This month marks Freshminds turning 20 years old. Whilst a global pandemic tried its hardest to knock us off course, we got there.
In light of the difficult year that 2020 has been for everyone, it’s important to recognise everyone that has connected with us along the way and thank the resilience of team Freshminds over the last few months. They say that starting an enduring brand is easy, it’s just the first 100 years which are hard – well 2020 has certainly added a good few years of resilience building and lessons for everyone in that.
It’s been quite a journey from the first research mandate taken on in the autumn of 2000. We have grown from a small firm started by two entrepreneurial graduates (who turned down roles at McKinsey to do so) who had the idea of connecting the best people to businesses, to the professional services firm we are today. We have now worked with over 4,000 clients to answer strategic questions and helped over 100,000 individuals into roles, many of whom acting as an extension of our team for years.
Today, we focus on helping Private Equity, consulting, corporates and fast-growing technology businesses with research, analysis and consulting expertise. Whilst 80% of our business comes from Europe, we are able to service clients and projects around the world and have been acting as a remote partner for many businesses for a few years now.
We want to thank everyone who has helped us on this journey. First, our team – past and present who remain a source of pride and quality in themselves. As we preach to our partner businesses, we know how important it is to have the right team in place- to spark ideas, develop offerings and drive forward growth. So we’re grateful for the people who have been part of Freshminds over the years to make all of that happen.
Our candidate network – we would be nothing without them – from junior people embarking on their first internship, to world experts advising Private Equity firms on an investment hypothesis. It’s all down to the amazing work that they achieve for our clients that we have been able to develop our services in scale, mode and seniority over the years.
And finally, to our clients – we know that there is a choice in this market and we are very grateful when you choose to work with Freshminds. It is a testament to the team and clients that many have worked with us for 15 years or more.
Looking forward, and whilst this rupture in our economy has presented a near-term challenge, we also feel it has opened the world to more opportunities. For flexible and remote teams, for accelerating digital transformation, for a more diverse and inclusive workforce and maybe for thinking and reflecting on what we and our clients can do to tackle the health, care and climate challenges that lie ahead. We’re already seeing this happening with a big uptick in consulting expertise requirements to answer these questions.
There’s a lot of change coming and we’re excited for what this next chapter unfurls. So, here’s to the next 20 - thank you so much and we hope to stay connected.
James and Adam
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