1. Dark side.tv
SEPTEMBER
2012
WANTT
ww TO KNOW
w. the WHY?
Why the
Girls ‘r’ SEE
winning!
PAGE
11
Secrets,
Lies &
Hard Work!
Inside this issue: Inside this issue:
Spam, Spam, Spam Still Frustrated
Girls, Girls, Girls Factoring Who?
Stress Test! Clare & A Few “Myths”
The Power of Three!

3. EDITOR’S NOTE
Girls won, Boys....lost!
2012
Why do girls always seem to win?
In arguments about cooking, knitting or decorating,
that seems fair enough, (lol!) but why do the fairer sex
Why is this TRUE?
seem to be winning everything else too these days?!
No such thing as a glass ceiling in recruitment it would
appear as we boys are definitely having to take it on the
chin – as the girls turn up the heat, generating more
profits, turnover and business than the tough guys with
the stubble and the dodgy attitudes.
(or is it?!)
Well, apparently it really does all comes down to
attitude and commitment. GIRLS ON TOP - Page 11
The girls are working harder, remain more consistent in
what they do and are more prepared to ‘get their hands
dirty’ when it matters. Take a look at the ‘Girls, Girls,
Girls’ article in this edition of TDS and see what you
think. Today’s Special
Elsewhere, we are still being warned about the
Eurozone and the ECB & whatever else. Is it just SSG or Regular Stuff
all we all getting a little sick of this phoney war on the 11 Girls, Girls, Girls!
causes of the problem? I am beginning to hate all of the
hype, the worry and the anxiety eroding the basic will to 4
19 The Stress Test
push on and get things done.
It seems it is getting harder to do the same things and 15 What’s New?
yet we all have to keep plugging away.
18 Grumpy Cat Nonsense!
Having said all of that, the News Section this month is
packed full of great little stories about the successes 18 Pop’s Pantry
that keep flowing from the ventures we support –
profits rising, babies being born and new toilet 8 Launches!
configurations being installed (thanks for that one
Barnes Frank!). 14 Don’t Forget
In addition, it is brilliant to read about Big Sky Additions
who go from strength to strength (see ‘On the Couch’)
who having decided unilaterally that the recession is Serious Bits
not for them have seemingly found the solution to the
larger economic issues surrounding us all – just ignore
it all and ‘hit the phones!’
6 Factoring!
So, all in all we are faced with the same situation as we
have been facing since 2008 – rubbish economy but
17 Employment Myths
lots of reasons to push on and ignore what happens on 23 Chris & Spam
Wall Street & in Brussels and make sure that you get
out of bed and make a placement!
That’s all it takes guys!!
The Power of Three!
info@ the-darkside.tv
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otherwise apply.
3

4. Key
Justin and Sam worked together for 3 years • Home Based Facts
• Two Owners
before setting up Big Sky Additions,
working in the local Norfolk market in
• 2010 Launch
• Temp & Perm
ig ky B S additions
Accountancy Search & Selection
Accountancy & Finance. • Finance & Accounting
MOTIVATIONS So, what made you decide to SYOB? Why did you NIGGLING ANXIETIES
make the transition from Employee to Business
Expectation Reality Owner? For all of the rhetoric & seemingly Expectation Reality
endless discussions, was it money, freedom or
Freedom & Autonomy 8 8 perhaps the children which finally made you ‘get Legal Formations 8.5 8
out of recruitment & into business’? What did you
expect and what has been the reality? Accounting Issues 8.5 8
Financial / Earnings 8.5 8
The Tax Man 9 8
10 10
?
Long Term Ambition
The VAT Man 9 7
Increased Family Time 9.5 9
Sourcing Vacancies 8.5 6.5
Reduction in Commute 7.5 9.5 Personal Cash Flow 8.5 8.5
Escape Office Politics 8 9.5 Personal Isolation 7 6
A Difficult Employer 6 7 Restrictive Covenants 8 6.5
Technical Issues 7 7
The ‘Right Time’ 8.5 9 And before you made the big decision to SYOB,
what kept you awake at night? What were the Staying Organised 5 4.5
Prove Doubters Wrong 7.5 8.5 awful worries, the ‘niggles’ you couldn’t escape?
