A Career Change Story: The Birth of Stitt + Zosky
Once upon a time, two women took a gamble: they became entrepreneurs. This is our story.
After 20 years in large law firms doing recruitment and talent management - 10 of those years working side by side - we decided to reinvent ourselves. Could we use our accumulated experience and networks to launch our own legal search and consulting firm?
The answer? Hell, yes!
Spring 2018. As I have done multiple times a day for ten years, I walk into Nancy’s office at an excellent large Toronto law firm. As the Directors of the firm’s lawyer recruitment and talent management programs, we work so closely together that we joke we share a brain - using short cuts to communicate and finishing each other’s sentences like an old married couple. Nancy looks me in the eyes and says, “I have decided to leave the firm and start my own legal recruitment company”. Boom - bomb dropped!
My eyes tear up. My thoughts cascade - Ouch, I will miss her! Then, good for her - having the guts to take the risk! But who can possibly replace her? Who will I bounce my sometimes-whacky ideas off of? Wait a second – could this be an opportunity for me too, for both of us? I seize upon this final thought and spend sleepless nights employing the methods I learned as a professional coach to analyze whether taking this leap will satisfy my professional and personal goals. Will starting this venture with my respected colleague and friend align with my own values and sense of purpose?
The answer? – HELL YES!
So a month after she dropped the bomb, I walk into Nancy’s office and let it fly. “Do you want a partner?” She smiles and, being the sensitive person she is, answers, “I was hoping you’d ask, but never wanted to put any pressure on you.” We spend the next months finding top notch replacements at our former firm and transitioning our knowledge.
In October 2018 we launched Stitt + Zosky – this exciting new phase of our careers. Our mission – To help firms/companies and individuals achieve their professional and business goals. We both light up when we help people. That was the best part of our years working within firms. And now, working as independent legal recruitment and consultant entrepreneurs, helping people remains our core motivation.
