Helping People is Her Core

Carrie Nebens is the owner and founder of Equis Staffing. Her firm specializes in providing IT and finance talent to Los Angeles entertainment, biotech and professional services companies. Over her 25-plus-year career, Nebens has held management roles with Hewlett-Packard, On Assignment, and Robert Half. She also serves on California Lutheran University’s Board of Regents.

Who has inspired you throughout your business journey, and what is the most important thing you’ve learned from them?

Throughout my business career I have worked with many talented, entrepreneurial executives who ran tight, successful operations. Successfully delivering a high-quality service requires efficient operational practices.  An efficient operation and a core focus are two fundamentals of our framework. Additionally, I learned that focusing on your customers’ needs and exceeding their expectations will help you build lasting relationships. I learned to explain to customers what we can and cannot deliver, and to respectfully say no to requests we cannot deliver with efficiency and quality. This is an important part of building trusting partnerships. But if we can’t help them, we probably know someone who can. We offer alternatives, other solutions, and referrals to help our clients.

What made you decide to go into the industry you’re in now? What have you learned about it?

I studied chemistry in college, and eventually took that knowledge into staffing for scientific laboratories and health care clients. I have realized that you can draw upon your core education and industry experience, and pivot into an adjacent career field like recruiting. At Equis, we like to hire recruiters with backgrounds and education in the specialized fields they recruit for. For example, our accounting and finance recruiters have education or experience in accounting and finance; our technology recruiters have backgrounds and experience in IT and technology. This helps us be more consultative and efficient.

Has Covid-19 left any noticeable impacts on how you or your company operate?

The workplace and workforce have been forever changed as a result of the pandemic. Like other supply chains, the labor supply was dramatically impacted. Mobility became a huge issue. Childcare and other issues impacted workers’ ability to leave their homes. We needed to use technology more efficiently and effectively than ever to connect with people and set up interviews quickly. We adapted quickly and facilitated this process for our hiring clients and our job seekers. We have now been able to expand our recruiting reach from local talent pools to hiring people throughout the United States, and to service many more client needs. 

What is the number one piece of advice you’d give to women who want to start or operate their own businesses?

It shouldn’t be a surprise that building a business takes commitment and hard work. Be prepared to put in the time and energy for the long term. Surround yourself with reliable, dependable people that fit your model, and who enjoy the day-to-day work you do. 

What have you done this past year to ensure that your business is a leader in its industry?

Change is happening faster every year and we must continuously adapt. We evaluate technology tools all the time to improve our recruiting productivity and effectiveness. We are also using technology to stay connected and build relationships. Although we always used our own systems, we are now using tech tools to stay as close to people as we can and share updates in the labor market and workplace.  

What steps do you take to build community and a positive work culture within your business?

Core to our business is helping people. We help people find great jobs, and we help organizations hire great people. We share information and important content with our talent network all the time. We remind ourselves constantly that, in the process of doing our job, we change lives.

What aspects of operating your business do you find the most challenging? Conversely, which aspects have been the most rewarding?

The labor market is still experiencing tremendous change. Unemployment is hitting historic lows and the demand for talent continues to grow. So, recruiting is more challenging than ever, and finding the best talent is a very intense process. In addition, the cost of hiring and employing people while providing employee benefits keeps rising. Balancing the cost-and-reward equation is built into our culture. The rewards come when we help organizations hire great people.

Has being a woman in your industry provided you with a different or unique perspective over the years?

I have two grown sons. Raising a family while being a woman in business has given me a greater focus on time-management and productivity. Time is a very precious resource. I love a tight operation because it saves time. I don’t like to waste time, or anything else for that matter.

Has your career path to achieving success differed due to your gender identity?

I am a proud certified women-owned business, but it has not been easy. Balancing all of the responsibilities has definitely required a lot of sacrifice. But I did the best I could do, and it worked out. That’s the real world. I look back and think of all the people I have worked with, and I smile. I had some great guidance, and hopefully I gave some great guidance, too!