2006 marked the 10th year anniversary of Wisnik Career Enterprises. Below is a Q&A with Eva Wisnik.
Q: What prompted you to start Wisnik Career Enterprises?
A: After spending eight years in law firms and seeing the amount of time and money spent on recruiting attorneys, I realized a growing need in the marketplace for in-firm training for attorneys. Client Development, Time Management, and Interviewer Training skills are not taught in law schools, yet they are some of the keys to success in a legal career. I was fortunate to have been in business for a year when CLE training became required for all attorneys in New York. This change allowed the market to really open up for us, and our business increased rapidly.
For the first year, my concentration in placements was focused on attorneys. I found this work profitable, but not rewarding. Lawyers who were changing jobs were not looking for a long-term relationship with their recruiter, nor were most of them interested in career advice. Placements in recruiting departments began when a friend of mine decided to leave her legal recruiting job and asked me to conduct a search for her replacement. The business grew from there from my contacts in the industry, and I found focusing on recruiting incredibly satisfying as it matched my values and experience.
Q: Where did you find the courage to start your own business?
A: The first year was extremely challenging. Looking back on it, I had no business starting this company. My husband had just graduated from law school and I had a two and a half year old son at home. I received a small business loan and built the majority of my business on credit cards. I don't consider myself risk-oriented, but I had a vision and I knew that the timing was right. At the end of my first year, I was over $100,000 in debt, but by the end of the second year I was out of the red and into the black.
Q: Give us a snapshot of the company in 2001 at its 5th Anniversary.
A: The first 5 years of business were successful and we saw the market at its peak in 2000. After September 11th, the market crashed and we saw the immediate consequences as firms began cancelling training programs and numerous jobs were pulled off the market. In comparison to 34 placements in 2000, we had only 15 placements in 2001. I had to sit back and decide what action to take, and I chose to ride out the storm. Having long-term perspective on running this business, I knew that I could not walk away. The experience reinforced me the fact that businesses are cyclical and you have to save in the good years to make it through the lean ones.
Q: Why do you concentrate the business on Law Firm clients specifically?
A: In the beginning, I would take on any kind of business if it meant minimizing our debt. I quickly realized that Wisnik Career Enterprises could not be everything to everyone. Focusing and being an expert in the field became our business strategy. That is why 99% of our clients are law firms and why we offer 3 highly niched services: Attorney Training Programs, Recruiter Placements, and Marketing Placements.
Q: What were your reasons for adding a Marketing Placement division to the business in 2004?
A: While I was very cautious about expanding the business, in 2003 I began witnessing marketing departments within law firms growing at faster rates than recruiting departments. I had been working with these departments for years and was offering client development training for attorneys.
Just like in 1996 when I started this company, I knew that the timing was right to launch the marketing placement division, but I also knew that I could not do an effective job at placing recruiters, conducting training programs nation-wide, being a good mother to 3 children, and running a new division. I decided that I needed help launching this division. I was fortunate enough to come across Jennifer Johnson when I interviewed her as a candidate while traveling on business in Texas. I offered her a position to spearhead the marketing placement business. She has greatly succeeded in her position, placing 40 candidates in just two years.
Q: As you celebrate Wisnik Career Enterprises' 10th anniversary this month, what are your thoughts about the business today?
A: My first thought is that this is the best job I have ever had! Every six months I ask myself if this is what I still want to be doing with my career, and the answer has always been "yes." I feel fortunate to have been in business for 10 years and to still feel challenged every single day. I get fully energized coming into work each day and it has been especially rewarding to watch our clients' careers develop over the years. I love working with such intelligent professionals each day and I am lucky to feel that I am still part of the industry.
On a personal note, I feel like my life looks like everything I want it to be. I have amazing children and a terrific husband, and my business is an extension of myself, and for that I am proud. I have found that for me, a good day is being able to do everything at 80%. While it is hard to accept, I cannot do everything at 100%. I also believe that I can be everything I want to be, just not all on the same day, and I try to be content with that.
Q: Where do you see yourself and Wisnik Career Enterprises in 5 years?
A: While it is hard to project the needs of the market in five years, I see us continuing to concentrate on presenting Training Programs and placing Recruiting & Marketing Professionals. Only by listening to our clients and remaining close to the market by going inside firms, will we continue to creatively partner with law firms to grow our business and be a valuable source to our clients. I truly believe that to be successful in business, I have to focus on what my clients need.
At home, I would like my three kids to grow up as well adjusted as possible. They understand how important it is for me to work and I believe that I am a better mother because I get such satisfaction from working. I don't necessarily believe in work-life balance, but I do believe in work-life integration, and that is what I strive for everyday.
For example, some of my best memories over the past 10 years are the friendships I have developed with clients all over the country and bringing my children on business trips. I look forward to continuing to integrate my work and my life in the years to come and to ideally provide our clients with services that help them to achieve their goals.