Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Ken Taunton.
Founder and president of The Royster Group, an executive staffing agency established in 2001. Ken shares the challenges he faced while building his business, from early struggles to scaling for success. He emphasizes the importance of mentorship in entrepreneurship and how guidance from experienced leaders can make all the difference. Ken also offers valuable insights on navigating the competitive world of executive staffing. His journey is a testament to perseverance, strategic growth, and the power of strong professional relationships.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
I am Rashan McDonald host the weekly Money Making Conversation
Masterclass show. The interviews and information that this show provides
off for everyone. It's time to stop reading other people's
success stories and start living your own. I'm here to
help you reach your American dream. Let's keep listening. My
guest today is the founder and president of the Roster Group,
a nationally recognized, certified black owned professional staffing firm. They
(00:23):
provide the verse top talent for both the public and
private sector. Please welcome the Money Making Conversation Masterclass. Ken Tumpton.
How are you doing, sir?
Speaker 1 (00:32):
How you doing, Miss McDonald?
Speaker 3 (00:33):
How's it going really greatly? Good?
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Now? Founder and president of the Roster Group, Please give
us some background on that company.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Yeah, the Roster Group actually started back in two thousand
and one. We're an executive search and professional staffing company.
We've been in business since two thousand and one. The
company actually recruits senior love executives. In addition to working
in staff, we recruit physicians, nervous ancillary staff in the
(01:05):
healthcare space within the federal government as well. And then
we also have commercial you know, business as well. So
we're we're basically a company that specialized in various different things.
On the executive search side where boutique executive search. And
then on the staffing side, we do the staffing in
(01:28):
the healthcare space as well.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Now nationally correct, nationally correct when you said the word recruit. Now,
how does an individual who has a resume or job
skill set that you are looking for get in touch
with you?
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Yeah, so various different ways. I mean, you know, of
course website, you can always go to our website and
upload your resume and we'll put that information into our database.
One of the things with Royster is that you know,
we're We're not a your typical staffing companies, So it's
not like you can walk in off the street and
(02:03):
and and basically kind of we'll put you in the
database and what have you. A lot of the positions
that we uh work on are more so seasoned positions.
And what I mean by that is is that the
positions are you know, you know, so for an example,
if you're a physician, you know you got to have
you know, you've got to be certified in different clinical
(02:24):
skill sets and things of that nature. And then on
the executive search side, you know a lot of our
clients look for seasoned professionals, so you know, roughly about
seven to eight, maybe ten years out and what have you. So,
but you know, Royster, we partner with a lot of
different other you know companies, diverse companies at that, whether
(02:46):
they be minority owned or you know, woman own or
what have you. And we're constantly you know, sharing you know, profiles,
resumes with those individuals that I think would be a
good fit for other companies and uh, positions that other
companies are working on.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
So let me get just straight. We're watching you in
an executive search and do your staff and healthcare correct?
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Correct?
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Cool? Now let's look at the executive search part of it.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Now, when you say executive, we talk about C C suite.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Yeah, So we work at the C suite all the
way down to the director level. So so for an example,
you know companies we we've worked with, you know, home Depot,
We've worked with Burke Pharmaceuticals, we work with Pvisor and
some of the other you know, different companies that that
are out there. And these positions basically are more more
(03:40):
so at the VP you know, director VP or C
level type positions, so you know, more more more season
like I mentioned to you more you know, more season,
more experience. They manage a portfolio of individuals, whether it
be one hundred to a thousand individuals up to you know,
(04:04):
like I said, that particular skill set with the management
of people, but then also a portfolio, whether it be
you know, a ten million dollar portfolio all the way
up to fifty million dollar for So, let.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Me ask you this can at the Roster group, okay,
because I'm a stand on the executive right now, because
now I'm going to get to the staff and in
the healthcare.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Yeah, I'm an individual.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
How do I find your company and how do I
feel the company has the value of the potential to
create placing it for me in that suite because you
said all the way up to director, all the way
up to the VP level, right.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
Yeah, So let me explain So executive search and I
think a lot of individuals sort of don't understand how
executives work. We are what they call a retain executive
search firm. So we work for the client. Right, So
the client will come to us and say, hey, can
or Royster, we want you to find us a VP
(04:58):
of HR. We we put everything together, whether it be a
pipeline of candidates that we've worked with in the past,
or we will you know, kind of put a marketing
campaign together to go out and find that VP of HR,
you know, for for the particular client. There is another
side of search. It's called contingency, right. Contingency search is
(05:22):
where a company will work with a client they will
only get paid once they make a placement. Right, so
there's no skin in the game with the client being
in contingency. Now, you know, contingency is great work and
great business. However, Royster, we work strategically with our clients
(05:45):
because they give you know, the fees are paid upfront
to some extent. So we build you know, in certain
categories like a third, thirty and a third, and they
pay us, you know, based on the types of candidates
that we provide.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Okay, cool, now that's great.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Now let's slide over to the staff in the healthcare
where I'm sure a lot of my call is not
saying we don't have a lot of the people who
listening to my show wouldn't fall under the executive level.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
But like my sister in law, she's.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
A nurse and so been in that healthcare field and
have a number of friends in that healthcare field, talk
about how does one find out about Russia other than
the website that like, she's based in Houston, Texas and
you are national staffing from how could she take advantage
of what the services that your company offer.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Yeah, so we we advertise constantly the company basically, like
I said, you know, one particular aspect of it, we're
have a you know, our website basically advertised all the
positions that were all the positions okay, yeah, all the
positions that we're recruiting for Royce. We participated in a
lot of different conferences, you know, so at different conferences
(06:58):
and things of that nature, whether it be antithesiology conference
all the way down to occupational health conference or what
have you. So we're ten all of these different conferences.