Has the Tax man been friend or foe? Did your Impact on your Family 6 6
Work / Life Balance 8 9 Restrictive Covenant hold you back? What about
Making Placements 5 5
cash flow? Technology? Do you have more time
5.5 5.5 for your family? Has it been tougher than you
Shorter Working Day
anticipated?
Room in the Market 5 5
50 WORDS ON WHY! 50 WORDS ON WHY NOT!
For us, we didn’t have any doubts about the concept
Justin: my main aim was to achieve freedom and a better
of going it alone but what was holding us back were
lifestyle – not to have to save up the chores for the weekend,
to blend work and non-work tasks over the full week. the mechanics of running a business – these were
the elements that made us doubt whether we
Sam: it was the chance to be financially secure – with a young should be doing this. We both wanted to
family, the thought of working for someone else for the rest of concentrate on the recruiting side and we were not
my life filled me with dread – I was bored where I was, I so confident on how to go about actually starting
needed to try it and was confident that I could succeed and building a business.
8 A: Without a doubt, Cash 8 9
Biggest challenge?
A: Overall we are very Flow and everything A: Certainly we both
Major upsides?
So far, so good?
10 that goes with that 10 10
happy with how things element of the business enjoy the job now and
have gone – we have had a has been our biggest get a huge amount of
challenge. We want to
good solid start and we are increase the number of satisfaction from doing it for
proud of what we have vacancies coming to us ourselves – we have the
without us chasing after
achieved so far – there is them and achieve a freedom to work how we
still a lot more to do. consistency to the billing – want to work and are not
we have very high billing
months and then not so high restricted in any way.
– our challenge is evening
this out.
4

5. 5 RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS
We wanted to find a
company who could help us 10 “Getting family and
Why choose SSG?
with the mechanics of starting Expectation? Reality?
and building a business so that we friends on side wasn’t
could concentrate on recruiting. We an issue - our
chose SSG principally because we
met David and got on well with him
challenge was to show Making Placements 5 5
– we really bought in to him and our clients that we
when we needed to reconnect with could compete ”
SSG, he was there to help us. Work Routine 7 7
7
Personal Cash Flow 6 8
10
How was the launch?
Once we had managed to
get out of Norfolk through the Personal Routine 7 8
Big Sky
snow, the launch went well and we
found it pretty straightforward – it additions
would have been ideal to have met
Distractions 7 7
the team before the launch date as Accountancy Search & Selection
the day itself was pretty full on but it
has all worked out well.
Feeling Isolated 8 6
Family Support 9 9
10
The Cash Flow forecasting Candidate Attraction 7 8
Most important support
that we have implemented 10
recently with the help of the
Toolkit has been very useful and we “Long hours, high
are getting a huge amount out of the stress - these aren’t a
Client Attraction 8 7
meetings we are having with David.
His recent support in a mentoring negative, we do it
capacity has been invaluable and we because we love it. ”
Working Hours 8 8
can see our business starting to
grow. Stress Levels 8 9
ADVICE FOR OTHERS? BIGGEST MISTAKE? LONG-TERM GOALS?
The main thing is to have confidence in your We think that possibly we have been too Justin: to be in a financial position that for
own ability – if you can visualise yourself impatient at times and that has led to sometimes few years I wouldn’t need to work if I chose
running your own business then do it! Have not being guarded enough when we come not to and to be able to look back and to
a good support network around you and across business advisors at networking events – have been a success.
we have been at risk of being sucked into making
make sure you have enough money to Sam: without a doubt, financial freedom –
the wrong decisions sometimes. Our growing
survive for 6 months being able to do what I want when I want,
confidence in the business now means that we
think we should be more aggressive when we provide for my family and be proud of the
know we are in the right! business and what we’ve achieved.
We have been What to do Next?
working with
Big Sky for a Take the Challenge?
couple of years
Why not Volunteer to be
Clare’s – passionate
next with
Last about their Clare?
Words market and the
In Sam’s opinion: area that they Surely, it is much better to
serve, they are step forward and take a hit
Football Rugby Neither carving out a niche for themselves for the team than to be
within the Accounting and Finance relentlessly tracked down
Eastenders Corrie Neither
by a seemingly pleasant &
Rock Opera Neither space. Some adjustment to the services
fair minded pseudo
Jogging Crisps Neither that we provide and the addition of a Psychiatrist?
