It’s our ninth week of working from home and the world looks a lot different than it did in when we began 2020. Today is my 57th Birthday and a good time to reflect on the past 24 years since I launched Wisnik Career Enterprises, Inc., as well as the past two months of running a business during a pandemic.
I launched WCE when I was 33 years old. I had a great job as the Director of Recruitment & Training for a top Wall Street law firm where I was making six figures. What pushed me over my fear of giving up this security and status to launch a new business was the even bigger fear that haunted me of looking back at my life (when I was old, like 57!) and having deep regret for not taking the risk and doing what I knew in my gut was right! I quit my job when the fear of not doing became greater than the fear of trying and possibly failing.
I have been asked many times why I started my company. My answer is because after serving as a recruitment & PD professional inside of law firms, I saw a need for training lawyers in skills they didn’t learn in law school but needed to be successful, such as time management and business development. These types of initiatives didn’t exist inside of law firms in 1996. I was also fascinated by how professionals navigate careers, so after getting my MBA at night at Fordham, I decided to get certified in every career test I could find. This included the Myers Briggs, which I have since given to over 7500 law firm professionals since 1989. I saw a need to help law firms find the right talent and for professionals to find the right cultural fit. Filling needs and serving others was my greatest motivator.
As we entered the quarantine in mid-March, my gut kept telling me, “We will all be transformed by this experience.” In the dozens of conversations I have had over these past week, I have asked heads of law firm recruiting, marketing, BD and PD, “What do you think your firm and talent will need when we emerge from this pandemic?” Although the clarity is not yet there, I am hearing that there will be new needs and ways of doing business, and I know my purpose is to serve these needs. This is a similar feeling I had that pushed me into this entrepreneurial life 24 years ago—to fill needs.
Although I love placing talent with the right opportunities and plan to do that for the rest of my career, I know in my gut that the legal world needs Well-Being tools and skills today. I feel compelled to share what I have learned with others to help them lead both successful and fulfilling lives.
I am committed to learning what else you will need to thrive, not just survive, as we begin to emerge from Covid-19. Can you please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with me so I can understand and serve you better?
- What do you think you and your firm and talent will need most post-Covid?
- What words would you use to describe the Wisnik brand?
- What resources, skills and/or tools do you need now to lead your best career and life?
I am so grateful for your thoughts and look forward to serving you for many years!