And then also it's word of mouth. You know, we've
i would say since ye know, we've been in healthcare
for about fifteen plus years, and so we have a
lot of friends of the firm and basically we get
(07:21):
a lot of referrals just from people that you know,
that we've worked with in the past.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Now that makes you the kaim What are some of
the hot jobs you know, if they're all popular jobs.
You know that everybody's trying to get or somebody's trying
to hire.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
And I'm not saying they don't.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Everybody is employable, but there are some hot ticket jobs
that you want to keep on your roster because you
get the calls on these jobs live audience known.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Yeah, healthcare is always going to be hot. I don't care,
you know, I wouldn't tell you, but yeah, And the
reason for that is because our population is getting older, right,
the population baby boomers are retiring, they're getting older, and
so they're going to need that support services, uh to
help them get by. I mean, just like you and
(08:04):
I who had older parents and we've helped them. You
know that that service. We can't do everything right, and
so we're going to So the support services in health
care is going to be huge. I think they say
there's a a National Institute of Health said it best
a diverse nation calls for a diverse health care health
(08:27):
care force. That's why the portions of efforts and is
dedicated in the healthcare secretum, meaning that you know, regardless
of skin color, where you come from, what have you,
you know, there's we're gonna need those services to help. Uh.
You know, as our population get older, you know, medical
(08:49):
schools aren't putting out physicians like they used to. Nursing
is still tough. A lot of our nursing nurses have
got burned out in healthcare, and so we are now
looking at, you know, a shortage in healthcare across the board.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Let me there's here this because I was I was
interviewing the person about a year ago and I said,
growing up, I said, where did all these old people
come from?
Speaker 3 (09:15):
You know, because you.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Know, you know what I'm saying, King, we were growing up,
we see all these old people, you know, you know,
we just they just went away. And so now as
we grow older and we plan for retirement, we forget
to plan for our parents' lifestyle, right, So, and that
starts eating the way into the budget. And so when
(09:37):
you talk about that age group that we have to
take care of, that's what you're talking about, right. Absolutely,
there's an age group that we didn't see thirty years
ago that now is living a life into eighties and
nineties comfortably. Like President Jimmy Carter just celebrated his one
hundred birthday.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Okay, yeah, absolutely, you know it was interesting. So a
lot of and I know this is a bit morbid,
but you know, I'm starting to understand. I realized that
as we get older and older, could be you know,
seventy five plus and have you right, you know, that's
when you start tapping into retirement and things of that nature.
(10:18):
But seventy five is sort of kind of that that
age where I think that there's that it's that benchmark
where we are old, right, right, So you know, and
and I look at it like this. You know, I
grew up in government housing, so my parents were extremely young.
They you know, they they grew up with four Yankee
(10:40):
boys in government housing growing up. I think my mom
she was seventeen when she had my brother. My dad
was eighteen. So we grew up with our parents. So
my parents are you know, unfortunately my mom passed, but
my dad is still you know, he's in his seventies.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Yeah, right, eating barbecue.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
So so I think that honestly, you know, when when
we consider old, it's it's you know, I look at it,
and of course I'm thinking, okay, man, I'm like, well,
my parents used to be when with with you know,
back in the day, but you.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Don't look like your parents. That's the whole key. That's
the whole key. I go, I mean my dad, now
I was I remember my dad at this age.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
He didn't look like me at this age because we
have a different sense of consciousness, you know, and health
care awareness, you know. We you know, like like I
got a blood pressure machine now, you know, I check
my blood pressure myself.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
I'll have to go to the doc.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
You know.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
I got a.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
Bluetooth to my phone, so I know now. But you know,
when you talk about the healthcare, you talk about your
business that you're developing. One thing that popped out to
me was the word certified Black owned Professional staff can company.
Why is it important that you in part of your bio,
part of your resume, you're saying that you're a certified
Black owned professional staff firm.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
Well, so I'm gonna be I'm gonna be very transparent
with you. You know, when as a minority business is
they tell you that you got to get certified, You've
got to get certified because what typically happens is that
the companies want to capture that spin for for minority
owned businesses. I'll be honest with Unfortunately, I hate that
(12:20):
that sort of kind of tack line because I don't
think I need to be certified to compete. Right. The
reason why we get certified is because it gives us
the license to hunt right businesses, you know, Fortune five
hundred company businesses. They want to make sure that you know,
we're capable or that we have the capacity to do
(12:43):
business with them. And I could see that because some
businesses that don't have that capacity, once they get the contract,
then you know, it's it's to some extent, it's very
easy to get the contract, but it's pretty hard to
execute on the contract. Right, you got to keep the business.
And so people are in trusting you know, minority owned
(13:04):
businesses to do the work and what have you. Unfortunately,
we have to be we have to get that stamp
of approval, you know, through all of these different organizations
like NMSDC or E Bank or the l g B
t Q certifications, and will have to say that hey
we can do you know, we can we can't compete
(13:25):
and we can't do the work. My take is that
I don't mind being certified as the black owned businesses,
but I just don't want that to be my you know,
sort of kind of you know, when I walk into
the door, Hey, I'm minority own give me work that
ain't gonna happen, right, but but but it does give
you some kind of legitimacy and that capacity to say, hey,
(13:48):
if you give us this work, we can do the
work with without any hesitation or without any risk.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Okay, here's the quick question I want to ask, because see,
I am a black certified or African American certified more
in the company with the Jordan Minorities Supplier Development Council,
which is a feeling of the National Minority Supplier Development Council.
And what people don't realize is that you know, they're
big companies out there. They're the white corporations that they
(14:17):
got all the business I cannot get in front of.
I can't get in front of them because they already
got their business. And so what some of these certifications
allow us to do at least allow these companies that
have these relationship with these powerful firms to listen to me,
listen to.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
My story, hear my story, and I have.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
To make my story so compelling that it said, you
know some I'm glad you're sitting in front of me.
