MorePeople has been in business for 20 years! As part of our celebrations for hitting this milestone, we’re asking some of our valued clients from over the years to look back at some of their highlights and challenges and make predictions for the next 20.
To kick off the campaign, our CEO, Guy Moreton, tells his story…
1. What do you see as your biggest accomplishment of the last 20 years?
I’m very proud of the fact that MorePeople have made it to 20 years! But, more importantly, that we’ve stuck true to our original vision, built a strong brand and a great team. Back in 2000, Peter and I set out to create a specialist recruitment business that was run by industry experts who fully understood the sectors and the challenges that our clients faced. This is still very much how we operate the business today and why we employ the people that we do.
2. What has been your most memorable career moment of the last 20 years?
I love every day at work, but I think one of the most memorable and significant moments for me was the day that we appointed Andrew Fitzmaurice as Managing Director around 10 years ago. With his experience in building and managing high performing teams for large recruitment businesses in London, he gave us the strategic thinking that we were lacking to really grow the business.
3. What’s the biggest challenge you have faced in the last 20 years?
Despite the challenges that the current Covid-19 pandemic has thrown at us, the recession of 2008 had a bigger impact on the business. Job vacancies dried up for a period of about four months because everything literally ground to a halt. It didn’t matter how good we were at recruitment when there weren’t any jobs to fill! Fortunately, this was followed by six REALLY good months, so we quickly got back on our feet.
4.If you could go back to the year 2000, what one piece of advice would you give yourself?
I would tell myself to take more risks in life and be more ballsy! As the saying goes, ‘Take risks: if you win, you will be happy; if you lose, you will be wise.’
5. What do you predict will be the big trends in the food/produce/agri/garden industry in 20 years’ time?
I’m excited to see how the move to more sustainable methods of agriculture develops. We’re already seeing innovations in this area, driven by a new generation of more commercially minded farmers.
In the shorter-term, it seems that Covid is making us more health conscious, so there’s likely to be increased consumer interest around where food comes from, which is great for the fresh produce industry.
Personally, I’m looking forward to the food service comeback and restaurants thriving once again.
6. What do the next 20 years look like for your business?
We had ambitious growth plans pre-Covid and aim to get these back on track as soon as possible. Our focus has always been on how we can add value to our clients, helping them to solve problems and providing an ongoing talent service.
7. What is the best piece of advice you could give to a 20-year-old candidate just starting their career in the industry?
The same advice that I recently gave my own children as they started their careers:
Work hard
Go the extra mile
Be enthusiastic and positive
Don’t be afraid to ask questions
It’s ok to make mistakes, but own up to them
Say yes to opportunities – you never know where they might lead
Do what your boss says!
8. In 20 words or less, how would you describe MorePeople?
MorePeople are a leading recruiter in the agri-food space and passionate about adding value to all our candidates and clients.
