Staffing Success: The Art of Finding the Perfect Fit

Intro: Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX Studios, it’s time for Women In Motion. Brought to you by WBEC-West. Join forces. Succeed together. Now, here’s your host.

Lee Kantor: Lee Kantor here, another episode of Women In Motion and this is going to be a good one. But before we get started, it’s important to recognize our sponsor, WBEC-West. Without them, we wouldn’t be sharing these important stories. Today on Women In Motion, we have Laura Nowlan who’s with See Us Now Staffing. Welcome.

Laura Nowlan: Yes. Thank you so much for having me on the show. Appreciate it.

Lee Kantor: Well, I’m excited to learn what you’re up to. Tell us about See Us Now Staffing.

Laura Nowlan: Yeah. So, we’re a staffing agency. We basically staff seasonal, temp to hire, direct hire positions anywhere from janitorial to high executive positions.

Lee Kantor: So, tell us a little bit about your backstory. How long have you been in the staffing industry?

Laura Nowlan: Oh, yes. Thank you. Great question. So, I’ve been in the staffing industry here in Las Vegas, Nevada for the last 18 years. And for the last ten years, I’ve owned my own staffing company. We started October 24th of 2014, so we just earned our ten year stripes.

Lee Kantor: Now, when you own a staffing agency, it’s kind of like a double-sided marketplace. Like on one hand, you need the people to place and you also need the clients that need people to place, so how do you go about building an enterprise like that?

Laura Nowlan: Yeah. So, I’m going to say that we’re always more in the need of looking for the companies, that’s basically our client base. Us finding the right people, we don’t struggle doing that. Where we want to continue growing is in finding the companies that need us to be an extension of their HR manager team, their HR department team, or working with general managers or departments that are struggling to find the right people that they need.

Lee Kantor: So, that’s a symptom that if a company is struggling to attract and retain talent, then you’re a good person to partner with?

Laura Nowlan: Exactly. Those are the partnerships that we look for. I always say I’m not a one night stand. We’re looking for a long term business relationship that we basically create a win-win for everyone involved, including the person that we’re placing along with the company that we’re representing.

Lee Kantor: So, when you start working with a client, do they start off maybe asking for somebody in one department, like say it’s a manufacturer and they need some line workers, and then it might evolve, “Well, we also need a secretary. And, oh, by the way, my marketing guy just left, so I need help.” Is that how kind of you work within an organization, it starts small and then it expands?

Laura Nowlan: Yes, or not necessarily start small. It could be like you said, they need warehouse workers, but they need a hundred of them. And then, after that, maybe they only need one marketing person. So, yes, that’s the way the partnership starts. It could be a few positions that they need us to fill or one or it could be 100.

Lee Kantor: So, sometimes people come to you and they need 100 people?

Laura Nowlan: Yes. So, during COVID, Nevada was very closed. So, I took a risk and I went out to Irving, Texas and opened up a branch there because I wasn’t the type of person that was just going to roll over and play dead. After 30 days being there, I actually landed a logistics national account. Once I placed all their 60 people that they needed in Texas, then they asked me if I could go to Plainfield, Indiana and do the same, so I did that. And then after that, they asked me if I can help them open a brand new facility in Phoenix, Arizona, so I helped them do that as well.

Laura Nowlan: When I was in Plainfield, Indiana helping this logistic company, then there was another logistic company that wanted us to place 100 people there. They actually needed 300, but they brought in three agencies, and each of us had 100 positions that we needed to fill. So, that’s very common in our industry.

Lee Kantor: And then, when you’re filling these positions, is it like for 90 days or is this like kind of fulltime employment for these people?

Laura Nowlan: Yeah. Great question. So, typically they are for tempt to hire. And we’re at about a 95 percent conversion, so 95 percent of them get hired on after about three to four months, sometimes six months on.

Lee Kantor: And you’re perfectly okay with that, that’s just how it works?

Laura Nowlan: Yeah. I’m there to help them. So, I kind of fire myself, but at the same time that’s literally the way a staffing agency should work. We should try to send the best quality worker out, and so it could be a win-win for everyone.

Lee Kantor: Now, when they say I need 100 of these people, how do you kind of get the person ready for that specific organization? Because I would imagine you have a skills fit, but there’s also a soft skills fit or a culture fit that also has to come into play.

Laura Nowlan: Correct. So, when we’re doing all our prescreening, we’re looking for do they fit the culture, do they have the right skillsets, is it a trainable type of position because they do meet the culture based on their personality. So, it’s basically a good conversation that you need to have in a partnership with the company that you’re working with.

Lee Kantor: Now, how do you kind of differentiate yourself from other staffing agencies?

