The year began on a high note like any of the last three; our reputation and market share were growing, and the future seemed bright, but what quickly became apparent was the test of resilience that many of us were about to face.
As the year began, I started training to complete my first fifty-mile plus ultramarathon, one that ended up being over the South Downs in storm Darragh just to add to the utter discomfort. Not only was it my third attempt this year having missed two events through illness, but it was deeply symbolic of how this year felt. False starts and stutters, hope and excitement, realising the magnitude of the challenge, grinding it out through the tough times, discomfort and pain, seeing others fail and wanting to stop, until finally crossing the finish line through sheer grit and determination and realising that somehow, I and we were still standing.
This year wasn’t a rollercoaster; it was more akin at times to a big dipper with one never ending drop – the challenges were relentless. We were hit by a slowdown in the central government market as budget cuts took hold, a drop in higher education revenue as student numbers declined for numerous reasons, and continued struggles in the non-profit sector as charitable giving fell even further. Finally, a general election we all thought, surely things will get better now. Right? RIGHT?!
The timing of the election just served to exacerbate these difficulties, a pre-election period of stagnation, an election period of stagnation, a summer of stagnation, and an autumn/winter of spending reviews resulting in…stagnation, budgeting, and battening down the hatches.
It has quite possibly been the hardest year of my personal and professional life, but I’ve seen friends (talented individuals with blue-chip CVs) suffer 80+ job rejections, I’ve spoken to fellow business owners experiencing their worst year in recent memory and making difficult decisions about redundancies, and some who have had to sadly close their doors for good.
For us, embracing the toughest year we’ve had felt like picking up a cactus with bare hands in the dark.
But I can’t leave this as pure doom and gloom, because amidst the challenges, we did find things to celebrate, like working with amazing existing clients and onboarding some of the most recognisable brands in our sectors.
We saw growth in our charity and non-profit sector division in Q3 and Q4, won some landmark tenders against tough competition for high profile roles, enhanced our cyber resilience by recertifying our Cyber Essentials Plus, and my favourite…at one point, being the only search firm advertising a CDIO role across the entire public sector, a testament to our unique position.
We also expanded our consultancy delivery, particularly in data, architecture, and product, secured new frameworks and supplier agreements, developed our automation capabilities to drive better engagement and outcomes, and gained consistently positive feedback on our processes.
So, whilst at times it felt like searching in the dark, it gave us time to reflect, improve, and strengthen our processes and systems to position us for a brighter future. Finally now our numbers have stabilised, and we have some incredible projects lined up for 2025, including new business lines, and the continued growth of our consultancy arm.
And so, because of those positives I must say thank you…
To my incredible team who kept their heads and gave their all when sometimes I was even losing mine.
To the customers who stuck with us, to the new ones who trusted us, and to the individuals in the market who worked with us and continue to show understanding during tough times.
To our suppliers who keep us going, to the three people who might take the time to read this, and to this year itself, for finally coming to an end.
No 2024 is not a year on which I’ll look back with undiluted pleasure, but I’ll remember it as a year of resilience, growth, and hard-earned accomplishments, therefore I’m choosing to end this year with optimism and hope. Next year, my personal goal is to run 100 miles, and I know that the scars from this year will in part prepare me, I just hope that 2025 feels more like a park run for all of us.
Merry Christmas to you and your families, see you at the finish line next year…
Rob.