My name is Mike Gamache. I was a client of ESS owner Chris Rickerson when he worked for another agency, and when he started Elite Staffing Solutions. Now he is a client of mine for internet marketing. Funny how things work out, right?
The post I am writing is 100% sincere, and Chris does not know what I am writing about.
I met Chris around 2012, and I have watched him start and grow a successful business with drive and passion that most will never be able to comprehend.
After having spent some time with him during my current visit to Wichita, I have to say that I’m truly inspired. I’ve been able to see some of the ways that he has changed his employees’ lives.
Here’s a bit of my story… I have been an extremely dedicated entrepreneur every since I graduated from college. Many of my friends have started their own businesses, and they kind of see me as the marketing and business strategy guru. Unfortunately, as good as I am at marketing and video production, a few incidents and a bad partnership have hindered my success once I bring in the business. Right now, I’m about to engage on attempt #3 using all of the knowledge, skills, and capabilities I learned from my previous businesses. I do freelance work right now while preparing to start my third company.
So I met Chris 3 or 4 years ago by just clicking on a paid ad on Google when I needed an administrative assistant.
When we met, we instantly clicked. Two young professionals with entrepreneurial spirits and a drive that could not be stopped. Since that time, we have both grown and changed a lot as people, and although we are much different and our friendship is much different than it was in the beginning, it is still one of my most valued friendships.
In the last few weeks, I have been fortunate enough to spend time with Chris 3 or 4 times. We have had some real conversations. During one of our discussions, Chris explained to me that he wants to use his success to change peoples’ lives. One of his ideas was to help several of his employees get away from paying $25.00 a night to live in a hotel. He understands that those employees are not making a lot of money, and the cost of living is just too expensive. One of the ideas he told me about was trying to find a way to get employees into apartments. This would give them a much better living situation, cost less, and aid in building a loyal relationship with his employees.
Next, I went to a men’s group with him. I showed up late and had no idea who was there or what was going on really… The gentleman who was sitting next to me explained to the group that he was one of Chris’s employees and when he met Chris, he didn’t have enough money to get a bus pass. I think this man might have been homeless or close to it. Chris gave him a job, got him a bus pass, and encouraged him to be a dependable employee. As a result, he is now in the final stages of the interview process to become a union electrician. He attributed it all to Chris’s desire to help him get his future started.
In another conversation, Chris explained how hard his employees worked for a client who did not treat them with the dignity and appreciation they deserved. As a result, he told the client that they would be better served elsewhere. Now that is dedication to the employees!
Don’t get me wrong, he is every bit as dedicated to his clients as his employees, but it restores a bit of my lost faith in humanity watching a person walk away from money in a situation where they could just let their staff deal with it, yet his desire to provide good jobs for his employees outweighed his desire for extra profit… What a concept, true integrity in business.
There are plenty of staffing agencies, and I’m not saying that they don’t respect or appreciate their employees, but I have worked for agencies in the past and I have never experienced a manager or owner who has the ability to make really good money and the most important thing about their fortune is that they want to use it to change peoples’ lives. ESS works with a wide variety of employees and employers, but they definitely have some employees who may have come from a place in life where they are looked down on by society. I’ve seen Chris place high-end IT professionals and work with a large variety of businesses. At the same time, my observation is that his heart is in changing the lives of those who are ready to help theirselves.
As far as staffing agencies go, I doubt that any others could be seen as a business that truly shows love to its employees. My belief is that ESS is a business that has love to give to those who just show up on time and do their jobs dependably. It is a place that can help someone get started or re-started in life and it is a place that can help them move to the next stages of their career if they desire to improve their own lives.
There was a point in my second business where I could see being nation-wide and making millions or even more, but then I asked myself why do it? I’m the type of guy who would continue to drive an economy car and dress in torn jeans even if I had more money than I could spend. My idea was that I wanted to make my business super successful, then use that success to change the world for the better, like Elon Musk. Maybe my thinking was too big, and now my mission in life is a bit different. What I can say is that I have personally been able to watch Chris and ESS change several more lives through his business than I have mentioned in this post, and his actions are very close to my heart. Chris might not be trying to change the world yet but I know that he desires to contribute to the Wichita community in a way that many will never be able to fully grasp.
I want to support what I am saying, so check out ESS’s Facebook reviews. Then look at any other staffing agency’s reviews in the Wichita metro. The proof is in the pudding.
From the view point of a client and an employee, I’m extremely glad Elite Staffing Solutions exists. Whether you need staff or a job, Contact ESS today!
Staffing Can Change Peoples’ Lives!
Article by Mike Gamache
Looking for Construction staff? Contact Elite Staffing Solutions today!
About the Author – Mike is a freelance video marketer who resides in the ski towns of Summit County, CO. See what he’s up to at ColoradoMountainLife.com His latest video is below: