Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason Bivins.
Hi Jason, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Great Hire opened its doors in 2012 in Orange County, CA. Great Hire was a true startup; we had one tiny client and really just one employee, myself! With the help of an amazing business partner, we have in the 10+ years since inception, expanded the business to provide our services to LA County, Ventura County, and the Inland Empire. We employ 25 internal team members who help us recruit and manage thousands of long-term temporary employees. Our growth in recent years landed us on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies in 2019 and 2020! This is an achievement that we are extremely proud of, and speaks to the talent of our team. We are working hard to get back on the list in this post-pandemic world. Like so many businesses, we are navigating the ever-changing talent pool, and what has been a very tight labor market. We love the staffing industry because of the awesome success moments that occur when we are able to hire someone into a better job than their previous job. In these moments, our clients are happy, the jobseeker is happy, and our team feels good about what they do for a living.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Every business has challenges, there were times in the early days where my business partner and I felt like hanging it up and pursuing a new venture. There was nothing horribly wrong, we were experiencing a period of low motivation, low energy. Fortunately, we had some sage advice from a friend, Sean Brown. He pointed out ‘your business is making money, it’s not losing money, that in itself is a win. Lots of people would like to be in your shoes. There’s no reason to shut it down, stick with it.’ That was what we needed to hear, and we did stick with it. Other challenges included competing staffing agencies, navigating California’s litigation-heavy climate, dealing with management changes at key accounts, and clients not paying their bills. Most of these challenges were in fact moments to learn from, and we have.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Hiring good people is hard work, we do it quickly and cost-effectively so that you can focus on running your business. Our clients trust us to work as an extension of their human resources teams. We recruit, screen, onboard, pay, comply with state and federal labor laws, and administer to workplace injuries. We provide skilled labor across manufacturing sectors, commercial construction, and professional/administrative staff. We are large enough to handle any size business but small enough to still provide exceptional customer service.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
One of our key people who deserves praise is Rocio Davila. Rocio has been a steady presence and gets the job done no matter what! She has been with us for 9 years now, in lean times and in good times! She has challenged herself to grow and learn in the business, and in life. Rocio is a great example of how important your personal network is in life. I was getting a haircut at my local barbershop, and I was lamenting to my barber, Gabriel, that I really needed to find someone who knew excel, and who was also fluent in Spanish. He said ‘my girlfriend does both! She hates her job, and she has not been able to put her education to use since coming to California from Mexico.’ Rocio had recently moved to California and was working as a server at a local restaurant. We met with her and clicked, and the rest his history! She is key to business operations but also serves as a listening ear for many of our employees when they are having a tough day. People like Rocio who have business skills, but also emotional intelligence, are vital for a successful business!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.greathirehr.com
- Instagram: @jasonAbivins
- Facebook: @greathirestaffingagency
