO Accelerator left a hugely impactful mark on his entire life. From business to personal, family and friendships, Accelerator helped gain insights on every aspect of life.

Today now having graduated from EOA, Dave has been a full out EO Member since 2017.  With a sustained spark, he continues to strive for that same growth, learning, and excellence as ever before. With his confident, passionate, and open nature, Dave continues to grow Core Real Estate Group, while also giving back to his community. With learning at his core, Dave is the current Board Chair for Junior Achievement Northern Alberta, and works to inspire kids to pursue their passions – to learn and to grow, and to explore whatever great possibilities might exist.

A past winner of a Business In Edmonton Leadership Award, Dave continues to create further good in the world, we at EO Edmonton are extremely proud to have contributed to his story and in part to his ongoing success. We’re excited to see what further impact he’ll create and bring to our city.

The post ACCELERATED SUCCESS appeared first on EO Edmonton.

As a new dawn, a new day, and a new decade begins, I’m sure that we can all agree that there’s a refreshed feeling of excitement within all of us for what’s in store. Not only the next year, but also where the next ten will find us. Looking towards a bright future, it’s reflective to glance back to see what we’ve accomplished, experienced, and shared in together over the last decade. While there’s been a mountain of events, speakers, experiences, impactful conversations, and leaders at the helm, here’s a few highlights and milestones accomplished.

PRESIDENTS:

Our dedicated and esteemed list of Presidents include:

•  2009-2010       Dwayne Pohranychny
• 2010-2011       Jared Smith
• 2011-2012       Richard Pierson
• 2012-2013       John Trapp
• 2013-2014       Kevin Lang
• 2014-2015       James Keirstead
• 2015-2016       Paul Ingram
• 2016-2017       Cory Janssen
• 2017-2018       Darcy Braun
• 2018-2019       Jim Ward
• 2019-2020       Ken Jurina

LEADERS:

Giving back to not only our local membership, but that of EO Globally, Edmonton has been dedicated to the overall leadership of our organization over the last decade.

• Blair Assaly as EO Global Chairman
• 17 EO Members have contributed to the Regional Council
• 52 different Members on the EO Board in last 10 years

SPEAKERS:

We’ve had the privilege of hearing and learning from Leaders, Athletes, Icons, Astronauts, Survivors, Adventurers, Criminals, Rockstars and more. Here’s some speakers to name a few:

 Nando Parrado, John Spence, Gino Wickman, Jesse Itzler, Gian Paul Gonzales, Rick Mercer, Gene Simmons, Molly Bloom, Chris Hadfield, Richard Branson, Marnie McBean, Peter Diamandis, Richard & Linda Eyres, James Lawrence (the Iron Cowboy), Clara Hughes, Jerry Greenfield (Ben & Jerry’s), Sean Tuohy (the Blind Side), John Furling, CEO of 2010 Olympics; Michael Uslan (producer of Batman films); Warren Rustand; Anthony Zuiker (creator of CSI) Frank O’Dea (Second Cup), Amanda Lindhout, Marc & Craig Kielberger, Alan Miltz, Cameron Herald, Mark Moses, Michael Walsh, Jim Treliving (Boston Pizza), Commissioner for CLF (Mark Cohon, Lance Armstrong, Donald Trump Jr, John Stanton (Running Room), Frank Abagnale (Catch Me if You Can)

EVENTS:

Our members have contributed and attended a variety of events: Global Universities, Anniversaries, Summits, Retreats, Parties, Learnings, Networking, Once in a lifetime Experiences, including:

• Canadian Conferences in Whistler, Toronto, Edmonton, Halifax & Victoria.
• Banff Global University.
• EO Edmonton’s 25th Anniversary.
• GLC’s around the globe.
• The Level Up Summit.
• Chapter Retreats to:  Banff, Germany & Las Vegas.
• Multiple Family Christmas Parties.

EO ACCELERATOR

As a new program EO Accelerator was started in 2011 by John Radostits, to help newer Entrepreneurs to grow, both in knowledge and revenue.

• 20 EOA to EO Graduates since 2011
• 74 Entrepreneurs through the EOA Program
• 43 EO Mentors/Coaches for Accountability Groups

GSEA: GLOBAL STUDENT ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS 

In an effort to further support young entrepreneurs, EO Edmonton has provided both Mentorship, and funding through GSEA.

• 6 Years running with 6 University Students having won GSEA in Edmonton
• 1 student placed 2^nd at Nationals

MENTORSHIP

Over the past ten years, EO has facilitated a total of 130 Mentorship pairings for our members, placing Mentees with a mix of tenured EO members, YPO members, and WPO members.

We’re extremely fortunate to have accomplished and experienced so very much with all our Members, Strategic Alliance Partners, and Community over the past decade. Looking forward to all that’s in store over the next ten years!

The post A DECADE IN REVIEW appeared first on EO Edmonton.