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    NEWS &
    COMMUNITY

RECRUITING, ENTREPRENEURS
November 18, 2020

BY CANDICE ROOKES

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