This issue of eNews has a Florida vibe. Our General Counsel Q&A features Sherri Morissette, who we placed as the first GC of Jupiter, Florida-based National Dentex last year.
I moved my primary residence to Tampa in December 2021, and have been enjoying the process of meeting general counsel and HR leaders down here. I spent the past few years relying on repeat business and job orders that originate from long-standing relationships. That is of course the lifeblood of any professional services business, and I’m grateful for it! But it has been invigorating to exercise my business development muscles. Candidly, they had atrophied.
For example, I met with an executive from manufacturing services company Jabil in St. Petersburg earlier this month. We had a 5:30 pm meet time at a local restaurant. I was early, as I always am to such things. But so was my guest. I failed to realize he was already there, and he was about to leave at 5:45 when I texted to ask about his whereabouts. Funny in hindsight. But it was quite a lesson in how easy it is to slip up when we lose the routine habit of doing certain things. Maybe I have been a little too relaxed in Florida.
Evers Legal has always been a national practice, as we have placed attorneys in 18 states. But the majority of our work has been in the Midwest, where Chicago still feels like home for me. In fact, I’m writing this column while waiting to board a flight to O’Hare. Please don’t worry Chicago-based clients, I will be in town frequently. Three of our 2022 placements thus far are with Chicago-based companies: AAR Corp., Inteliquent and Priment (a company spun out from Tate & Lyle this year).
Our current searches are for companies based in Atlanta; Wichita, Kansas; and Chicago. The work itself can be done from anywhere.
But when it comes to new client development and building trust, a personal introduction is beneficial. The message here is that I will happily come visit you, wherever you are, at your company HQ or a nearby restaurant. Know that I will arrive early, and that I’ll be sure to find you!