In this week's episode, I was joined by Laura Clark, CEO of OA Group, who shares her journey of joining the family business and eventually taking over as CEO. She discusses the challenges and rewards of working with her mother and the lessons she learned from her entrepreneurial upbringing. Laura also talks about the growth and operations of OA Group, her early career in recruitment, and the negotiation process of buying out her mother's stake in the business.This episode highlights the importance of hard work, independence, and the drive to improve in the recruitment industry. Key takeaways Working with family in a business can be genuinely rewarding, but only with clear boundaries and communication. Growing up with an entrepreneurial parent can instil a strong work ethic and independence from a young age.Success in recruitment requires a genuine passion for the industry and a willingness to go the extra mile for clients and candidates.Taking over a family business involves careful negotiation and planning, with the support of external advisors and a clear vision for the future. Working with family can lead to better conversations and different perspectives.Creating a meaningful and sustainable business means focusing on growth, training, and offering employee opportunities.Balancing growth and fairness is essential for building a good business.Being open-minded and embracing change usually leads to innovation and success.Building a safe environment for feedback and ideas is crucial for business growth.Gender equality should focus on removing limitations and treating everyone as equals.Prioritising and being agile are vital in managing work and family life.Chapters00:00 Introduction to the RAG podcast00:58 Laura's journey and joining the family business03:18 Overview of OA Group05:15 Laura's early career and working with her mother08:06 Growing up with an entrepreneurial parent09:04 Laura's interest in business and entrepreneurship10:34 Joining Osborne Appointments16:11 Early days of recruiting and the types of jobs19:19 Balancing work and motherhood25:45 Progressing in her career and becoming a manager29:25 Realising her entrepreneurial ambitions31:19 Negotiating the deal to take over the business37:48 Taking ownership of the business43:34 Working with family and post-acquisition vision45:01 Creating a meaningful and sustainable business46:20 Balancing growth and fairness46:50 Key principles for a viable business47:48 Embracing change and being open-minded49:18 Seeking outside opinions and ideas50:14 Creating a safe environment for feedback and innovation53:02 The importance of in-person interaction in recruitment58:12 Gender equality and avoiding self-limitations01:02:48 Juggling work and family life01:07:45 The importance of prioritising and being agile__________________________________________Episode Sponsor: UntappedSafe to say, last year was tricky for the recruitment sector globally. Many have had to operate through uncertain times, making tough calls and streamlining where possible.However, accessing lower-cost resources internationally has proven to be the 2023 cheat code for business performance. But anyone who has tried it knows it’s not easy to get right. That’s where Untapped comes in. Untapped is one of the hottest companies in the market right now, helping agencies in the UK, US, Middle East and Australia transition to the new world, leverage elite remote individuals and even build whole...

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