Wine Beer Neither
mentor has proved to be just what the
company needed to kick-start a new To take part, please contact
Literature DVD’s Neither
period of growth. Although Justin feels
Casual Suited Neither CLARE ARMSTRONG
he has lost his ‘baby face’ features to the
UK Hol’s Overseas Neither stress of running a business, we are 01442 200 957
Glasses Contacts Neither confident that he and Sam will achieve
clare@supportservicesgroup.tv
History Sci-Fi Neither their goals.
5

6. Darren’s Helpful Hints
Factoring : What is it?
The first consideration for any temp client pays in the agreed terms of 14 days And the bank do this for free?!?!
recruitment business is how am I going to so you get your £100 from Temp Client Ltd
pay my contractors? in week 4. Well No!
This is before Insurance, getting However this is after the wages have been The example above has deliberately
timesheets signed, filling the vacancy and paid leaving you with a shortfall. ignored the fees that the Factoring
all the other steps to running a temp desk. company charge for providing this
The factoring company agree that service.
And why is that I hear you ask? because you have raised an invoice of These can be split into 2 charges
£100 in week 2 they will lend you 90% of
The short answer is that if your temps that (£90) in week 2 as a result. Service charge
don’t get paid you have no temp desk.
Therefore you use the £90 to pay Joe This is the charge to you for the bank
The slightly less short answer is that you Bloggs in week 2. “running” the facility.
pay the contractors before you get paid
by the client to cover those temp So now you are at the point of where you The service charge is worked out as a
payments. have borrowed £90 to pay Joe Bloggs but percentage of the invoice value that you
your client owes you £100 which will raise.
Therefore you need some form of finance cover the repayment of the bank
to cover the payments until the client borrowing. This can be anywhere from 0.08% to 1.5%
pays you. of turnover that is factored, depending on
In week 4 the bank receive £100 from your what you expect your turnover to be.
This is where Factoring steps in: client.
They take £90 of it straight away to get the
So what is Factoring?
money back they lent you. This leaves £10
remaining that is yours.
Factoring is the bank (in our case, Lloyds
Commercial Finance) lending you money WORDS TO UNDERSTAND
Or to look at in its simplest form :
against your sales invoices.
Service Charge
Usually this advance is up to 90% of
You raised a £100 invoice which you
invoice value. Drawdown
received £90 up front and £10 when the
client pays. Discount
The factoring company then collect the
money from your clients due on the Disallowed
invoices and this is how they get their
Avaliable Funds
money back.
This releases the final amount due to you
which is the remaining 10% of the invoice
that you have not received yet.
The higher the turnover the lower the
An example %age as Lloyds will earn more from higher
turnover businesses.
Joe Bloggs works for a week at Temp
Client Ltd – We will call this week 1 However, don’t think you can just say
you’ll do high turnover and get a lower
The following Monday Joe Bloggs submits %age as they impose what they call a
his timesheet to you and expects to be minimum service charge.
paid his wages of £90 that Friday – we will
call this week 2. This is a set amount that they will charge
as a minimum regardless of the value of
Still in week 2, you raise an invoice of £100 the invoices they raise.
to your client for the supply of Joe Bloggs.
“When you need to get your hands on So your great idea of saying you will raise
You are one of the lucky ones and your the money....” £1million in the first year to lower your
6

7. %age means you will be hit with a far Once logged in you will be presented with Funded – This is the total value of invoices
higher minimum service charge and the my account screen that Lloyds expect to receive from your
actually be worse off! clients.
This gives you a summary of your whole
But don’t think of the minimum as an factoring account. (Fig 1) So this is what they base the total funding
additional charge on top of the Service figure that they will advance you on.
charge. So lets work through the figures in the top
half first So in our earlier example this would be
You pay one or the other, depending £100 giving a total allowed funding of £90
which one is higher.
Fig 1 IP – This just shows the
“Discount” agreed percentage figure
that Lloyds will advance on
This is really the interest charge for that we discussed earlier
borrowing money and is the term used
by Lloyds. Current Account – This is
your current borrowings
Looking back at our example, you from Lloyds. It is an ongoing
borrowed £90 from week 2 until week 4 figure that increases or
when the client paid. decreases.
The factoring company will charge you So when Lloyds give you
interest on that £90 from week 2 till week funds against the invoices
4. this figure increases (because
your borrowings from Lloyds
SSG can arrange a meeting with Lloyds increase)
for you and you will get a full quote that
will outline all charges that you will pay When your Clients make a
for the factoring facility. payment to Lloyds this
decreases as you are
Using the Facility TOP TIP! borrowing less.
