As Pathfinders approaches its 25th business anniversary this April, I find myself reflecting on all the changes that our business has been through.
I realize that we have morphed, evolved and changed, due in part to the creative nature of the entrepreneur, but also out of necessity. We started as a career transition business in 1991. That outplacement oriented business provided 95% of our revenue for over a decade.
Then, a double whammy hit.
- Demand for outplacement services declined AND
- The emergence of technology changed the terrain of service delivery.
The career transition industry as a whole became commoditized. This challenged us to broaden our service offerings to stay relevant to our market.
Outplacement is now only 40% of our revenue, as we provide a wider range of talent management services that support the entire employee life cycle. Outplacement businesses who did not change to diversify their offerings are no longer in business.
We are grateful that we had the foresight and resilience to change with the times, as it has sustained us for a quarter century. Thanks to our clients, colleagues, coaches and employees who have supported us through the changes so that we can celebrate our 25th this year and look forward to many more.