And it's it's called business relationship. And people don't understand
it just like you. I don't want to be a
minority owned company, But if that's going to allow me
to have a conversation with a company that would not
listen to me because they already got the relationship with
the company because it's a fortune five hundred in my
(15:03):
case is marketing and branding, so in your case is staffing.
You know, they are super charged staffing agencies out there
that could crush.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
You because they are so big.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
If you the certification that a lot of people are
really under attack and talking about, you know, doing us
favors and talking about that's not fair.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
What if I was white?
Speaker 2 (15:21):
That's not fair to us because we're not saying that
we're asking for any favors. We're just trying to get
introduced in that environment.
Speaker 3 (15:29):
Am I wrong? In santos Kens.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
Please don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with more
money Making Conversations Masterclass. Welcome back to the Money Making
Conversations Masterclass hosted by Rashaan McDonald. Money Making Conversations Masterclass
continues online at Moneymakingconversations dot com and follow money Making
(15:54):
Conversations Masterclass on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
No you're not, because I mean, you know, we we want,
we want to chair at the table, right and so
I think that you know, being certified gives us that
that relationship. Now, these organizations like n M, s c C, GMSDC,
WE banking, some of these other organizations, what they do
is give us that entree, right otherwise that we wouldn't
(16:20):
have We wouldn't have U we wouldn't have had As
you know, miss McDonald, you know, these organizations are under
attack right now, and so I I am a bit
concerned about, you know, the future of minority businesses and
where we're you know, and and where are where are
we going to be you know, putting our stake in
(16:40):
the ground, uh, due to the fact that these organizations,
due to the fact these organizations are under attack. But
to your point, you know, they, you know, these certifying
bodies definitely gives us that that seat at the table.
Otherwise that we wouldn't have gotten. And so I do
agree with you on that. I mean, I believe in
(17:02):
the certification process. I endorse it. I tell you know,
businesses that I mentor Hey, first thing you need to
do is go get certified, because if you're trying to
knock on the door of a you know of an
IBM or in the video or what have you. First
to say, are you certified? Right?
Speaker 3 (17:19):
Exactly right?
Speaker 1 (17:20):
You know, unfortunately fortunately or unfortunately right. But but but
these organizations definitely because you know, one of the things
that they do allow us to do is we get
the names of their supplied diversity managers and their staff
and what have you. And these supplied diversities individuals are
advocates for what we do as business minority business owners. So,
(17:42):
you know, so we get those names, they interest introduce
us to you know, their their clients that they support
within their organizations, and hopefully you know, it lands into opportunities,
you know, for for for minority business owners.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
I'm telling the Candies the founding president of the Roster Group,
a nationally recognized, certified black owned professional staffing firm. They
provide the verse top talent for both the public and
private sectors executive search as well as in the healthcare
staffing area. Well, the thing I wanted to bring up
before we move on for this is that these organizations
they do like business matchmaking. They'll put us in the
(18:19):
position we have to upload all our information to the
portal and then we can sit down and talk to
companies we may not. Might talk to American Express, I
might talk to Chase. I might talk to Cole Coming
I would never talk to And the reason the power
of certification helps us is that we've been vetted. Just
like Ken said, we've been vetted. They want to know
how many years you've been in business. They even ask
(18:42):
you to upload your tax returns. So it is really
a vetted situation. So when you sit down, it also
tells you a lot about your business, how serious you
are about your business, how serious you are all about
your planning process.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
And that's why I just really wanted to.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
When I saw an opportunity to bring Ken on the show,
I wanted to tap into his background as an executive
search person, his background as a person who is providing
staffing nationally now not just locally, but naturally at the
Roster Group. But again, the bottom line, why did you
start this company?
Speaker 1 (19:16):
So I started Royster honestly, I mean, and it was
it was it was unfortunate. I'll be honest with you.
You know, my background was in pharmaceutical sales. I worked
for pharmaceuticals as a sales guy for four years and
then I was six years, and then I was in
HR for four and then I went to work for
a executive search firm called Corn Fiery and you know,
(19:38):
of course we recruited you know, C level people, what
have you. What happened was the tech bubble bursts. Right
when that tech bubble burds it, basically the phone stopped ringing. Right.
One of the things that I was I noticed when
I was in executive search working for you know this
(20:00):
this firm, was when I didn't see enough diversity on
these senior level executive searches that we worked on. So,
for an example, we were working on a senior VP
of sales and there were no women and no people
of color for probably I want to say at that
(20:23):
time that total comp was probably about close to two million,
and they and I just didn't see any any people
of color. And so what happened to me and every
search that I worked on, I made it a point
that I was going to have a woman or a
person of color on each search that I did with
(20:44):
that Corn and Corn and I'll be honest, they're not discriminatory.
It's just that, you know, it's very tough trying to
find you know, these uh, sometimes trying to find these
executive search professionals. So when the tech bubble bursts, I said,
you know what, let me take a packet and then
let me start my own firm and let me start
concentrating in diversity search. And that's how I got my
(21:08):
impetus just this uh into executive search and staffing. And
and it was due to the economy.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
Right, which is always how do you shift? How do
you shifting bad times? And that's what you were saying, right, Yeah,
you didn't throw up your hands.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
Yeah, I just knew I had that that determination, that
grit to say, you know what, I can do this,
and you know, and currently right now, I was, you know,
a Small business Person of the Year last year for
the state of Georgia. I've won several awards, you know
Roycester now is we're twenty plus million dollar firm. We
(21:43):
do a lot of work on the federal side as well,
and so I've learned a lot. You know, I've had
some bruises, don't get me wrong, but for the most part.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
You're Birmingham, Alabama.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
Boy, you know, I'm birminghamy you know.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
Am come on in, you know, So like you said,
you know, you started a company. What was that business model?
