Leaders Perception Magazine is currently running an interview series called – Innovate & Elevate: Inside the Entrepreneur’s Toolkit
Today, we had the opportunity to interview Edouard Thoumyre – Managing Partner & Executive Recruiter @ ACCUR Recruiting Services.
Today we are joined by Edouard Thoumyre, Managing Partner & Executive Recruiter at ACCUR Recruiting Services, a boutique Executive Search firm specializing in the consumer goods industry. Edouard established the firm 17 years ago upon his relocation from France to the U.S. and has since implemented several unconventional and creative approaches that have significantly contributed to the growth and success of the business. We are excited to learn more about the essential tools and technologies Edouard relies on to manage his business effectively, as well as how he addresses the learning curve and potential resistance from his team when implementing new tools or technologies.
Interviewee Name: Edouard Thoumyre
Company: ACCUR Recruiting Services
Edouard Thoumyre’s favourite quote: “Work on it, not just in it”, when Michael Gerber was talking about managing a business in his book E-Myth.
The Interview
Thank you so much for joining us today! Tell us a little bit about yourself. What is your backstory?
Edouard Thoumyre : I am presently the Managing Partner at ACCUR Recruiting Services, a boutique Executive Search firm with a specialization in the consumer goods industry. Our primary areas of expertise include beauty, wine & spirits, watches & jewelry, luxury goods, and the food & beverage sectors. I established this firm 17 years ago upon my relocation from France to the U.S.
What are the essential tools and technologies you rely on to manage your business effectively??
Edouard Thoumyre : The selection of tools and technologies is a constantly evolving process. However, we adhere to some fundamental principles that have guided us for some time. Our criteria include:
– Choosing tools that are category leaders, ensuring ample online support and a vast community of experts.
– Opting for tools with a straightforward migration process, both for integration and potential exit if necessary.
– Selecting tools that are mutually compatible, typically through robust APIs.
– Preferring tools that offer high customizability.
– All these features must be accessible with limited technical knowledge or coding experience.
For many years, we have been utilizing the following tools:
– Google Apps for Business, primarily for Gmail, Calendar, GDrive, and Google Docs.
– WordPress for our website.
– Gravity Forms for user interactions on our site.
– A Salesforce-based Applicant Tracking System, leveraging the flexibility and power of Salesforce.
– Ringcentral for our phone lines, including a virtual PBX that custom-routes all our calls.
– Zapier, an automation tool capable of creating almost any workflow between these tools.
These back-end tools enable our team members to achieve more with better efficiency, reducing time and manual processes. Staying abreast of technological trends has become a significant strength for ACCUR Recruiting Services, benefiting our clients and employees alike!
Are there any unconventional or creative approaches you’ve implemented that significantly contributed to the growth and success of your business??
Edouard Thoumyre : Yes, there were several key initiatives.
Our business was established in 2006. At that time, LinkedIn was relatively small, and Facebook was just beginning to open to the general public. We utilized these social media platforms to their fullest extent, creating large follower groups and maximizing all the available functionalities. This approach was akin to an online billboard campaign, targeted at a broad yet specific audience in our niche markets of consumer and luxury goods, significantly boosting our brand awareness.
Additionally, we chose to publish descriptions of the searches we were conducting, unlike many executive search firms who often opt for discretion. Naturally, we ensured adherence to any confidentiality requirements. This strategy was multifaceted in its benefits: it allowed us to provide candidates with an “always up-to-date” link to the job description, it created online visibility thereby enhancing our brand awareness, and it improved our search engine optimization on Google. Our WordPress site was configured to automatically generate an XML feed, which job search engines like Indeed.com at that time could index. We then tailored our XML feed to be compatible with other platforms as well. Finally, it was also a great way to show to our potential clients the types of searches we were capable of running.
How do you address the learning curve and potential resistance from your team when implementing new tools or technologies? ?
Edouard Thoumyre : We rarely change our tools now; instead, we focus on improving and automating them. Essentially, we are simplifying their use. Occasionally, our team may need to learn a new process, but it has never posed a significant concern. If necessary, we maintain a shared folder on Google Drive containing detailed descriptions of these new processes, and sometimes I create video tutorials for further clarification.
Leaders Perception would like to thank Edouard Thoumyre and ACCUR Recruiting Services for the time dedicated to completing this interview and sharing their valuable insights with our readers!
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