Laura Nowlan: We truly create business partnerships. Business partnerships where we’re there to make sure that we place the right person for the position. We are not body shufflers. A lot of agencies out there are body shufflers. They’re sending a warm body for a position. We don’t. We have to send the right person, because we want it to be a win-win for everyone involved, and we want that person to get hired on. Those are success stories that we have.

Laura Nowlan: You know, I have someone that I placed, he was on a student visa from India in California. I placed him as a project manager in a training position in California, and then we were able to relocate him to Phoenix – I mean, to Las Vegas, Nevada. He’s been there for five years. I mean, those are success stories that I like. I place someone at World Market Center, International Market Center over 14 years ago. That person is still there. Those are successful hires. That’s what I look for.

Lee Kantor: And the reason that they’re successful is because you did the work on the frontend to make sure that it was a right fit going in, rather than just hoping it was going to work out.

Laura Nowlan: Correct. Correct.

Lee Kantor: Now, where did you get kind of this philosophy, because it sounds like a lot different than most other staffing agencies? How did this come to you and how were you able to bottle it so that you can deliver those results to your clients?

Laura Nowlan: Well, being in the staffing industry for the last 18 years, when I worked for other staffing companies, what I did is I took everything that I liked from those staffing companies, and everything that I didn’t like, I changed. Like, I didn’t believe that I should have to work 24/7, which I did for these other staffing companies. So, our company doesn’t operate 24/7. We operate Monday through Friday, 8:00 in the morning until 5:00 p.m.. I don’t want to burn out my team. I force them to take a lunch. We close for lunch from 12:00 to 1:00.

Laura Nowlan: We ask our clients, the companies that we staff with, it’s okay to have an emergency here and there, and you have access to me 24/7. But at the same time, let’s plan, because I don’t want to just send you a warm body, and I don’t want my team to do that. We want to make sure that we’re sending you the right person. We drug test, we background check, we E-Verify before we even place them out to any properties. Right now we have over 50 people working at the airport. We had to get them all past a 20 year FBI background check. We’re good at what we do.

Lee Kantor: Right. And it seems like you’re giving them this white glove service that is going to ensure that it’s a better chance for the right fit. And I’m sure when things happen, as they always do, you’re right there to make sure that you can fix it.

Laura Nowlan: Correct. I mean, because we are dealing with people, we will never be 100 percent on because we can never predict what a person’s going to do. But you have to have that partnership, that relationship that’s strong enough that you’re going to overcome if somebody does something that they’re not supposed to do. We are dealing with people.

Lee Kantor: So, now, what has it been like for you building this company from scratch, were you able to enlist help maybe from your family or trusted partners?

Laura Nowlan: Yeah. So, I have three kids and all three of them had involvement when I first started the staffing company. One of them, the oldest one, he’s been a silent investor since day one. He’s like, “Mom, I don’t really want to work in the staffing industry. I worked for you in the past – ” which he had. I sent him out to his first jobs “- so I don’t really want to work for you, but I want to invest in you. I believe in you and I know that you have what it takes to make this company successful.”

Laura Nowlan: My middle son, he was actually in Afghanistan in the army, and we were writing to each other. And he’s like, “I want in mom. I want something that I can come home to once I come back home.” And it kept him going. In a battlefield, that’s what was feeding him is the email – I’m sorry – the letters that we were writing to each other. You know the logo that I would send him, like, “I’m going to use this logo.” And he’s like, “I don’t like it. But when I get back, I’m changing it.” And he has, our logo has changed. But my son has been involved since day one and he started in a combat field.

Laura Nowlan: My daughter, she’s been in the business in and out since she was younger. For the last 18 years, I was training her throughout the time. She ended up getting married. She had three kids. I have allowed her to tap in and tap out. She has a nine year old, a two year old, and a three year old, and she’s my VP of operations and so right now she works hybrid. So, my kids have been involved with the business ever since I started. I did not start alone.

Lee Kantor: And that’s great that you have this legacy now.

Laura Nowlan: Yes. Yes. As a matter of fact, I just interviewed my grandson yesterday, a nine year old who started his own little business, a little entrepreneur he is.

Lee Kantor: So, any advice for budding entrepreneurs out there? Anyone looking to start a business, are there some to-do’s and some to-don’ts that you can recommend?

Laura Nowlan: Yes, yes. There are so many resources in our community, WBEC-West being one of them. There’s the SBA. There’s SBDC. There’s a Women’s Business Center. There are so many chambers. Don’t start alone. Go out and look for these resources. SCORE, I started with SCORE. I mean, I really needed someone to push me off the fence and say you can do it, you’ve got everything you need. You know, sometimes you just need that, but you need to bounce your ideas off with someone else.