Passwords change
When you actually use a factoring facility monthly on CashCon-
nect so try to use
Total available at start of
your main contact with Lloyds will be numerical ones (01, day – The current account is
through their web portal – 02 etc..)
what is owed to Lloyds.
www.cashconnect.co.uk.
However, Lloyds will advance
You will be given your own unique login up to 90% of the Funded
and will be presented with information balance.
that is unique to you and is all the
information as to what is happening in Gross Debtors – This is the value of your If the Current account is below that figure
your factoring account. invoices that have not been paid to Lloyds then there are additional funds available
yet. to borrow.
It is here that you can “draw down” funds,
see what your customers owe, see what So looking at our example earlier this This is what is known as the availability
you owe Lloyds, etc. figure would show £100 in week 2 and shown in this box.
Let’s take a look inside
www.cashconnect.co.uk and explain the When invoices are paid by your clients this It is calculated as follows :
important areas and what they mean. figure reduces and when invoices are
raised by you, it increases.
Funded multiplied by IP %age
Disapproved/capped – If a client says
that an invoice will not be paid, or if a The result of this is the total available to be
customer is over their credit limit then borrowed.
Lloyds will not advance against these as
they do not expect to get the money back. This total less the Current account
(Current borrowings) gives you the
So any figure in these will need to be remaining availability.
looked at.
And as a result Lloyds reduce it from the Using our example at the beginning :
Gross Debtors to arrive at the funded
“Cash is King!” figure. An invoice was raised for £100.
7

8. This would have shown in the gross
debtors as £100 in week 2 and made the July
funded figure £100. BLAST OFF! 2012
This would have created an availability in
week 2 or £90. Home Counties Hero!
Generalist Recruitment
with a specialist twist!
Lloyds advanced £90 to you in week 2
No CV Blasting here,
which would have had 2 effects.
just a great job
with genuine focus RISE IN TEMPORARY ROLES
The Current account would have & care is a sector ENCOURAGING FOR RECRUITERS
increased by £90 (as you have borrowed better known Employers are increasingly turning to
this amount) and the availability would for volume & recruitment businesses to provide temporary,
have gone down to 0 as you have complaints! flexible workers to fill vacancies against the
borrowed all you can. challenging business backdrop, enabling
For more info, contact: firms to increase or decrease headcount in
clare@supportservicesgroup.tv line with fluctuations in trading.
In week 4 – When the client has paid their
invoice the following would happen. The number of job vacancies available
through recruitment companies continued
to rise in July – albeit at a more modest
Gross debtors would have decreased to 0 pace than previous months – particularly in
as the £100 was paid. the engineering, construction and medical
sectors, according to the latest REC/KPMG
This would give a funded of 0 which July Report on Jobs.
means that the Current account can only BLAST OFF! 2012
Conditions remain stable for young
be 0 at its highest. recruitment businesses, particularly
Young Gun shooting for specialists operating in resilient vertical
However, the current account which was sectors, to realise their growth potential.
South Coast Success!
£90 would be decreased by £100 which Our Recruiter may only However, access to working capital to pay
means it would become negative £10. be 25,but he has drive temporary workers, and the significant
enthusiasm & a great administrative burden associated with
As a result the availability would be would mental attitude. candidate and client management, can leave
directors’ with their heads down in day to
be £10 as the current account is actually Coupled with just over day activities, rather than above the parapet
showing £10 due to you. 2 yrs of Technical focusing on expansion.
Recruitment skills,
SSG is happy to Cash Friday, the outsourced payroll finance
So that is the overview. service from Lloyds TSB Commercial
back this chap all the way
Finance’s Recruitment Finance division,
But how do you get at that money?! For more info, contact: comprises payroll management, a factoring
clare@supportservicesgroup.tv facility and a credit insurance policy, and is
well suited to remedying these issues.
The Drawdown
Payroll funding addresses the tasks which
ensure temps are paid correctly and on
Drawdown is the request of funds from time, whilst being compliant with tax and
the factoring account to your business data protection legislation. Alternatively a
bank account. factoring facility advances up to 90 per cent
July of issued invoices, to make funds available
This is registered at the amount in Fig 1. BLAST OFF! 2012 to reinvest in growth, while credit insurance
covers businesses against losses due to
unpaid accounts receivable.