You know, what was that business model? When you're sitting down,
I want I want my listeners and my viewers to
understand that. You know, whenever you sit down with an idea,
there has to be a business structure to go along
(22:23):
with it. Like you said, I wanted to make sure
I had this type of these type of people around me.
A mistake I made, you know that I didn't have
the right people. You know, I hired my friends instead
of applying for the right people to do the job
I wanted to do. I thought they could just learn it.
To talk about that business model.
Speaker 1 (22:39):
You know, my business model, I will tell you that
it was bootstrap and and you know it was a
desk in my basement and a phone and you know,
and trying to put names and numbers into the database.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
Right.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
One of the things that that model that I start
learning early on us. If I would have done it
completely different, I would have found a mentor right, because
I would have it would have prevented me from those
those bruises you know that you go through. I mean,
you know, starting as a business owners, you don't know
(23:17):
the type of you know, insurances that you're going to need.
You don't know, you know, the type of technology you're
going to need, the registrations and things of that nature.
A mentor will give you that information for free, right,
you know. I utilize SBA a lot, I mean, going
(23:41):
through I mean I took their you know, different capacity
building classes and things of that nature. And so it
helped me to understand how to set up that model
and not you know, and not make mistakes. I mean,
don't get me wrong, I made a ton of mistakes,
but that model from s B A and SCORE and
(24:02):
some some people that I brought in that I trusted
helped me kind of get over those hurdles. And so,
but having those people around you, and sometimes you don't
have to pay them. Sometimes they just give it to
you for free. And and and there's nothing wrong for
asking information, right But but relationship, absolutely, it's all about relationship.
(24:25):
And so if if you were thinking about going out
on business on your own, just think about having somebody
that you can call and trust. I'm a part of
all these different CEO groups like EO UH, pure groups
and things of that nature. Those are the people, those
are the types of organizations that I would join.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Now here's a as we close out. You know, I'm
talking to Can the Ruster group. He's a He's a
boy from the South Birmingham. You can't get the mos
south in Birmingham. That's Ricky Smiley country. You know that
they about it is that when we look at mistakes
or eras and resumes and presentations.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
You've seen it all that you said, and you founded
this company.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
You know, over two decades you've been out there doing
it as an executive, doing the executive search process. Let's
start there some of the mistakes that people should avoid,
you know.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
So you know, the recruiters look at resumes extremely quick, right,
I mean I can look at a resume or a
CV like in i'd say five seconds and know that
this person is not going to be a fit.
Speaker 4 (25:36):
You know.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
One of the things that I think that a lot
of candidates typically don't do is really put a whole
lot of meat within their resume really kind of justify
their existence for that position. Right, And so if candidates
could put more meat on their resumes, now things are different, right,
I Mean you've got all of these different platforms now
(26:00):
that you can upload your resume. They shredded. We go
in and they take a look and download and things
of that nature. But a lot of people don't know that.
When when they're shredding that resume for us to take
a look at, they're looking at key words, you know,
specifically for the position that you're applying for. So if
you're applying for a position that you think that you
(26:21):
would be a fit for, read that job description, right,
Read the job description. Make sure that you got those
key phrases, those keywords in there, so that you know,
if we're saying, if we pull down you know, like
five candidates or six candidates, ten candidates, whatever the number is,
your resume would be part of that batch, right, and
(26:42):
so put the effort, put the time into writing your
your resume and your CV.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
So basically saying resume is an SEO driven to okay,
keywords words.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
You know, And it's unfortunate, right, I mean you know
you know well I would.
Speaker 3 (26:59):
Say it's unfortunate.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
While you're on the show, listen to the money Made
Conversations Master, you get hints on how to win you know,
you know you in.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
The resume to rights that you knew, and sure enough
they passing on in an interview these days, that ain't it?
Doesn't happen that way you go. You got to put
it into the database.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
I'm not saying my sister in law looking for a job.
She beat me up not talking about it. I'm not
looking for a job.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
But how does she avoid making mistakes if she came
to your company and put the wrong things and saying
what some hints, some clues?
Speaker 1 (27:33):
So you know, recruiters, you know, executive search and recruiters
take your call, right, I mean, don't get me wrong.
They're not going to call you back like you know,
like over in twenty you know, ten hours or twenty
four what have you. But they will return your call
if you if you are you know, if they're a
viable candidate, right, And so call a recruiter and say, hey, listen,
(27:53):
I'm thinking of I'm looking at this particular opportunity. You know,
here here my skill sets. How do I apply for
and how and what are you looking for? And how
I upload this resume so that you know you can
pull it or your client and take a look at it.
So you know, call the call the recruiter if you know,
if you have a entree into the company that you're
(28:14):
interested in applying for, you know, send the resume directly
to that hiring manager or to that HR, that HR department,
right and also upload the resume. So do you know
do a double duty I mean wrong with that.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
Get your hustle.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
Yeah, the more you can put it, the more you
can put your resume out there to those people that
you're organizations that you're targeting.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
The better awesome, I tell you them again, this is awesome. Now, well,
this is enjoyable. Now I want to invite you to
some other platform. But again, thank you for coming on
Money Making Conversation Master Class. You've educated me, educated my
audience and gives what he hiring hiring the brother's hiring
black certified hiring. Okay, you can for coming on Money
(29:01):
Making Conversations Masterclass.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
All right, Miss mcdonild you take care, sir, take care appreciation.
All right.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
This has been another edition of Money Making Conversation Masterclass
hosted by me Rushaun McDonald. Thank you to our guests
on the show today and thank you for listening to
the audience. Now, if you want to listen to any
episode I want to be a guest on the show,
visit Moneymakingconversations dot com. Our social media handle is money
Making conversation. Join us next week and remember to always
(29:27):
leave with your gifts.
