Page 3 - KI Insights July 2017

Tim’s Journey continued

gan to think it would be a great ex- need, I moved out of the Search been an incredible blessing to me
perience for me to take on the posi- Operations role and into a Principal professionally and personally. I’ve
tion while continuing to execute position to work with Rick on fur- developed friendships that will last
searches. I let the partners know of ther building this practice. the rest of my life and I’ve been
my interest level and learned it was afforded countless opportunities. I
Having grown up “in the trenches”
mutual. The next thing I knew, I joined Kensington unmarried with
of search, I believe that search exe-
was the Director of Search Opera- no kids, unsure of what my career
cution is the greatest business de-
tions! This role was extremely re- would ultimately look like. Now my
velopment tool we can control. Of
warding and challenging. There life has been blessed with a won-
course, being able to effectively
were many new complexities to derful wife, Sara, three beautiful
cultivate and manage relationships
adapt to, such as serving as the children (Emily, 6, Owen, 4 and
is critical, however if we don’t abso-
buffer between the Consultants and Faith, 22 months) and a clear view
lutely crush the search execution on my career. It’s been quite a jour-
Associates/Research Manager and
and place great people, those rela- ney that I’m excited to continue!
hiring and, unfortunately, firing
tionships aren’t going to last. If we
staff, which I had not previously
ensure the client has an amazing
done. I was held accountable for
experience through all elements of
the development of the team and
our process, they will come back
our collective results, rather than
and they will refer us to other firms.
just my own, as I had previously
In my first couple of years working
been accustomed. Looking back,
in this Principal role, I’ve seen this
three of the key people I played a
first hand. We have a number of
hands-on role to develop are now,
new private equity clients and all
unfortunately, working with other
have come to us because we did a
retained search firms, but we still
great job on a search with another
have an absolute rock-star in Todd
firm they know. We’ve also done a
Myers, a great friend of mine who I
tremendous amount of repeat
had worked with at DHR and re-
search work with a handful of firms.
cruited into Kensington.
My journey is far from over. The
By the end of 2014, I was ready to
great thing about my role today is
focus on the search consultant
that I’m building relationships with
path. Having worked many times
private equity firms who have seen
with Rick in private equity through-
our capabilities. The future is
out the prior six years, I knew that’s
bright.
where I wanted to focus my efforts.
There is a tremendous need in the Given the economic conditions that
began soon after The Laramie
private equity space – especially the
Group was launched, it wasn’t the
lower mid to middle market – for a Laura’s son, Dominic,
best time to start a search firm.
retained search offering like ours; with a new friend at
But, with the backing of Kensington
one that is heavily research orient-
and their commitment to the mod- Wisconsin Dells.
ed and relies on grit and determina-
el, we were able to ultimately
tion to get the job done. Given this
thrive. The past nine years have