Sea Front Recruitment!
The factoring account is not a bank How lucky is our latest The challenging market means that it is more
account. Entrepreneurial Recruiter? important than ever for recruiters to position
Living with the Devon themselves to capitalise on emerging growth
You can’t make payments to other people beach literally on her opportunities.
doorstep, this is a
from it. fabulous opportunity to To learn more speak to our advisors on
combine all of the
All you can do is request to borrow money benefits of running a 0800 55 00 22 or visit
that is accessible in the availability figure. business with www.recruitmentfinance.co.uk
looking after 2 young
Once requested the money will show in children - did I mention STUART TALBOT
living on the beach? Head of the Recruitment Finance Division
your business bank account.
For more info, contact: of Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance
clare@supportservicesgroup.tv
So when you require funds you enter the
figure required in the amount box.
8

9. You will then need to decide what Daily change report (Fig 2) Credit rating amendment – This shows
payment method you require. This is the any changes in the credit ratings given by
amount box (Fig 1) This gives you lots of information on Lloyds for any of your clients in the period
what has changed on your account on a
But please be aware daily basis. Reconciled – This
of the following shows payments
Fig 2
received from your
There is a 3:30 pm cut clients and what
off to request funds invoices they were
via BACS but this reconciled with in
method is free of the period
charge.
Cash Received –
A BACS transfer takes
TOP TIP! This just shows the
3 working days to actual cash
show in your bank ALWAYS Check received in the
Individual Client
account. credit limits against
period
their outstanding
There is a 10:30am cut balances New Customer
off point to request a details – This
CHAPS and there is a shows any new
charge for this c u s t o m e r s
method of payment. submitted to
However a CHAPS transfer will show in You will first see that there are date Lloyds in the period
your bank account the same day. ranges so you can look at different Reassignment - this shows any invoices
periods. that have been reassigned
To view previous drawdown payments
made just click on the last 10 payments Select the period you want and click So there is a lot of information there.
icon and they will show. (Fig 1) Load report
But the most important is cash received.
The front page shows a summary of your This will bring up a host of other You need to know when payments are
account. information that you can access for the being made to keep track on your
period in question debtors.
We shall now look at some of the other
pages (accessed by the menu’s at the side) Fig 3
that you will look at in the course of
running the factoring account.
You can find more information
e
on Factoring at the following
he
sites:
www.ltsbcf.co.uk/
k/
Factoring
www.cash-connect
ect
.com
The slower your customers pay the higher
www.ltsbcf.co.uk/
k/ Clie Summary – This is the front page
Client
the discount charge as you are borrowing
invoice-finance-
- tha I have explained above but for the
that
for longer so it is good practice to keep
solutions/factoring/
ring/ day in selected (Fig 2)
days
your own checks on outstanding invoices.
Or contact me, Disapproval – This shows any invoices This leads us to look at how you look at
Dis
Darren Hulbert on disapproved in the period
dis what invoices are outstanding by
01442 200961. customer.
Payment Advice – This is any This page is accessed by selecting
Pay
You can also email me
ail drawdowns paid in the period
dra Customer on the left hand side menu then
darren@supportservices
tservices
customer list on any page.
group.tv Schedule acknowledgement – This
Sch
shows totals for your sales invoices It does what it says on the tin – it gives a
sho
I look forward to hearing
raised and submitted to Lloyds in the customer list. (Fig 3)
rais
from you!
period.
per It also includes estimated
charges on those invoices
cha However, it is not just a list of names, it
9

10. it also gives the customer’s credit limit, the There are a number of other areas to
J
JOKER! £50
balance outstanding, any disapproved explore on cashconnect but they are for
Angela from Manchester
values and over credit limit values. another day. Q: Driving up the motorway,
my boss phoned me & told
me I'd been promoted. He
Any element of information on Feel free to check them out yourself. then made me director and
I went right off into a tree.
cashconnect that is underlined means
A: The police came and asked
that you can click on it for further One last word of warning.
g
me what had happened. I
information. said 'I careered off the road"
WINNER!
Lloyds may not use old fashion methods
So if you click on the customer name, you of communication like the telephone if
will get address, contact details, last they have a query.
payment date and any diary notes of
interaction with the client that Lloyds The whole point of having this online
have had. portal is that is gives you all the
information you need in real time and
J
JOKER! £50
If you click on the balance figure it will
Michael from Lodnon
online. Q: What do you see when you
show all the invoices that make up that look into a Recruitment
figure. Consultants eyes?