Speaker 3 (29:29):
Keep winning,
Hi.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
I am Rashan McDonald host the weekly Money Making Conversation
Masterclass show. The interviews and information that this show provides
off for everyone. It's time to stop reading other people's
success stories and start living your own. I'm here to
help you reach your American dream. Let's keep listening. My
guest today is the founder and president of the Roster Group,
a nationally recognized, certified black owned professional staffing firm. They
(00:23):
provide the verse top talent for both the public and
private sector. Please welcome the Money Making Conversation Masterclass. Ken Tumpton.
How are you doing, sir?
Speaker 1 (00:32):
How you doing, Miss McDonald?
Speaker 3 (00:33):
How's it going really greatly? Good?
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Now? Founder and president of the Roster Group, Please give
us some background on that company.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Yeah, the Roster Group actually started back in two thousand
and one. We're an executive search and professional staffing company.
We've been in business since two thousand and one. The
company actually recruits senior love executives. In addition to working
in staff, we recruit physicians, nervous ancillary staff in the
(01:05):
healthcare space within the federal government as well. And then
we also have commercial you know, business as well. So
we're we're basically a company that specialized in various different things.
On the executive search side where boutique executive search. And
then on the staffing side, we do the staffing in
(01:28):
the healthcare space as well.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Now nationally correct, nationally correct when you said the word recruit. Now,
how does an individual who has a resume or job
skill set that you are looking for get in touch
with you?
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Yeah, so various different ways. I mean, you know, of
course website, you can always go to our website and
upload your resume and we'll put that information into our database.
One of the things with Royster is that you know,
we're We're not a your typical staffing companies, So it's
not like you can walk in off the street and
(02:03):
and and basically kind of we'll put you in the
database and what have you. A lot of the positions
that we uh work on are more so seasoned positions.
And what I mean by that is is that the
positions are you know, you know, so for an example,
if you're a physician, you know you got to have
you know, you've got to be certified in different clinical
(02:24):
skill sets and things of that nature. And then on
the executive search side, you know a lot of our
clients look for seasoned professionals, so you know, roughly about
seven to eight, maybe ten years out and what have you. So,
but you know, Royster, we partner with a lot of
different other you know companies, diverse companies at that, whether
(02:46):
they be minority owned or you know, woman own or
what have you. And we're constantly you know, sharing you know, profiles,
resumes with those individuals that I think would be a
good fit for other companies and uh, positions that other
companies are working on.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
So let me get just straight. We're watching you in
an executive search and do your staff and healthcare correct?
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Correct?
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Cool? Now let's look at the executive search part of it.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Now, when you say executive, we talk about C C suite.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Yeah, So we work at the C suite all the
way down to the director level. So so for an example,
you know companies we we've worked with, you know, home Depot,
We've worked with Burke Pharmaceuticals, we work with Pvisor and
some of the other you know, different companies that that
are out there. And these positions basically are more more
(03:40):
so at the VP you know, director VP or C
level type positions, so you know, more more more season
like I mentioned to you more you know, more season,
more experience. They manage a portfolio of individuals, whether it
be one hundred to a thousand individuals up to you know,
(04:04):
like I said, that particular skill set with the management
of people, but then also a portfolio, whether it be
you know, a ten million dollar portfolio all the way
up to fifty million dollar for So, let.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Me ask you this can at the Roster group, okay,
because I'm a stand on the executive right now, because
now I'm going to get to the staff and in
the healthcare.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Yeah, I'm an individual.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
How do I find your company and how do I
feel the company has the value of the potential to
create placing it for me in that suite because you
said all the way up to director, all the way
up to the VP level, right.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
Yeah, So let me explain So executive search and I
think a lot of individuals sort of don't understand how
executives work. We are what they call a retain executive
search firm. So we work for the client. Right, So
the client will come to us and say, hey, can
or Royster, we want you to find us a VP
(04:58):
of HR. We we put everything together, whether it be a
pipeline of candidates that we've worked with in the past,
or we will you know, kind of put a marketing
campaign together to go out and find that VP of HR,
you know, for for the particular client. There is another
side of search. It's called contingency, right. Contingency search is
(05:22):
where a company will work with a client they will
only get paid once they make a placement. Right, so
there's no skin in the game with the client being
in contingency. Now, you know, contingency is great work and
great business. However, Royster, we work strategically with our clients
(05:45):
because they give you know, the fees are paid upfront
to some extent. So we build you know, in certain
categories like a third, thirty and a third, and they
pay us, you know, based on the types of candidates
that we provide.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Okay, cool, now that's great.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Now let's slide over to the staff in the healthcare
where I'm sure a lot of my call is not
saying we don't have a lot of the people who
listening to my show wouldn't fall under the executive level.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
But like my sister in law, she's.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
A nurse and so been in that healthcare field and
have a number of friends in that healthcare field, talk
about how does one find out about Russia other than
the website that like, she's based in Houston, Texas and
you are national staffing from how could she take advantage
of what the services that your company offer.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Yeah, so we we advertise constantly the company basically, like
I said, you know, one particular aspect of it, we're
have a you know, our website basically advertised all the
positions that were all the positions okay, yeah, all the
positions that we're recruiting for Royce. We participated in a
lot of different conferences, you know, so at different conferences
(06:58):
and things of that nature, whether it be antithesiology conference
all the way down to occupational health conference or what
have you. So we're ten all of these different conferences.
And then also it's word of mouth. You know, we've
i would say since ye know, we've been in healthcare
for about fifteen plus years, and so we have a
lot of friends of the firm and basically we get
(07:21):
a lot of referrals just from people that you know,
that we've worked with in the past.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Now that makes you the kaim What are some of
the hot jobs you know, if they're all popular jobs.
