Helen Sanders

Every bad hire costs you £50-100K and 6 months you can't get back. I've spent 27 years making sure that doesn't happen.

My unusual journey started as the BBC's first female football commentator in 1997. While breaking barriers in the commentary box, I noticed something crucial: the teams that won weren't necessarily the ones with the most talented players. They were the ones where people just clicked.

That insight became the foundation of everything I do at HFBAC.

HFBAC = Hiring For and Building Awesome Companies (pronounced "Half-back")

WHY CLIENTS STAY:
Most recruiters disappear after the invoice clears. I don't.

13 companies I've worked with for 3+ years. 
11 more who've hired through me multiple times over 5+ years. 

Two partnerships spanning over a decade - including one where I've been their embedded Talent Partner for 10+ years.

My favourite success story? A US tech start-up company asked me to help build their UK team. I hired their second employee. Today they're 80+ people across both countries.

That's Chemistry First in action.

WHAT I DO NOW:
- Fractional Talent Partner: Your embedded Head of Talent - without the £80k salary. Hiring strategy, full-cycle recruiting, candidate experience. For growing teams of 15-100 who need serious talent capability without a full-time hire.

- Starter Retainer Monthly strategy: The bridge between DIY hiring and full talent support. For bootstrapped teams of 5-20 scaling fast.

- Project Hiring: Chemistry First methodology for critical hires - first hires, leadership, founding team roles.

I work with founders in the UK and US. British-American dual citizen who understands both markets from the inside.

WHY "CHEMISTRY FIRST"?

Chemistry matters more than credentials. Every time.

46% of hires fail within 18 months. 89% of those failures? Not skills - chemistry. 
That's why I test for values alignment and team dynamics BEFORE anything else.
Result: 90%+ success rate.

12-month replacement guarantee. Most recruiters give you 3 months. I give you a year.

WHAT DRIVES ME:

In 2008, my 3-year-old son was diagnosed with cancer.

Watching him fight - and win - taught me what really matters when pressure's on. 

People who show up for each other. People who refuse to give up on the team.

He's thriving today. 

Now I'm raising £1 million for Young Lives vs Cancer. A portion of every HFBAC engagement supports families facing the same fight.

When you work with me, you're not just building your team - you're part of something bigger.

LET'S CONNECT:
Growing a team? Let's talk → hfbac.com

Recruitment Strategic Partner | SME Recruitment Growth Specialist | CEO

There is an easier way to recruit and nurture new staff. Your People Partners can do it for you.

As a business owner responsible for every aspect of your company, knowing how to save time and money hiring your next member of staff is rather useful!

Would you love an easy, cost effective and efficient service to help you spend more time on the business and not just in it as you go about recruiting your next member of staff?

Good news.

You don't need to use a recruiter in the traditional sense.

I am Helen Sanders. And I head up a talented team of talent acquisition specialists who are Your People Partners.

You can use my 22 years (!) recruitment expertise in helping business owners like you to save time, save money, cut the risk of poor hires and remove the stress of the recruitment process.

Did I mention we are not an 'agency'?

If we work together, we're partners. We work together to make sure you hire well and your team can grow to meet your vision and better support your clients/customers.

Done-With-You:
We stand by you, jump in when you need, we guide and do the bits you cannot do, and you learn how to be really awesome at hiring. No, we're not trying to make you into a recruiter. Being a business owner who hires well can make or break your business. 

Done-As-You:
We are your in-house team. We ensure all people in touch with your company have an awesome experience of you, the business owner as well as your company. Given our partners (companies like yours) are between 3 and 50 staff, we know that you're competing for the talent you need.

All this for the same cost, or sometimes less, than a 'normal' recruitment agency.

Call me now on 0117 290 0208 for a chat about how we can take the stress out of your next hire, as well as support your growing team with all things 'people' and talent-related.

Maties Gymnasium

Operations Manager

Sudor Interactive

Business Development Executive

Account Manager

Sales & Marketing Manager

Kuula TV

Business Development

The Sneaker Shack

Head Of Sales

Virgin Active South Africa

Achieving growth and hitting sales targets by successfully managing the sales team. Designing and implementing a strategic sales plan that expands company's customer base and ensure its strong presence.
•	Responsible for all areas of Activity, Staffing and Training to ensure pre-determined daily, monthly and yearly KPI’s for the Sales and Marketing team of 5 Sales Consultants are achieved. 
•	Ensure the achievement of individual and club sales targets 
•	Create corporate and in-club opportunities that promote brand awareness and increases the opportunity for membership growth
•	Promoting monthly campaigns through various marketing channels.
•	Coaching and developing sales consultants to ensure succession and personal growth 
•	To up-skill and improve performance levels of Sales Consultants by identifying gaps and delivering individual-specific training
•	Conducting in-club sales courses and training.
•	Managing performance and misconduct in the workplace
•	Manage staffing levels and identifying risk
•	Dealing with queries to ensure the delivery of excellent customer service.

Sales Manager

Responsible for achieving pre-determined sales targets on a monthly basis. Act as a Brand Ambassador for Virgin Active. Create new marketing opportunities that assist with membership growth. 
• Achieve daily and monthly activity and sales targets 
• Create corporate and in-club opportunities that promote brand awareness and increases the opportunity for membership growth
• Promoting monthly campaigns through various marketing channels

Sales Consultant

Zehandi Missions

Student and Volunteer 

Volunteer Co-ordinator

•	Responsible for achieving pre-determined sales targets on a monthly basis. 
•	Act as a Brand Ambassador for Virgin Active. Create new marketing opportunities that assist with membership growth. 
•	Achieve daily and monthly activity and sales targets 
•	Create corporate and in-club opportunities that promote brand awareness and increases the opportunity for membership growth
•	Promoting monthly campaigns through various marketing channels


With a successful track record in sales and account management, I have developed a keen ability to build strong relationships, drive revenue growth, and deliver exceptional value to clients. Over the years, I have honed skills in strategic planning, negotiation, and customer engagement, all of which have contributed to my ability to exceed targets and foster client loyalty.

However, my true passion lies in making a positive difference in the world. I am actively seeking opportunities to leverage my skills and experience in the social impact sector and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). I am driven by a desire to contribute to transformative change and create sustainable solutions for communities in need.

I am excited to connect with like-minded professionals and organizations committed to driving social change. Let's work together to make a meaningful impact!


Anelle Goldblatt

taplio

The Battle

Helen Sanders

Anelle Goldblatt

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