Therefore do please keep a regular eye on
A: The back of his head
More importantly these are invoices that the memo tab (Fig 4)
your client hasn’t paid yet.
Clicking on this then memo List brings up
WINNER!
Looking at this screen also raises the new a list of items that Lloyds want to
area of Client Credit limits. communicate to you.
When a new
30 ventures in 2012
SSG has launched
client is
DID YOU KNOW?....
Fig 4
entered on
cashconnect
Lloyds will
only fund
a g a i n s t
invoices to
TOP TIP!
that client up
ALWAYS Check the
to a certain amount. memo section for
unread memos
This is the Credit Limit.
July
While a client’s outstanding invoices with BLAST OFF! 2012
you are below that credit limit any new If you miss these you may miss some vital
invoices will increase your availability as information.
normal. Nowt grim about up North!
But don’t fear, If you have some unread Yet another great
However, if a client goes over their credit memos it also tells you on the front page Commercial recruitment
limit then any further invoices will go in in the bottom left hand corner. venture based out of
the capped figure and have no effect on Newcastle!
the funded figure so do not increase your Super Star Recruiter
availability. with a great accent
and 10yrs of local
This means you are not getting funding experience.
on those invoices until the client pays so This just has to
could have an adverse effect on your work!
cashflow. For more info, contact:
clare@supportservicesgroup.tv
So credit limits are an important area to
keep an eye on.
So the customer list is quite important as J
JOKER! £50
it lets you know what is happening with
“Need Help?
Luke from Herts
Q: Why did the Recruitment
each customer and assists in giving you Consultant scale the chain
Give Darren a call link fence?
the information you need to chase your
clients. A: To see what was on the
other side
So now you have all the information in If you would like to get any further info
front of you and a new understanding of please feel free to contact me on 01442 WINNER!
how factoring works. 200961
10

11. Girls, Girls, Girls!
Never mind the Spice Girls,
Female Recruiters
lead the way!
It might shame the boys to have to admit Read the national press, scour the trade
it but the Girls are winning so far in 2012! press or just talk to any sensible Recruiter
& you will hear the same stories rehashed
Bearing in mind that approximately 50% one way or another. It isn’t good, things
of all SSG client recruiters are female, they are tough and every day seems to Is it a Happy 2012?
seem to be making more than 50% of the generate a new problem.
money of all SSG Ventures since the start
of the Olympic Year! The major players in the recruitment Same meat – different gravy!
market are not making any more money –
Is it the Jessica Ennis effect? Are we all we are seeing profits warnings, cut backs, OK – let’s focus on some of the obvious
more likely to work with the fairer sex redundancy notices or (again, at best) a indicators of how start-up recruiters and
than the boys or are female Recruiters just ‘reallocation of resources’ from the likes of their businesses are managing (as
better? What can the little ladies teach us Robert Walters, Hays, Michael Page etc reflected by the SSG Experience!)
big butch blokes?!
Look further down the food chain with Applications
The Trends since the independents and we see a similar
story but with a slighter less pessimistic
January 2012 outlook – things are ‘ok’, the outlook
Since January 2012, SSG has registered a
decrease in qualified Recruiters wanting
On a global basis, things are no better are remains ‘stable’ and the numbers seem to launch a new business. This is not a
they? August is likely to be the same as fairly ‘predictable’. massive decrease but it is noticeable – a
January and February was not any tangible reduction in numbers (both in
different to March whilst April seemed like absolute terms but also on a comparative
May and June to me! basis).
Work in the
Every news bulletin is (at best) cautious It would appear that Recruiters feel less
and usually fairly miserable. The Euro is
Moment......
keen to take the plunge right now. Is this a
sinking, the unemployment numbers reflection of the market or is it just tough
soaring and the Sovereign dangers seem luck on SSG?
determined to remain.
