In a blink of an eye, DukeMed has entered its second year in business. As I take a steady step into this second chapter, I see myself facing new opportunities and challenges. But more on that later. I’m taking a moment to reflect on these past two years.
The rollercoaster ride so far
As cliched as it may sound, the journey has been nothing short of a rollercoaster. The initial days felt like the slow steep incline of the rollercoaster as I worked to lift my business off the ground as the world slowly emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic. Together with welcoming a newborn, juggling family time, and finding ways to recruit from overseas successfully for the first time, the first six to eight months were nothing short of a challenge. But I’m not complaining. As I edged closer to the end of year one, all the hard work and sacrifices began to bear fruit as I acknowledge “recruitment is marketing”.
A quick reflection on the highlights
So, without further ado, here are some of the highs I’d like to celebrate with you.
Seeing a vision become a reality – has to be number one on the list! What started as a moment of clarity up high in the mountains during my time mountain biking has turned into a growing business which I’m learning and enjoying what it provides.
Being recognised and valued by suppliers – a business would not exist without being heard by suppliers. Knowing that my message is reaching the right audience and the strategies in place are of value feels like a considerable achievement relative to the company's size.
Sourcr Recommended Recruiter – receiving the recommended recruiter badge and being recognised as one of the top 10% recruiters to deliver the best in MedTech recruitment results to clients and candidates has been rewarding.
Increasing website traffic – not being a marketer by profession, I must admit that seeing the chart flow upward in Google tells me the strategies and support I have in place are working. There’s no better feeling than seeing growth results trending.
Featured in Volcanic for an outstanding website – when the idea of starting DukeMed came to me, developing a website was number one on the list. So, with a strong vision, I teamed up with
Volcanic to build a MedTech recruitment website like no other,
a copywriter (On Time Copy) to string powerful words together, and
a brand stylist (Mistry of Words) to assist in making an impact.
Little did I know that the DukeMed website would go on to become an inspirational example for other recruiters. So, to say I’m chuffed is an understatement! You can read the feature here – DukeMed achieves brand lift-off with a Volcanic recruitment website.
Ongoing positive feedback – as a recruiter, one of my primary goals is to ensure clients and candidates have a positive experience. As such, receiving five-star reviews through Sourcr and one-on-one feedback validates a job well done. In turn, giving me a boost to continue to deliver and strive for further improvement.
These have been the professional highlights, now onto personal achievements.
Since last year, I’ve been making the other kind of dough in making the perfect Napoli-style pizza. After practising a lot, I can finally say I’ve nailed it. It’s all about consistency, process and a willingness to learn and fail - familiar to those in business too.
We had a double celebration this April as my daughter celebrated her second birthday. April truly is a fab month (in the Duke family, anyway)!
New and exciting things to look forward to
Speaking of ongoing improvements, I’ve already introduced new tools such as Paiger , Sourcewhale and VXT to streamline the marketing and communication processes and build further connections.
In addition to this, I’ll be introducing
Net Promoter Score (NPS) to gain further insight and feedback.
Investing in the business with coaching to implement additional service, from Q1, I'll be working to offer full search methodology and best practice to my clients as I believe all can benefit from an enhanced and even more robust recruiting experience. More information to come, so stay tuned!
These are just a few of the upcoming highlights currently in the pipeline. As you know, at DukeMed, we’re all about embracing new technology so that you can have the best recruitment experience and achieve your goals.
A note of deep gratitude
As I reflect upon the milestones so far, it’s heart-warming and uplifting to see how far DukeMed has come in its first two years. None of this would have been achievable without the support and belief of a few key players.
My wife, Clare, for the ongoing support from day one.
Volcanic and Odro– for providing me with a platform for my website and helping bring it to life through video communication
Di Clements from On Time Copy – for weaving together engaging copy for the website.
Vishma Mistry at Mistry of Words – for helping style a visually engaging website and the ongoing copywriting and marketing support.
Clients and candidates - for their ongoing faith in DukeMed and me.
Looking forward to the next big step
Join me in the next big chapter of DukeMed as I continue delivering the best the MedTech industry has to offer. So, whether you’re seeking a new MedTech career opportunity or you’re a hiring manager looking for the next best candidate, get in touch today and open the door for a conversation. After all, one conversation can change everything.