You know that everybody's trying to get or somebody's trying
to hire.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
And I'm not saying they don't.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Everybody is employable, but there are some hot ticket jobs
that you want to keep on your roster because you
get the calls on these jobs live audience known.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Yeah, healthcare is always going to be hot. I don't care,
you know, I wouldn't tell you, but yeah, And the
reason for that is because our population is getting older, right,
the population baby boomers are retiring, they're getting older, and
so they're going to need that support services, uh to
help them get by. I mean, just like you and
(08:04):
I who had older parents and we've helped them. You
know that that service. We can't do everything right, and
so we're going to So the support services in health
care is going to be huge. I think they say
there's a a National Institute of Health said it best
a diverse nation calls for a diverse health care health
(08:27):
care force. That's why the portions of efforts and is
dedicated in the healthcare secretum, meaning that you know, regardless
of skin color, where you come from, what have you,
you know, there's we're gonna need those services to help. Uh.
You know, as our population get older, you know, medical
(08:49):
schools aren't putting out physicians like they used to. Nursing
is still tough. A lot of our nursing nurses have
got burned out in healthcare, and so we are now
looking at, you know, a shortage in healthcare across the board.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Let me there's here this because I was I was
interviewing the person about a year ago and I said,
growing up, I said, where did all these old people
come from?
Speaker 3 (09:15):
You know, because you.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Know, you know what I'm saying, King, we were growing up,
we see all these old people, you know, you know,
we just they just went away. And so now as
we grow older and we plan for retirement, we forget
to plan for our parents' lifestyle, right, So, and that
starts eating the way into the budget. And so when
(09:37):
you talk about that age group that we have to
take care of, that's what you're talking about, right. Absolutely,
there's an age group that we didn't see thirty years
ago that now is living a life into eighties and
nineties comfortably. Like President Jimmy Carter just celebrated his one
hundred birthday.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Okay, yeah, absolutely, you know it was interesting. So a
lot of and I know this is a bit morbid,
but you know, I'm starting to understand. I realized that
as we get older and older, could be you know,
seventy five plus and have you right, you know, that's
when you start tapping into retirement and things of that nature.
(10:18):
But seventy five is sort of kind of that that
age where I think that there's that it's that benchmark
where we are old, right, right, So you know, and
and I look at it like this. You know, I
grew up in government housing, so my parents were extremely young.
They you know, they they grew up with four Yankee
(10:40):
boys in government housing growing up. I think my mom
she was seventeen when she had my brother. My dad
was eighteen. So we grew up with our parents. So
my parents are you know, unfortunately my mom passed, but
my dad is still you know, he's in his seventies.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Yeah, right, eating barbecue.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
So so I think that honestly, you know, when when
we consider old, it's it's you know, I look at it,
and of course I'm thinking, okay, man, I'm like, well,
my parents used to be when with with you know,
back in the day, but you.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Don't look like your parents. That's the whole key. That's
the whole key. I go, I mean my dad, now
I was I remember my dad at this age.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
He didn't look like me at this age because we
have a different sense of consciousness, you know, and health
care awareness, you know. We you know, like like I
got a blood pressure machine now, you know, I check
my blood pressure myself.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
I'll have to go to the doc.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
You know.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
I got a.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
Bluetooth to my phone, so I know now. But you know,
when you talk about the healthcare, you talk about your
business that you're developing. One thing that popped out to
me was the word certified Black owned Professional staff can company.
Why is it important that you in part of your bio,
part of your resume, you're saying that you're a certified
Black owned professional staff firm.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
Well, so I'm gonna be I'm gonna be very transparent
with you. You know, when as a minority business is
they tell you that you got to get certified, You've
got to get certified because what typically happens is that
the companies want to capture that spin for for minority
owned businesses. I'll be honest with Unfortunately, I hate that
(12:20):
that sort of kind of tack line because I don't
think I need to be certified to compete. Right. The
reason why we get certified is because it gives us
the license to hunt right businesses, you know, Fortune five
hundred company businesses. They want to make sure that you know,
we're capable or that we have the capacity to do
(12:43):
business with them. And I could see that because some
businesses that don't have that capacity, once they get the contract,
then you know, it's it's to some extent, it's very
easy to get the contract, but it's pretty hard to
execute on the contract. Right, you got to keep the business.
And so people are in trusting you know, minority owned
(13:04):
businesses to do the work and what have you. Unfortunately,
we have to be we have to get that stamp
of approval, you know, through all of these different organizations
like NMSDC or E Bank or the l g B
t Q certifications, and will have to say that hey
we can do you know, we can we can't compete
(13:25):
and we can't do the work. My take is that
I don't mind being certified as the black owned businesses,
but I just don't want that to be my you know,
sort of kind of you know, when I walk into
the door, Hey, I'm minority own give me work that
ain't gonna happen, right, but but but it does give
you some kind of legitimacy and that capacity to say, hey,
(13:48):
if you give us this work, we can do the
work with without any hesitation or without any risk.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Okay, here's the quick question I want to ask, because see,
I am a black certified or African American certified more
in the company with the Jordan Minorities Supplier Development Council,
which is a feeling of the National Minority Supplier Development Council.
And what people don't realize is that you know, they're
big companies out there. They're the white corporations that they
(14:17):
got all the business I cannot get in front of.
I can't get in front of them because they already
got their business. And so what some of these certifications
allow us to do at least allow these companies that
have these relationship with these powerful firms to listen to me,
listen to.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
My story, hear my story, and I have.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
To make my story so compelling that it said, you
know some I'm glad you're sitting in front of me.
