People Before Profit
Check out the video the Wichita Chamber of Commerce recently produced for Elite Staffing Solutions.
We were a finalist in the 2017 Small Business Awards, which is hosted by the Wichita Chamber.
Of course, we came onto the radar because of our rapid growth and success starting from our very first week in business.
Now, less than five-years after we opened, our early success is allowing us to focus on our people with higher priority than profits.
Having been involved with Elite Staffing Solutions since the time it was only an idea, to current day. I have been able to watch the owner’s goals and purpose for the business evolve. Check out the article I wrote last year about how staffing can change peoples’ lives.
At first, ESS was like any other business. They had a service to provide, bills to pay, and goals for profit.
In the beginning, the owner, Chris Rickerson may have not understood that he’d found a real way to help real people. At the same time, he absolutely understood the shortcomings in the industry and even with local competitors. One element was software and operations, but Chris found another opportunity in the Wichita market. He realized that many temps were not being treated with respect… I honestly believe that Chris wants to treat all employees, even temporary and short-term labor with the dignity and appreciation they deserve.
I think this realization lead to an important notion. The notion that a majority of people at challenging places in life appreciate an opportunity to improve their jobs, turn them into careers, and better their lives.
Knowing Chris personally, God, Christ, and Church have been at the center of his life since I met him… Nonetheless, even the most dedicated Christians are rarely able to find a way to tie their job or business to living their religious ideals in such a focused manner.
After some deep conversations with Chris Rickerson last Spring, I realized that he had found an avenue to help people begin building futures.
As I’ve observed ESS grow into an established Wichita business, I realize an employment agency that focuses on people before profit will become a an asset to the community. ESS rewards hard work and allows employees to choose how successful they want to be at their job. This business allows employees to choose how far they want to go with their careers. And in many cases ESS allows people who have struggled with jail, homelessness, and other challenges to get on their feet and begin building a responsible, rewarding, life. In other cases, ESS matches qualified candidates to high-end professional and technical positions. They are not a typical staffing agency by any definition.
I personally believe that a better level of respect and appreciation for their line-level employees has played a large part in ESS’ early success.
I’m not sure if it was really the goal from day 1 or the result of financial success and freedom that has allowed Elite Staffing Solutions to find a purpose in helping people through employment services… Regardless of how it started, this business helps new people almost every day.
Early on, I think Chris enjoyed helping people how he could when he could with the primary focus on the success of the business. (Which is how it should be) Now that the business is successful and profitable, I’ve seen the shift to caring more about people than profit, as long as those people are dependable, hard-working and honest.
Elite Staffing Solutions and Chris Rickerson are really defining their purpose in the Wichita employment industry. That purpose is to continue helping those who want to help their selves build good futures, while providing a superior level of service to all clients.
I have watched Chris walk away from huge amounts of profit because a client did not treat his employees with the dignity and appreciation everyone deserves. I believe this ideal will ultimately result in more dedicated employees and more happy clients.
I really hope this blog post has inspired you. I hope someone else who reads this realizes that they are in a unique position like Chris. A position that allows them to help others, especially those in need, while continuing to grow and succeed with primary business goals.
If you know anyone who is a hard worker that is dependable but may need some help getting their future started, or if you need temporary or permanent staff that genuinely cares about their performance at work, Contact Elite Staffing Solutions today. We would love the opportunity to help you or your associate(s) move to the next stages in business and in life!
If you are in need of Construction day labor, give us a call today! (316) 202-2082
People Before Profit
Article by Mike Gamache Blogger, CML
Looking for the absolutely best skilled employees possible? Contact us at (316) 202-2082 to learn more about our Wichita Direct Hire services!