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Q&A: Neil Holloway

7 January 2022

Q&A: Neil Holloway

Neil Holloway is managing director of the Wilson Brook executive recruitment consultancy, working from his home in Solihull. The business serves clients throughout the UK in diverse sectors including hire, construction, engineering and related markets. 

How’s business? 

Really good. We’re fantastically busy and have grown tremendously since I established the business at the end of 2018. In fact turnover more than doubled in 2021 compared against 2020: new clients, new sectors, new types of roles to recruit. This is clearly great but it does bring its challenges, with multiple assignments at different stages at any one time. Sometimes it’s a bit like spinning plates, juggling and riding a unicycle simultaneously!

What was your first job? 

I had a paper round in my teens and I used to wash neighbours’ cars. I also rode around on my bike with a bag of polish and cleaned people’s brass doorsteps, so I suppose I always had an entrepreneurial outlook. My first proper job was part-time stacking shelves in a Safeway supermarket whilst I did my GCSEs. I continued with this throughout my A-levels and also at university in Aberystwyth before moving into retail management permanently upon graduation.

So how did you get into recruitment? 

Retail wasn’t much fun, as evening and weekend work somewhat affected my social life. I saw an advert on the Internet for a recruitment firm which promised a fast-paced environment, good earning opportunities and career progression. I have to confess that going for the interview I had no idea what recruitment was all about! But they only recruited graduates so I fitted their criteria.

Have any recruitment assignments ever proved particularly challenging? 

All of our assignments are difficult in one way or another – otherwise clients would just fill the posts themselves. A recent MD role in Canada was naturally challenging. Also a GM role for a specialist business down in the south west of England was demanding, partly due to the location but also because the business is going to be taken over. Naturally that uncertainty caused some candidates to withdraw. 

What annoys/frustrates you? 

Candidates who don’t tell me the truth or withdraw from the process at the last minute – though thankfully that rarely happens.

What’s this I hear about you building a home office – in your garden?

Yes, I’ve always worked from home since setting up the business and whilst we now have a team of eight people they’re all remote. We have a daily Zoom meeting each morning. However, as quiet as my children have been during lockdowns, it has sometimes been a challenge being inside the house, so I invested in the garden office [shown in picture above]. It’s fully insulated with underfloor heating and naturally has WiFi. It’s great to be able to separate work and home once again - though I must remember to keep an umbrella in there for when it’s tipping it down and I have to walk back up the garden. 

Where did the Wilson Brook name come from? 

It combines the name of the street where I live and my maternal grandmother’s maiden name. In recruitment, like solicitors, accountants and other professionals, you seem to need a double-barrelled company name!

Have you or the business done anything to go green?

I’ve recently changed cars and acquired a Polestar 2 pure electric vehicle. They’re not that widely known. It's made by a sibling company of Volvo and is like a Tesla 3 but in my opinion is better in several ways. I’ve also stopped printing things out: I used to have CVs and job specs everywhere, but now I keep everything electronic.  

What was your favourite school subject?

Geography, particularly Human Geography which I studied at university. I’m still fascinated by it now and the interaction between people, technology and their surroundings. Perhaps that’s why I enjoy recruitment.

If things had been different, what other career might you have chosen?

Banking. I got through to the final selection centres for graduate schemes with HSBC and Royal Bank of Scotland, but ultimately was unsuccessful with both. Maybe a blessing?

What’s the best piece of advice that you’ve ever been given, or that you would pass on to others?

Keep an open mind and don’t be afraid to explore an opportunity. It’s what I suggest to people every day.

Tell me a surprising fact about yourself or the business.

At university I somehow managed to get away with doing my dissertation on the social geography of Chelsea Football Club. I even got to interview the then chairman Ken Bates. Fieldwork consisted of 'participant observation', i.e. going to a match!

Do you follow a particular sport and/or team? 

As you’ll have guessed from the above, I’m a Chelsea fan, like my father. However, I’m actually more passionate about rugby. I’ve been a season ticket holder at Wasps ever since they moved up to the Midlands, and, thankfully, with the business going well we’ve invested in an executive box this season. We sponsor star player Nizaam Carr.

What’s your favourite music?

I have eclectic tastes and I love going to a real variety of gigs and concerts. You just can’t beat the experience of live music and I missed it so much during the pandemic. My favourite genre would be rock – from Bon Jovi to The Killers to The Darkness.

Do you play an instrument?

No, but I wish I could play electric guitar. It’s finding the time to learn.   

On what non-work topic could you give a 20-minute talk with no preparation?

How to get a better night’s sleep and be more productive and energised throughout the day. I’d love to say that it’s original material but I’d be lying!

What new skill would you like to learn?

Aside from the guitar it would be to speak more languages, like French, Spanish and Italian. I always try to learn a bit when going on holiday. I’ve also said for years that I should learn to properly touch type. In addition, having sent the children (Joshua, 14; Madeleine, 12; Freddie, 10; and Helena, 8) to surf school in Newquay last year, when we go back this year I’m going to give it a go. We’re also going skiing in February in Norway – I’ve never skied before so I’m looking forward to learning that.

What would you do if you won the lottery?

Buy a bigger house!  We’ve extended and have a loft conversion but with the four children my wife Charlotte and I could still do with more space. 

What one thing would make business easier? 

I use a call-booking system called Calendly, which effectively eliminates voicemail tennis. It allows someone to view my calendar and to schedule a call with me. If everyone did the same it would be fantastic: I spend so much time just trying to get hold of people.

What’s the secret of success? 

Hard work, going above and beyond and setting the bar really high.

Finally, is there anything you would like to add about the business, the current trading outlook or future plans? 

I’m really positive about the future, both for my business and the industry. Hire has played a crucial role throughout the pandemic and, with continued growth and investment in construction and infrastructure, it’s going to be a great place to be for years to come. I’ve got some exciting developments planned for Wilson Brook to ensure we stay at the forefront of executive search. 

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