And it's it's called business relationship. And people don't understand
it just like you. I don't want to be a
minority owned company, But if that's going to allow me
to have a conversation with a company that would not
listen to me because they already got the relationship with
the company because it's a fortune five hundred in my
(15:03):
case is marketing and branding, so in your case is staffing.
You know, they are super charged staffing agencies out there
that could crush.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
You because they are so big.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
If you the certification that a lot of people are
really under attack and talking about, you know, doing us
favors and talking about that's not fair.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
What if I was white?
Speaker 2 (15:21):
That's not fair to us because we're not saying that
we're asking for any favors. We're just trying to get
introduced in that environment.
Speaker 3 (15:29):
Am I wrong? In santos Kens.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
Please don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with more
money Making Conversations Masterclass. Welcome back to the Money Making
Conversations Masterclass hosted by Rashaan McDonald. Money Making Conversations Masterclass
continues online at Moneymakingconversations dot com and follow money Making
(15:54):
Conversations Masterclass on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
No you're not, because I mean, you know, we we want,
we want to chair at the table, right and so
I think that you know, being certified gives us that
that relationship. Now, these organizations like n M, s c C, GMSDC,
WE banking, some of these other organizations, what they do
is give us that entree, right otherwise that we wouldn't
(16:20):
have We wouldn't have U we wouldn't have had As
you know, miss McDonald, you know, these organizations are under
attack right now, and so I I am a bit
concerned about, you know, the future of minority businesses and
where we're you know, and and where are where are
we going to be you know, putting our stake in
(16:40):
the ground, uh, due to the fact that these organizations,
due to the fact these organizations are under attack. But
to your point, you know, they, you know, these certifying
bodies definitely gives us that that seat at the table.
Otherwise that we wouldn't have gotten. And so I do
agree with you on that. I mean, I believe in
(17:02):
the certification process. I endorse it. I tell you know,
businesses that I mentor Hey, first thing you need to
do is go get certified, because if you're trying to
knock on the door of a you know of an
IBM or in the video or what have you. First
to say, are you certified? Right?
Speaker 3 (17:19):
Exactly right?
Speaker 1 (17:20):
You know, unfortunately fortunately or unfortunately right. But but but
these organizations definitely because you know, one of the things
that they do allow us to do is we get
the names of their supplied diversity managers and their staff
and what have you. And these supplied diversities individuals are
advocates for what we do as business minority business owners. So,
(17:42):
you know, so we get those names, they interest introduce
us to you know, their their clients that they support
within their organizations, and hopefully you know, it lands into opportunities,
you know, for for for minority business owners.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
I'm telling the Candies the founding president of the Roster Group,
a nationally recognized, certified black owned professional staffing firm. They
provide the verse top talent for both the public and
private sectors executive search as well as in the healthcare
staffing area. Well, the thing I wanted to bring up
before we move on for this is that these organizations
they do like business matchmaking. They'll put us in the
(18:19):
position we have to upload all our information to the
portal and then we can sit down and talk to
companies we may not. Might talk to American Express, I
might talk to Chase. I might talk to Cole Coming
I would never talk to And the reason the power
of certification helps us is that we've been vetted. Just
like Ken said, we've been vetted. They want to know
how many years you've been in business. They even ask
(18:42):
you to upload your tax returns. So it is really
a vetted situation. So when you sit down, it also
tells you a lot about your business, how serious you
are about your business, how serious you are all about
your planning process.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
And that's why I just really wanted to.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
When I saw an opportunity to bring Ken on the show,
I wanted to tap into his background as an executive
search person, his background as a person who is providing
staffing nationally now not just locally, but naturally at the
Roster Group. But again, the bottom line, why did you
start this company?
Speaker 1 (19:16):
So I started Royster honestly, I mean, and it was
it was it was unfortunate. I'll be honest with you.
You know, my background was in pharmaceutical sales. I worked
for pharmaceuticals as a sales guy for four years and
then I was six years, and then I was in
HR for four and then I went to work for
a executive search firm called Corn Fiery and you know,
(19:38):
of course we recruited you know, C level people, what
have you. What happened was the tech bubble bursts. Right
when that tech bubble burds it, basically the phone stopped ringing. Right.
One of the things that I was I noticed when
I was in executive search working for you know this
(20:00):
this firm, was when I didn't see enough diversity on
these senior level executive searches that we worked on. So,
for an example, we were working on a senior VP
of sales and there were no women and no people
of color for probably I want to say at that
(20:23):
time that total comp was probably about close to two million,
and they and I just didn't see any any people
of color. And so what happened to me and every
search that I worked on, I made it a point
that I was going to have a woman or a
person of color on each search that I did with
(20:44):
that Corn and Corn and I'll be honest, they're not discriminatory.
It's just that, you know, it's very tough trying to
find you know, these uh, sometimes trying to find these
executive search professionals. So when the tech bubble bursts, I said,
you know what, let me take a packet and then
let me start my own firm and let me start
concentrating in diversity search. And that's how I got my
(21:08):
impetus just this uh into executive search and staffing. And
and it was due to the economy.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
Right, which is always how do you shift? How do
you shifting bad times? And that's what you were saying, right, Yeah,
you didn't throw up your hands.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
Yeah, I just knew I had that that determination, that
grit to say, you know what, I can do this,
and you know, and currently right now, I was, you know,
a Small business Person of the Year last year for
the state of Georgia. I've won several awards, you know
Roycester now is we're twenty plus million dollar firm. We
(21:43):
do a lot of work on the federal side as well,
and so I've learned a lot. You know, I've had
some bruises, don't get me wrong, but for the most part.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
You're Birmingham, Alabama.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
Boy, you know, I'm birminghamy you know.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
Am come on in, you know, So like you said,
you know, you started a company. What was that business model?
