Search begins for this year’s business champs
THE 2021 Rossendale Business Awards, organised by Valley at Work which connects local businesses, opens for nominations later this month.
Last year Finlay Jude Associates scooped the Rossendale Business Awards Services trophy.
The specialist recruitment business which started in a back bedroom now employs 10 people and helps companies all over the UK find the right employees.
While working in human resources for utilities company Biwater, now called MWH, Lisa Greenhalgh was told by a manager ‘ you would be really good in recruitment’. So, she joined a recruitment company for two years, upskilled and while on holiday in Spain with her partner Daz
Gilkinson decided to take the plunge and go it alone.
In August 2012 she set up Finlay Jude Associates Limited and it began trading in the September. Now in its tenth year, the company has a turnover of £5million and has managed to secure roles for 550 people in more than 45 local and national companies.
Director Lisa said: “I have worked really hard, starting the business in my back bedroom and working late into the night finding people jobs and doing the payroll from home. After a year, I took on my first employee and she still works for me.”
The business rented offices in Rochdale before buying a former plumbing business in Market Street, Whitworth. They renovated the corner building and Finlay Jude relocated in March 2020; just two weeks later they had to close and work from home when the first national lockdown was announced.
The company, which specialises in recruiting staff to positions in utilities, water, highways, industrial, manufacturing and commercial sectors, continued to work throughout the pandemic. Just two members of staff had to be furloughed, one for three weeks and another for six.
Lisa said: “We have now taken on two extra members of staff, including an apprentice, and have lots of new clients who are looking for employees.
“This year we achieved the British Standard qualifications ISO 9001 in quality management and ISO 27001 in information security management, so our clients and staff know we are doing our job right.
“Our work comes by way of recommendation and we don’t do sales calls. When we place a candidate in a business, that is not where their relationship with our company ends. We continue to provide them with support throughout their placement.
“When I started Finlay Jude, I didn’t think it would be as successful as it has been, but the growth has exceeded my expectations.
“I now want to take on more staff, to expand, we have capacity in the premises we have, and to help even more people get the job they want.”
Lisa is a believer in change management and learns from experience. She is constantly evaluating and assessing how the business works and adapts practices as necessary.
She added: “Winning the business award was a big boost to the business and staff members especially as we had only just moved into Rossendale, but we are never complacent and will always continue to learn.”
Nominations for the 2021 awards open on September 22 with a presentation planned for December. To find out more email chair@ valleyatwork.co.uk or visit http://r-awards.co.uk/