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.

Vision 2030 limited

Available for consultancy services in connection with helping SME business owners reduce their energy costs & carbon footprint by way of  strategic partnerships with expert companies in the energy efficiency & renewable marketplace. We recruit People, Products & Partnerships to provide the solutions that you need . We also carry out due diligence, compliance & project management to offer a full beginning to end solution for your needs

Founder / Director

Orel Solutions

Responsible for providing the leadership, management & vision necessary to ensure that the company has the proper operational controls, administrative, reporting & system procedures in place to effectively grow the organisation & ensure operating efficiency .Integral part of the senior management team tasked with growing the company throughout the Uk & Europe

Chief Operating Officer

Orel e3

Exciting times ahead, looking forward to the challenge

PV Solar Ltd

•	Providing expert advice and guidance on the set-up and implementation of best practice business sales and operational models within the renewable energy & energy efficiency marketplace
•	Recruitment of new staff from placement of adverts, interviews & induction training, day to day management within the South West & South Wales
•	Involved in all aspects of daily operations: management of the sales function, surveying, personal sales, working with marketing on the implementation of media/web promotion and lead sourcing initiatives
•	Supporting the set-up of call centre operations, outdoor canvassing operations, recruitment at all levels, best practice process maps and compliance
•	Building networks of Green Deal Advisors within the Governments flagship Green Deal Initiative
•	Personal sales & training new sales reps on sales calls for residential sales of PV Solar

Regional Sales Director

Homeform Group Ltd

Began as a Kitchens Direct  sales designer, achieved promotion to Area Manager within 6 months

Promoted to Area Manager & then Regional Manager for sister company Moben Kitchens

Chosen to head up management of sales for the Ideal Home Exhibition pulling together specialist sales team from all over the UK

Utilised by the group to turnaround under performing regions across the UK
Responsibilities for recruitment , ongoing training in sales , product & financial products, management of area managers, goal & target setting , sales reporting, showroom management, introduction of cad system, cost control, 

In October 2010, returned from Spain to take over the worst performing region as Regional Sales & Performance Director with overall responsibility for 27 showrooms , 4 area managers, 45 sales designers & 54 showroom staff

Key for Sales

This company had failed to hit a sales target in 5years in the luxury second home overseas market with clients from all over Europe. I interviewed all the current Agencies, sales staff, marketing department & sales support team before implementing an overhaul of the sales process & marketing campaigns. 

Succeeded in multi site sales targets being exceeded & oversaw the successful launches of new development sites

Went on to create specialist financial products for the investor in partnership with Savills private finance, Barclays Bank & Halifax bank along with various Spanish banks

Sales & marketing director

Nationwide Mobility Limited

Initial responsibility for improving performance of sales in Scotland, Wales & the north of England which within 3 months was outselling the South of England

Recruited new sales team for new division covering all of UK .Responsible for overseeing marketing campaign , & all aspects of day to day sales management .Returned new business to profit within 6 months

National Sales Director

Leading Vision 2030 Limited as Founder and Director, my mission is to empower both homeowners and small to medium-sized businesses to slash energy costs and carbon emissions. Our approach is holistic, leveraging strategic partnerships with industry experts and fostering People, Products, and Partnerships to customize energy-efficient solutions. With 5+ years at the helm, the focus remains on due diligence and project management, ensuring a seamless, end-to-end client experience.

Previously, as Chief Operating Officer at Orel Solutions, I cultivated operational excellence across the UK and Europe. My role was pivotal in establishing robust operational controls and processes to scale the organization and enhance operating efficiency. Our team's collaborative efforts significantly contributed to the company's growth, with my leadership in operations, sales metrics, and customer relations playing a key role in our expansion.

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Helen Sanders

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