Background
Media Staffing Network is a job-placement agency based in Chicago. The company offers job placement, recruitment consulting, candidate and corporate training, and outplacement.Laurie Kahn founded Media Staffing Network in 1993 following a successful radio career in Kansas City and Chicago. After “getting fired” – one of the best things to happen to her, she said – she took a position as a temporary sales representative at a local radio station. It was during this position that she got the idea for her company, which started as Rep Temps before eventually evolving into Media Staffing Network.
Challenges
Media Staffing Network was one of many businesses that experienced a significant economic loss following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. This put Laurie in a position where she essentially needed to rebuild the company from the ground up – a daunting task, but one she felt she could do with the right resources and support. She wanted to capitalize on her strengths as a leader and manager while positioning the company for stability and growth.
Solutions
Through a client, Laurie was introduced to Brad Farris of Anchor Advisors in 2005. She signed on for Anchor Advisors’ Business Coaching Services to help build upon her strengths and find solutions for those tasks that weren’t being properly addressed. “I am a creative, big-picture kind of person,” Laurie said. “So, I needed help with things like projecting financials.”
Anchor Advisors worked with Laurie to establish viable short- and long-term goals for the company. Through these goals, the company could put itself in a better position to not only weather economic downfalls, but to grow as a business. “Anchor Advisors not only helped me come up with short-term and long-term goals for my business, but they also connected me with the resources to implement those goals,” she said.
Based on Brad’s recommendations, she outsourced the company’s accounting functions to a reliable source. This improved her financial accountability and provided Laurie with valuable time to focus on leading the business. Brad also helped Laurie strengthen her team and processes as new staff members were added. “Brad identified and systemized traits, set better accountability and taught me how ‘not to give away the store’,” she said.
Results
With Anchor Advisors’ assistance, Laurie said her company is positioned for a solid future, even though her industry can be volatile at times. The changes she made as a result of her work with Brad have not only affected her professional life, but her personal life as well. Since she outsourced the accounting, she was able to work “virtually” from Arizona for two months last year, which has been a dream of hers. Brad’s coaching taught Laurie how to best use her strengths as a “creative, big picture kind of person” and incorporate them into the business. He didn’t try to change her style, but rather showed her how to capitalize on it.
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