13 years in recruitment – and I almost said no.

Back in 2012, life revolved around hospitality at the London Eye - a fast-paced, high-volume operation, with long hours - but it never felt like work. The people, the culture, the buzz made it feel more like a hobby at times. A clear career path in hospitality was ahead of me, and there was no plan to change direction.

Kermit the Frog visits the London Eye, Spring 2012

Then came an unexpected suggestion - a career in recruitment. The idea was immediately dismissed. Recruitment didn’t exactly have the best reputation from past experiences as a candidate, and it certainly didn’t feel like the natural next step.

A meeting with the owner of a recruitment agency was arranged, where the pitch centred around transferable skills - a deep understanding of hospitality, a love of service, and a natural ability to build relationships. Despite lingering doubt, the concept made some sense.

Three meetings later, the leap was made - stepping into a role managing temporary staffing for events in a corporate recruitment setting. The learning curve was steep. Out-of-hours on-call demands, a new industry language, and an unfamiliar environment made it a tough first year. But pushing through that year opened doors to a transition into permanent recruitment - a turning point.

Permanent recruitment brought a new lease of energy. Working with a smaller, hospitality-focused agency, the opportunity to support clients reignited that original passion for people and service. It felt more personal, less corporate - and a real sense of purpose began to form.

After seven years, the pull for something different became undeniable. Joining Ennismore, then a growing business with The Hoxton hotels and a handful of independent restaurants, offered a fresh perspective. The culture was incredible - a place where individuality was celebrated and contributions were valued. It was a pivotal career moment.

Life, however, sometimes has a way of shifting plans. A short career break provided much-needed clarity - not just about what work should look like, but how it should feel. The desire to build something with a clear mission - one with an ethical approach centred around treating people with respect — became impossible to ignore.

In October 2019, mum was born - a hospitality talent and recruitment partner built around care, service, and doing things differently. Without a doubt, it remains the proudest career achievement to date. Every career twist - from long shifts in hospitality, to steep learning curves in recruitment, to the career break that shifted perspective - played a part in making it happen.

It’s funny how unexpected career conversations can change everything. Here’s to the paths we never planned - and 13 years (and counting) in recruitment.