And then right down in the dirt fighting
No one appears to be making the right for every penny and working hard to win Launches
moves to solve this ‘perfect storm’ of any business ..... The battling Recruitment The numbers are solid – no change since
economic woe & as individuals there Start-Up venture! the start of the year and in fact a little
would seem to be little we can do to better than in 2011 and in 2010. In other
change anything – the best that we can So, what about us? How are things since words, SSG is launching more businesses
do is to work in the moment – just go with January 2012? Are things getting better or than we have done in the first 6 months of
the flow and not get too ambitious. worse? Any lessons to learn – apart from 2011 and 2010, but to be frank, that in
the fact that it seems more profitable to itself is not much to shout about.
be a girl than it is to be a boy!
£ After all, is the quality going to be as good
or just a skew of the curve? After all, if we
MO
Let’s look at the SSG KPIs are launching the same number of
NTH
S
Just like you guys, SSG works to a number businesses but working with fewer
of KPIs (you do work with KPIs don’t you?). applications, are we just lowering the bar?
Revenues
You guys might talk about interviews,
offers and placements – whilst we focus Ok – here is a definite trend!
on Business Launches, Revenues per Overall revenues per venture remain
2012 is going great for the girls! Venture, Expansion Rates and the like. almost the same (or ‘stagnant’ if you want
11

12. to be miserable or ‘robust’ if you want to
be optimistic!). Girls won, Boys......lost!
But, (& if you are a boy, you may want to
2012
look away now!), the girls are doing better
– about 20% better in fact.
SSG revenues from the boys are down.
Legal Disputes What this KPI evidence seems to highlight
is that as Recruiters we are almost too
SSG Revenues from the girls are up. The optimistic! Perhaps we really do talk a
Up, up & up!
net result is the same. better game than we play? Maybe we
No doubt here guys! 2012 has seen need to be a little more pessimistic – more
So, the big question is really ‘what are the
another increase in the number of legal prudent on our outlook.
girls doing that the boys are not?’
disputes our ventures are involved in. Not
only is the actual number rising but the
progression of the actual dispute is going
What about the Girls?
further than they have traditionally done. This is the really interesting bit!
The Girls make
more money, In other words, more and more start up The girls are doing better – there is no
seem to work Recruitment Ventures are being forced doubt about that. They seem to have
into going to court to get their fees paid. suffered less and prospered more.
harder & chat more!
Expansion In other words, for those Recruiters who
have suffered (seen their revenues
Ah ha! At last – a rare taste of good news! actually fall in 2012 from the same period
Business Failures in 2011) they seem to have suffered less.
Although I need to add a caveat or two,
Another miserable face I am sorry to say. there have been significantly more cases For those Recruiters who have prospered
of expansion during the first six months of (i.e. seen their revenues increase in 2012
For nine years (since our launch in 2003) 2012 than there has been in either 2011 or from the same period in 2011) they seem
we know that 1 in every 6 businesses SSG 2010. to have prospered more.
launch with an eager fresh faced Recruiter
will ‘fail’ (or more nicely put, the Recruiter The most significant caveat which I need Here are a few facts for you:
will decide to do something ‘different’). to add is that this expansion has come
more from well established ventures
‘Female Revenues’ now account for
Since the start of 2012 and indeed looking which launched prior to 2010 than it has 61% of all SSG Revenues.
back 12 months and even 18 months) that from Recruiters who set up in the last 18
number is slighter higher. months. ‘Female Revenues’ in 2012 are up
9% on the same period of 2011.
Not so high that most analysts would What this suggests is that it has been
more difficult to establish a foothold in ‘Female Revenues’ in 2012 are up
advocate jumping off a tall building, but 11% on the same period of 2010.
enough to make a reasonable Recruiter the market since the financial meltdown
start to wonder why? It is tougher and of 2009 and onwards. I guess we would all ‘Male Revenues’ now account for
again the boys are fairing less well. The know that anyway! 39% of all SSG Revenues.
boys seem more susceptible to calling it a ‘Male Revenues’ in 2012 are down
day than the girls do. Overall, the KPI view is that things are just
as tough now as they have been in the 4% on the same period of 2011.
Bad Debts recent past. It would appear that there has ‘Male Revenues’ in 2012 are down
been no real improvement in 2012 and 7% on the same period of 2010.
Yet another misery statistic! that we are flat lining at best!
Of the 19 Ventures who have
expanded their team in 2012, 12
Yep, you have guessed it – our ventures (& are owned by women.
therefore SSG) are suffering more than we
have with bad debts. More ‘’placed’’ Of the 5 Ventures who have ‘called
candidates are not working to the end of a se it a day’ since January 2012, 4 were
Ca s
r t ion
rebate period (damnation!) & more end BAD ou licat
C p
owned by the boys!
