A Short Interview with An Entrepreneur
March is Women’s History Month, and with that in mind we wanted to go back to ancient history, to 2003, when our leader Elizabeth Trcka began laying the foundations for what is now Skywalk Group, with her business partner Tami. What obstacles did they face, what would they do differently in retrospect, and how have they evolved with the recruiting landscape over the past 18 years? Let’s dig in.
What made you and your business partner start Skywalk Group (at that time, Human Capital Solutions)?
We came up with the idea after working at a Fortune 500 company where our roles were to hire many employees in a very short amount of time. There, we were looking for the type of solution where we could contact a company when we needed extra recruiting support to complement our existing recruiters, then exit when the hiring was under control, and then be available again when we needed the support. We wanted an outside team we could train to know “us” and be available when we needed the bandwidth and expertise.
At the time, a business model like this didn’t exist. Based on our experience and what we were looking for, we recognized that businesses needed an alternative solution for finding talent. The recruiting models that existed then were pricey, not conducive for greater hiring demands, promoted themselves instead of the client, and were not flexible or nimble enough to work with organizations long-term. So, with that in mind, we started Human Capital Solutions with the idea of starting an organization with a model that would provide a recruiting solution that was “renting” our recruiters as needed. At the same time, we were being contacted by and working with business owners who needed HR expertise but did not have a need for a full-time HR Manager.
How have you evolved as the Human Resources and Recruiting landscape has changed over the past 20-ish years?
Well, when we started with our recruiting solution over 18 years ago, we were promoting Contract Recruiting which was a very new recruiting idea to the industry, and as the solution has evolved, we are now considered an RPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcing.) As an RPO, the types of solutions have changed over the years also, from partial outsourcing, to complete outsourcing of all recruiting services. We know and have learned in order to be an effective RPO organization, you need to be able to meet whatever the clients’ needs are, be flexible, and be a true partner. The RPO industry is still very much an up and coming recruiting resource for businesses, and one that is growing at a compounded annual rate of 18.5% (projected through 2027!)
While recruiting has been evolving and changing, the HR world also recognized that there are more needs for flexible solutions for small/medium sized businesses. So we started our HR Consulting services, HRO (Human Resources Outsourcing) for organizations, and that has evolved as well with more organizations recognizing the need to mitigate their risk by having experts on hand part-time or as needed.
Did you face any obstacles you feel were directly related to being women in the “people” industry?
I can’t say that we have had obstacles because we were women in business. I guess I don’t think of myself as a woman in business, but a business owner who strives to accomplish success working with a team who strives to be part of a learning, caring, entrepreneurial environment!
Looking back, is there anything you wish you had done differently when establishing the company?
We have learned so much since 2003, some from trial and error and others just from our experiences, but one area is for sure, when you know your skills are limited, or you don’t have the time and you're hampering your success and growth, find a solution; whether you bring on new talent, or find an outside resource. Invest in your success!
What advice do you have for women who are considering starting a business in 2021?
Find a mentor! There is so much you can learn, quicker and sometimes better, if you have a reliable business mentor to be a resource. Also, surround yourself with people who understand and buy in to what you are doing and are willing to learn and grow with you, who aren’t afraid of change, and provide ideas and solutions!