It may be an overused word, but passion is the key to a successful business, says Peter Foy
Look at the heart of any successful company and you will find people with a passion. Whether it’s a huge multinational or a small family run business, their success stems from an unwavering love for, and commitment to, their work. Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, Levi Roots, Deborah Meaden… the list is endless: successful entrepreneurs all show a passion for what they are doing.
“Whether it’s a huge multinational or a small family run business, their success stems from an unwavering love for, and commitment to, their work. |
That explains why “passion” has become such an overused word in corporate parlance. As the comedian David Mitchell memorably pointed out, it’s pretty much impossible to visit a company’s website without learning that they’re passionate about sofas, or used cars, or accountancy software, or whatever.
But like most clichés, the one about passion rings true. Just consider what Apple’s former CEO Steve Jobs said about business success: "You have to be burning with an idea, or a problem, or a wrong that you want to right. If you're not passionate enough from the start, you'll never stick it out."
Taking the rough with the smooth
While passion may be the thing that drives success in business, it needs to be augmented by something else: a willingness to work on functions that are outside of the core. On stuff that you don’t feel passionate about, but which keeps the show on the road.
Let’s say you have a passion for coffee. You open your own café to share that passion with customers. But there’s a load of other stuff you must attend to: sourcing Robusta and Arabica beans, buying and maintaining an Espresso machine, choosing the right crockery, finding appropriate cupcake recipes.
Now, not all of that wider commercial activity will be specific to your sector. You won’t feel passionate about it at all. In fact, you’ll probably find it all a bit dull: filing VAT returns, planning corporation tax, working out payroll, paying the phone bill, sourcing Wi-Fi, maybe even recruiting staff.
A passion for recruitment
Actually, in the early days, forming your team may feel exciting. It may be a part of your passion for your fledgling business. You have time to interview candidates, to find people who fit with your ethos. But if your business is a success, that enthusiasm may start to wane. You may struggle to find time for recruitment, or locate people who are as enthusiastic about coffee as you are.
If and when that time comes, there’s a simple solution: leave recruitment to the people who are passionate about that. A company like Just Recruitment has decades of experience in matching people to jobs. It’s what we love doing. It’s what we’ve always loved doing.
Because it’s our passion, we pour heart and soul into getting it right. We spend time with candidates to work out their passions. We get to know our clients, and share their enthusiasms. Then we strive to match them, ensuring the best possible people end up in the right jobs.
It’s a task we’ll never tire of. Your passion may be coffee beans, or accountancy, or car repairs, or sofas, or whatever.
Our passion is recruitment. So get in touch to see how we can share it with you.
Published: 18 January 2022
© Copyright Just Recruitment Group Ltd 2022
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