DE Ap
clients are failing to cough up on their BT
S
legitimate recruitment invoices. Another interesting set of facts relate to
the type of recruitment which our
Again, please don’t reach for the sleeping fabulous girls work in:
pills just yet, but it is interesting that the
bad debt numbers have crawled their way
up for three consecutive years (2010, 2011 2012 has seen a BIG 74% of Female Revenues come
and so far in 2012). increase in bad debts from PERM recruitment
12

13. 56% of Male Revenues come aggressive or more determined, but and take their time to do the right thing,
from PERM recruitment seemingly very focussed and able to not just to make a quick buck.
concentrate on new business and revenue
The average invoice value of
earning opportunities. Process Driven
Female PERM Revenue is just
under £3,200 compared with
SSG notice that the girls are always The girls have a plan and they stick to it!
an average of £2,650 for the
available – whatever the time of day. They
boys.
are sat at their desks or out on call. They This is not about being inflexible; this is
So, the girls maintain higher PERM fees are working, ready to talk and are about being focussed and process driven.
than the boys since 2012 started and they obviously ‘out there’ doing ‘it’. The girls are not reliant upon inspirational
make more of their money in the PERM recruitment but work hard against a clear
market than the boys. The girls want to discuss how things are plan.
going, they seem to want to canvass
This seems to support the clear opinions and contribute to conversations, It may take the girls longer to get going,
recruitment market trend of lowering debates and The Dark Side. but once they start making money they
TEMP revenues and stable PERM fees. In seem to do it better!
other words, it seems less difficult to make
a PERM fee than it does to generate the Work Smart
same TEMP revenues. The TEMP market is Girls work hard & consistently
harder & is contracting a little whilst the The girls don’t appear to work any longer
PERM market is robust Girls build lasting relationships hours than the boys – indeed the
impression that SSG has is that the girls
More facts about girls Up-North: Girls make 61% of SSG revenues are usually responsible for things other
than ‘just recruitment‘ (kids, shopping,

They are (on average) nearly 25% Girls talk, listen and engage chores) but somehow manage to get it all
more successful than their done.
northern male equivalent!
Do the girls work smarter or are they just

Fees north of Birmingham have
grown by around 10% for the girls so busy that they can’t waste time?
but not shifted for the boys.
Hard Working Tools
What about Down South?
There is an almost tangible feeling of Ok guys, you might hate this but it seems
x Girls are not more successful than commitment from the girls. Running a
the boys. recruitment business seems a very serious
process for the girls – this is not simply
that the girls make better use of the tools
which are available to them via SSG!

The boys are just as successful as about not wanting to work for someone More girls engage with SSG than not.
the girls! else. They want to do well and seem More girls utilise some of the business
determined to work hard, put in the hours tools than do not & more girls ask for help
Why are the Girls doing better? and try every angle to make more money. than do not.
Well, we have some theories of course, but Of course it is hard to be too empirical Big favourites include:
it is impossible to be too definite for a here, but the girls really do seem to work
million reasons; including harder ?? The KPI Tool Kit
SSG might use be lucky that the
Humility The Cash Flow Tool Kit
girlie ventures are particularly It is very clear that the vast majority of the The Vacancy Spider
good. female recruiters working with SSG are
The Online Assessment product
The boys might be unlucky right demonstratively humble! If they don’t
now. know something, they come forward and The Business Strategy meetings with
say so. If there is something which is SSG
It is market led and the girls unclear, they seek clarity.
happen to operate in more So, what is the advice then?
buoyant markets. There is no bravado about it – just a
tendency to want to know what they If you are girl and don’t feel that you are
Luck may well be a factor.
need to do to make more money and be doing better in 2012 than you were in
more successful. Very impressive! 2011, then the advice to you is probably
the same as it is to the boys!
But, what have we noticed about the
girls? Relationships
Focus Engage with SSG - talk to us, meet
Most of our female clients seem to benefit with us and discuss ideas with us. We
Of course it is hard to be too empirical from ‘repeat business’. They work with may not know everything of course
here, but the girls really do seem to be a smaller client numbers but in a more but we do hear a lot of great ideas
focussed bunch. Not necessarily more focussed way – they build relationships from a lot of great Recruiters.
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