Laura Nowlan: I will tell you that I brought in someone with me when I first started because I was scared. And so, I brought her in as a partner, which I shouldn’t have. I should have brought her in as an employee. But let me tell you, bringing in a partner, think about it twice. If it’s not a family member, maybe one of your kids that you’re really wanting to start this legacy with them, I would think twice about bringing in a business partner. Try to start alone, even if it takes you a little bit longer. It’s very difficult to buy out partners. I will tell you that it’s taken me a lot of years to buy everybody out, but I’m 100 percent owner now of the company.

Laura Nowlan: That would be my advice, is, go get all the free services you can get out there in the community. And if you can, do not bring on a business partner, bring them on as employees instead.

Lee Kantor: Right. Yeah, that’s a good life lesson in a lot of areas. You want to choose your partners wisely.

Laura Nowlan: Yes, absolutely.

Lee Kantor: Now, you mentioned communities and you mentioned WBEC-West, can you share a story about WBEC-West, maybe how it’s impacted your business.

Laura Nowlan: So, I’ve had the opportunity, actually. I just finished a course with Cox Communication and Southwest Gas. I got a sponsorship through WBEC-West, a grant to be able to take a leadership course. And they’re great resource partners. And so, there’s a lot of different benefits that large corporations are looking to work with WBEC-West members who are either DBE certified, women-owned certified. And so, to me, that was one of the biggest things that happened for me is that I was able to receive a scholarship to be able to complete the Cox Communication course of advanced leadership.

Lee Kantor: Well, congratulations. That’s a big deal.

Laura Nowlan: Thank you. Thank you. I think we graduate the first week of November, so we’re looking forward to the date and the graduation.

Lee Kantor: Did you learn a lot?

Laura Nowlan: I did. Actually, I’m going to say that the accounting course was huge, and then the other one on AI. Those were my biggest takeaways that I took from the course. And I also have a show of my own called Business Matters, and I have the person that does AI who I’m going to get to interview on my show as well. So, I just think I met a lot of great people through WBEC-West. I also got to interview the leader that’s here for Las Vegas.

Lee Kantor: So, what do you need more of? How can we help you in your business?

Laura Nowlan: We’re always looking for business partners, so if there is someone out there that maybe is struggling to fill certain positions and just wants to go out and have coffee or have lunch and just build a good relationship with us, I would say that that would be a great referral for me. So, that’s how you can help me.

Lee Kantor: And then, it’s industry agnostic, right? It doesn’t matter what type of business it is.

Laura Nowlan: Correct.

Lee Kantor: And do you have kind of a specialty or an area that you do more business in than others or is it pretty much you’ll place anybody in any position?

Laura Nowlan: Place anybody in any position. But I will tell you that there are peaks and seasons. And so, if you would have asked me where were you at in 2023, I would say in logistics I was very huge, and that’s what we were specializing then. And right now, my biggest bulk is in janitorial. So, it just changes. Also, in customer service reps doing hospitality. So, it just changes. It all depends on what’s happening in our community, what type of business partners we’re creating, that we’re building.

Lee Kantor: Now, from the candidate side, what is the best way for a candidate to get on your radar so that they can be one of the people that you place?

Laura Nowlan: Yes. Go to our website and apply basically to work for our company, and then call our office at 702-902-2448 and schedule to meet with a recruiter.

Lee Kantor: And then, you’re taking people of all skills, so if they’re looking for work, they should definitely contact you because you never know, you might be able to place them.

Laura Nowlan: Exactly. And every day changes, so I may have a position today and by tomorrow I’ve already filled it. So, it just goes up and down. And so, I just want to encourage not just to apply with us as a staffing agency, but multiple staffing agencies, because we all seem to have sometimes a different type of positions available.

Lee Kantor: Now, if somebody wants to learn more and have a substantive conversation with you or somebody on the team, can you share the website and maybe the best way to connect with you all?

Laura Nowlan: Yes. It’s the name of our company, see, S-E-E, us, U-S, now, N-O-W, staffing, S-T-A-F-F-I-N-G.com. You can also follow us on Facebook. We’re on Instagram, we’re on X, and we’re on LinkedIn. And then, our office number is 702-902-2448. We do drug testing, we do background checks, and we do E-Verify before we place anyone out to work.

Lee Kantor: Right. So, that’s good to know upfront so you can not waste anyone’s time.

Laura Nowlan: Exactly.

Lee Kantor: Well, Laura, thank you so much for sharing your story today. You’re doing such important work and we appreciate you.

Laura Nowlan: No, thank you for this opportunity.

Lee Kantor: All right. This is Lee Kantor, we’ll see you all next time on Women In Motion.