You know, what was that business model? When you're sitting down,
I want I want my listeners and my viewers to
understand that. You know, whenever you sit down with an idea,
there has to be a business structure to go along
(22:23):
with it. Like you said, I wanted to make sure
I had this type of these type of people around me.
A mistake I made, you know that I didn't have
the right people. You know, I hired my friends instead
of applying for the right people to do the job
I wanted to do. I thought they could just learn it.
To talk about that business model.
Speaker 1 (22:39):
You know, my business model, I will tell you that
it was bootstrap and and you know it was a
desk in my basement and a phone and you know,
and trying to put names and numbers into the database.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
Right.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
One of the things that that model that I start
learning early on us. If I would have done it
completely different, I would have found a mentor right, because
I would have it would have prevented me from those
those bruises you know that you go through. I mean,
you know, starting as a business owners, you don't know
(23:17):
the type of you know, insurances that you're going to need.
You don't know, you know, the type of technology you're
going to need, the registrations and things of that nature.
A mentor will give you that information for free, right,
you know. I utilize SBA a lot, I mean, going
(23:41):
through I mean I took their you know, different capacity
building classes and things of that nature. And so it
helped me to understand how to set up that model
and not you know, and not make mistakes. I mean,
don't get me wrong, I made a ton of mistakes,
but that model from s B A and SCORE and
(24:02):
some some people that I brought in that I trusted
helped me kind of get over those hurdles. And so,
but having those people around you, and sometimes you don't
have to pay them. Sometimes they just give it to
you for free. And and and there's nothing wrong for
asking information, right But but relationship, absolutely, it's all about relationship.
(24:25):
And so if if you were thinking about going out
on business on your own, just think about having somebody
that you can call and trust. I'm a part of
all these different CEO groups like EO UH, pure groups
and things of that nature. Those are the people, those
are the types of organizations that I would join.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Now here's a as we close out. You know, I'm
talking to Can the Ruster group. He's a He's a
boy from the South Birmingham. You can't get the mos
south in Birmingham. That's Ricky Smiley country. You know that
they about it is that when we look at mistakes
or eras and resumes and presentations.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
You've seen it all that you said, and you founded
this company.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
You know, over two decades you've been out there doing
it as an executive, doing the executive search process. Let's
start there some of the mistakes that people should avoid,
you know.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
So you know, the recruiters look at resumes extremely quick, right,
I mean I can look at a resume or a
CV like in i'd say five seconds and know that
this person is not going to be a fit.
Speaker 4 (25:36):
You know.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
One of the things that I think that a lot
of candidates typically don't do is really put a whole
lot of meat within their resume really kind of justify
their existence for that position. Right, And so if candidates
could put more meat on their resumes, now things are different, right,
I Mean you've got all of these different platforms now
(26:00):
that you can upload your resume. They shredded. We go
in and they take a look and download and things
of that nature. But a lot of people don't know that.
When when they're shredding that resume for us to take
a look at, they're looking at key words, you know,
specifically for the position that you're applying for. So if
you're applying for a position that you think that you
(26:21):
would be a fit for, read that job description, right,
Read the job description. Make sure that you got those
key phrases, those keywords in there, so that you know,
if we're saying, if we pull down you know, like
five candidates or six candidates, ten candidates, whatever the number is,
your resume would be part of that batch, right, and
(26:42):
so put the effort, put the time into writing your
your resume and your CV.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
So basically saying resume is an SEO driven to okay,
keywords words.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
You know, And it's unfortunate, right, I mean you know
you know well I would.
Speaker 3 (26:59):
Say it's unfortunate.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
While you're on the show, listen to the money Made
Conversations Master, you get hints on how to win you know,
you know you in.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
The resume to rights that you knew, and sure enough
they passing on in an interview these days, that ain't it?
Doesn't happen that way you go. You got to put
it into the database.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
I'm not saying my sister in law looking for a job.
She beat me up not talking about it. I'm not
looking for a job.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
But how does she avoid making mistakes if she came
to your company and put the wrong things and saying
what some hints, some clues?
Speaker 1 (27:33):
So you know, recruiters, you know, executive search and recruiters
take your call, right, I mean, don't get me wrong.
They're not going to call you back like you know,
like over in twenty you know, ten hours or twenty
four what have you. But they will return your call
if you if you are you know, if they're a
viable candidate, right, And so call a recruiter and say, hey, listen,
(27:53):
I'm thinking of I'm looking at this particular opportunity. You know,
here here my skill sets. How do I apply for
and how and what are you looking for? And how
I upload this resume so that you know you can
pull it or your client and take a look at it.
So you know, call the call the recruiter if you know,
if you have a entree into the company that you're
(28:14):
interested in applying for, you know, send the resume directly
to that hiring manager or to that HR, that HR department,
right and also upload the resume. So do you know
do a double duty I mean wrong with that.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
Get your hustle.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
Yeah, the more you can put it, the more you
can put your resume out there to those people that
you're organizations that you're targeting.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
The better awesome, I tell you them again, this is awesome. Now, well,
this is enjoyable. Now I want to invite you to
some other platform. But again, thank you for coming on
Money Making Conversation Master Class. You've educated me, educated my
audience and gives what he hiring hiring the brother's hiring
black certified hiring. Okay, you can for coming on Money
(29:01):
Making Conversations Masterclass.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
All right, Miss mcdonild you take care, sir, take care appreciation.
All right.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
This has been another edition of Money Making Conversation Masterclass
hosted by me Rushaun McDonald. Thank you to our guests
on the show today and thank you for listening to
the audience. Now, if you want to listen to any
episode I want to be a guest on the show,
visit Moneymakingconversations dot com. Our social media handle is money
Making conversation. Join us next week and remember to always
(29:27):
leave with your gifts.
Speaker 3 (29:29):
Keep winning,
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