Today we’d like to introduce you to Shannon Rodriguez.
Hi Shannon, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I come from a family of performers and entertainers. I grew up in Casinos watching my Mom sing, and my Dad play drums on stage. Events and hospitality are in my blood. I have been in Sales and hospitality for over 25 years and have worked in all aspects, from operations, sales, production, and event design to VP of global business development. Over that time frame, I have developed an impressive list of contacts and fostered mutually beneficial partnerships. After COVID-19, like many, I stepped out of the day-to-day event & DMC world and into recruiting where I started my own company helping meetings and events, agency, incentive travel, and DMC companies find great candidates with the proper skill set to match their company brand, culture, and growth. I do all the heavy lifting when finding the right talent. Since I understand the business and the various roles, I can identify the right kinds of candidates for each position and ask industry-specific questions that a typical recruiter would NOT KNOW. Because it’s such a niche industry, my typical turnaround is 30 days from start to finish, so my clients are interviewing candidates within two weeks of signing an agreement with me. I am my client’s growth partner. We learn to trust each other and have the interest of the company and its growth in mind throughout the process. What is best for them, what is best for the candidate, and are they a strong match? I am not a turn-and-burn agency; I am focused, love and support this niche industry. While recruiting, I also recognized missed opportunities from the younger generation about how to build client relationships to grow their businesses. Understanding how to connect with clients based on who they are and how to speak their language is broken down into 4 different personality types. I created The Connex Factor, “The Art of Client Connection.” This talk gives sales teams actionable tools they can use right away to navigate their client relationships from just selling to understanding who they are selling to, resulting in revenue growth and stronger working relationships. Focusing on who and understanding the how.
It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I have certainly had my share of challenges, but I also feel extremely lucky at how connected I was to the meetings industry. It allowed me to jump in head first, reach out to all my connections, and start recruiting within my first week. I quickly realized I needed to charge differently than most recruiting firms because the events industry was just coming back. I came up with a flat fee, not a commission structure, so my service was affordable and easy. I have learned many lessons, like “intellectual property.” I am not sharing my secrets about how I find such great talent, but I am keeping that magic behind the wizard curtain! I also learned that if a smaller company needs help, I can work on a sliding scale for them and be part of their growth. There are rules, but there are always exceptions when it comes to helping people! I have been in business for two years and plan to do this until I retire. It’s been a gift to meet so many incredible humans who trust me to find their employees and all the candidates who share their stories with me, hoping to find their next growth opportunity.
I also used to be in charge of helping candidates re-write their resumes and I billed for that service. That did not feel right to me, and some people may argue that time is money. I can’t even count the number of people who helped me along the way, because there are so many! Taking 30 or 60 minutes to talk to a struggling candidate who needs resume help, is not getting interviews and doesn’t understand why, is lost and frustrated is a gift that they trust me to help them. When I get cards or letters from candidates who say I changed their perspective, they are excited to job hunt; they know their purpose that is such a gift! Money isn’t everything, and as an owner, I get to choose where my value is.
Before we go, can you tell us how people can collaborate with or support you?
If you are a company looking to hire within the hospitality industry for meetings, events, incentive travel, DMC, agency, or meeting and events vendors, I can help you find the right candidates! If you are a candidate looking for a new job or career, resume guidance or LinkedIn profile review, I can help in one or all aspects! If you are a Sales Director or Manager, GM or Owner wanting to help your sales team understand clients better, their 4 personality types, and how to relate to them to grow their business, I would love to speak at your next event!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shannonconnexllc.com
- Instagram: shannonconnexllc
- Facebook: Shannon Connex Recruiting
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-rodriguez-118a243/
Image Credits
Mendy Watson Indek, Willow Photography
