Celebrating six years in a hugely competitive recruitment market with a new website and refreshed brand, Inc. Consulting’s Emma Conroy reflects on the challenges, growth and community spirit that have shaped her journey from start-up to established brand, and shares what’s next on the horizon.
Looking back over the last six years, what’s your proudest moment, and what’s been the toughest lesson you’ve had to learn as a business owner?
Oh gosh. I couldn’t pick just one moment. I work with a phenomenal bunch of driven, ambitious and kind individuals, and the fact that that just happens to be the business I created six years ago makes me both humble and proud.
The toughest lesson I’ve learned is that not everyone shares the same values as me, and that’s completely fine. I’ve been guilty of listening to others rather than following my gut at times.
How has the Sheffield community played a part in shaping the business?
The Sheffield community has categorically played a part. We work with clients not just in Sheffield but across Yorkshire, the Midlands and sometimes further afield. We’ve even had a few international placements this year!
We’re forever grateful that those clients come back to us time and time again. Locally, there are so many key individuals who’ve had our backs (as we’ve had theirs) and been part of our tribe, even through tough times. I also have a fantastic mentor in Victoria Clarke-Brown, Finance Director at Kitlocker, who has been a consistent source of support, coaching, and encouragement throughout the past 6-years.
There’s a really strong sense of community in Sheffield, particularly across the small business community that make up 86% of Sheffield businesses.
We love supporting fellow small business owners and believe in true collaboration across Sheffield’s business community, from referrals and sharing information to simply being there as a friend.
A great example is Sheffield Business Runners, founded by the brilliant Hannah Duraid, Sam Newton, and Phil Turner. It’s a fantastic example of local business owners getting together and finding time to look after their wellbeing while supporting each other.
Let’s talk about your values. Inc. Consulting are proudly women-led, APSCo-accredited, and focused on recruiting ethically and inclusively. How have those principles shaped the way you do business?
I’m proud to be part of the small but growing number of female-led businesses that have thrived beyond five years, and incredibly proud of the amazing women I’ve had the privilege to work with.
Inclusivity is hugely important to us at Team Inc., and it’s at the heart of everything we do. Being part of a membership body like APSCo matters because they background-check members and take client references, which adds credibility that I really value.
What I’ve learned is that it’s one thing to say you’re committed to inclusivity, and another to truly understand the complexity of what that means. I’ve definitely had moments of naivety, thinking we were further along than we were. But inclusivity is ever evolving, and we have a responsibility to keep learning.
Some of your newer values are ‘make a life, not a living’ and ‘never settling’. How do those show up day to day?
When we first started, our founding values of care, commitment and courage came from deep conversations about who we are and why we exist. They still hold true today, but our newer values reflect how we’ve evolved.
From day one, I wanted our business to stand for something meaningful, even if that meant doing things the hard way: challenging norms, challenging bias, and standing up when something feels wrong.
These two values go hand in hand. We work incredibly hard to maintain our high standards and deliver a tailored, high-level service, and that means our job isn’t your typical 9–5. So it’s vital that we also make space for life outside of work. This is where ‘make a life, not a living’ comes in.
This year we implemented a 9-day fortnight and introduced a range of health and wellbeing benefits to ensure balance and flexibility, helping the team take back personal time to recharge and be with their families.
How do you balance authenticity and values with moving forward with ambition and growth?
Accountability is a big part of how we work, and it really matters to us. There’s no hierarchy here, no airs or graces. If I mess up, I fully expect someone on the team to call me out on it.
We also value external input. Whether it’s picking up the phone to a mentor or a trusted adviser, we’re open to being challenged, and that keeps us grounded.
Moving forward can mean different things. For me, it used to mean increasing everything: headcount, turnover, client numbers. But it doesn’t anymore. Having the right people, the right infrastructure, and a loyal client base is far more important and naturally leads to organic growth.
Our culture has evolved over six years, and now it feels like we’re one cohesive team.
We build each other up, celebrate each other’s wins, and support each other during the tougher times.
How have your clients shaped Inc.’s identity, and how do you keep their voices central to the business?
Without our candidates and clients, we wouldn’t be here. A huge proportion of our clients come back to us again and again, and our repeat business rate this year is 92%, which we’re incredibly proud of. Some have worked with us consistently over six years, and that loyalty has been fundamental to our success.
When we ran a marketing exercise last year, a consultant gathered confidential client feedback, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. That was humbling and reassuring. A few asked whether we were getting too big to stay personal. At the time, we’d grown too fast, and this was a fair question - but now we’re focused on building solid foundations to ensure we’re maintaining the service that earned their trust in the first place.
Even when feedback is hard to hear, it’s vital. That’s how we keep getting better.
What plans do you have to celebrate your six-year milestone, and what did you achieve in your fifth year?
This time last year, we were in a very different place, so we never had the chance to celebrate our fifth anniversary. So we’re celebrating six years instead!
We’re thrilled to showcase our new branding and website, launched last month, and our upgraded system implementation will be completed by the end of this month.
In September, we hosted a charity quiz night to raise money for Weston Park Cancer Charity, fundraising for me and a group of fantastic business owners who climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in October, collectively raising over £105,000 so far.
We had an office refurb which has created a fantastic working environment for us all. People often comment that it looks like someone’s living room, and that’s the environment we want to create – a welcoming and relaxed space.
We’ve spoken at several events covering everything from ED&I to business leader challenges, and we’ve made a conscious effort to give back this year, from mentoring college students to supporting individuals re-entering the workforce and offering pro bono recruitment support.
Only a fraction of start-ups survives beyond five years, so hitting this milestone means a lot, especially given the market challenges.
Looking ahead, we’re launching exciting new brands in 2026 and beyond, and partnering with organisations like Freeths, ICAEW, Sheffield Hallam Business School and S&DCASS on upcoming events and collaborations.
Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give to someone starting a small business?
Be clear on your values and your boundaries. They’re your ‘why’. Surround yourself with your people, your tribe, both within and outside the business. Listen to both your head and your heart, and make sure they align when you make key decisions.
And most importantly, have humility, and learn from the inevitable mistakes along the way.
