Toronto (September 12, 2019) Canadian Business and Maclean’s today ranked TalentSphere Staffing Solutions No. 107 on the annual Growth 500, the definitive ranking of Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies. Produced by Canada’s premier business and current affairs media brands, the Growth 500 ranks Canadian businesses on five-year revenue growth. Growth 500 winners are profiled in a special print issue of Canadian Business published with Maclean’s magazine and online at CanadianBusiness.com and Growth500.ca.

Speaking from his home office in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Founder and CEO, Peter Humphrey says; 

“TalentSphere is honoured to be given a Growth 500 ranking,” says Founder, Peter Humphrey. “This achievement enforces our belief that there is a better model for recruitment firms that recognizes the evolving requirements of today’s workforce; Recruitment consultants no longer need to endure suboptimal work life balance and can now maximize both their lifestyle and their earning capacity.”

We caught up with Peter to better understand the evolution of this fast-growing business.

What drove you to start up TalentSphere Staffing Solutions?

“Honestly the plan was never to disrupt the recruitment market. I had worked within the recruitment industry for fifteen years and had worked for two of the world’s largest recruitment brands. However, I also had a family with four kids and found that family life and work life were increasingly incompatible. The demands of the agency never took into consideration the demands of my family, so I simply looked to create myself an alternative.”

Tell us about the TalentSphere journey, has it always been plain sailing?

“Ha ha. No, business is never plain sailing! However, I will say that, I was initially surprised when I first stepped out on my own that it wasn’t as hard as the corporate agency world had wanted me to believe. You learn very quickly that, in recruitment, the clients and candidates work with the person not the brand. As an accomplished recruiter with a strong network, I found that business came relatively quickly. I think it is fair to say in our first couple of years we didn’t fully understand the potential of what we had created. Initially TalentSphere was simply a vehicle to give me and a few people around me the flexibility to enjoy a better work life balance.

What changed that?

“Two things; Firstly, the first few consultants who worked with us started to earn themselves very substantial incomes. We saw that with our commission model and without the constraints of commuting, endless meetings and other distractions within an office environment, a good consultant was able to earn themselves well over double the income that they had made within a traditional agency. This gave us the belief that we had something special.

Secondly, we began to learn what it takes to run a completely remote model. We learned that not every recruitment consultant has it within themselves to be successful operating purely remotely. They need to be disciplined, have an excellent recruitment skill set but, most importantly, need a reason to work remotely. We initially found that ‘Mom returners’ loved our model as their family life demanded increased flexibility and we soon learned that there are many other people that also need flexibility in their working life. Whatever the need for flexibility, it honestly doesn’t matter to us; if there is a definitive need to work remotely. Once we understood this we began to grow much more quickly as we now knew the right recruitment consultants to hire.”

What is the single most effective tool or tactic you’ve found when it comes to attracting, retaining, motivating or training good employees?

“Giving them the flexibility and autonomy to do their best work. Enabling them by removing constraints such as commutes, fixed working hours, and distractions such as meeting.”

What has been a significant human resources challenge for your business? What did you do to overcome it?

“Mental health is a challenge working from home. Video conferencing, work based social media, increased touch points, raising awareness and use of charity programs to encourage them to get out of the house.”

Where to from here?

“We are excited by our model. No-one else in Canada is offering recruitment consultants the opportunity to improve their lifestyles so markedly whilst still giving them the support, guidance and security of an employee-based model. We know that the work force is moving towards increased flexibility and believe that we are uniquely positioned to offer the experienced agency recruitment consultant something that traditional agencies cannot.”

If you could describe your company’s culture in a single word, what would that word be?

“Empowered.”

About the Growth 500

For over 30 years, the Growth 500 has been Canada’s most respectable and influential ranking of entrepreneurial achievement. Ranking Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies by five-year revenue growth, the Growth 500 profiles the country’s most successful growing businesses. The Growth 500 is produced by Canadian Business. Winners are profiled in a special Growth 500 print issue of Canadian Business (packaged with the October issue of Maclean’s magazine) and online at Growth500.ca and CanadianBusiness.com. For more information on the ranking, visit Growth500.ca.

About Canadian Business

 Founded in 1928, Canadian Business is the longest-serving and most-trusted business publication in the country. It is the country’s premier media brand for executives and senior business leaders. It fuels the success of Canada’s business elite with a focus on the things that matter most: leadership, innovation, business strategy and management tactics. Learn more at CanadianBusiness.com.

For more information about TalentSphere Staffing Solutions contact Peter Humphrey on phumphrey@talentsphere.ca 416 900 3435 ext 700.