Change masters are the leaders who motivate and drive the successful direction of their companies. They know that success starts and is sustained by excellence in staffing. Enlightened leaders create workplaces where people are the focus of the corporate culture and the customer is the focus of the people.
The President and owner of a successful office equipment dealership had built the business from the ground up to a three store operation. He decided it was time to bring in additional expertise to help the business grow and penetrate the market even further. Simultaneously, the owner desired a sunset plan for the future to allow him to retire at some point to Florida.
The challenge was to find a new Vice President of Sales that was at a point in his/her career that would allow the dealer to still put his personal stamp on the VP’s development and growth into a senior-level business executive, yet with enough experience and track record already to guarantee success.
Due to the unique requirements of the search and a distinct sense of urgency, it was decided to conduct the search in a “retained” format, allowing for prioritized search activity and the ability to attract otherwise passive candidates. This sent a powerful message to all prospective candidates, signaling the level and caliber of need, the seriousness and expectations of the client, and the urgency of the entire search, interview, and onboarding process.
Only candidates with top level consistent achievement in sales management were presented. Immediate interview and clarifications were made to refine the search criteria to include internal and external cultural fit. A palate of extreme top performers with appropriate local geographical ties and demeanor was presented. A round of telephone interviews reduced the finalists to three.
After three face-to-face interviews on the same day, the President declared, “I found my VP; you can let the others go!”
An out-of- town young family was given the opportunity to move back to their home town, where the new baby they just had is now united with the grandparents and other extended family members. A new employee has the opportunity of a lifetime. The president can now get away and play a little golf without worry.







