"The Smart Way to Recruit…FAST!"
03/31/25 Edition Stephen Says Column

Dear Stephen,

I’m a third-generation owner of a textile converter. We’re a medium-sized company in our field. We design and produce fabric and wall covering for high end, to the trade, residential, hospitality, and we’ve recently gotten very involved with contract fabrics and are even “graded in” to several contract manufacturer’s seating line.

Business continues to be busy, especially in the hospitality sector. Our sales reps make competitive money. Everyone here does. We have a sales team that’s been here for many years, but we are growing. Since contract and hospitality are newer divisions for us, I’m looking for outside sales reps who have relationships in that space. I’m finding it difficult to recruit good people.

I know it’s not in your interest to answer this question: but if I don’t want to use a recruiter, how and where do I find the best people?

I’ve done the obvious things like constantly posting LinkedIn ads for our open positions, and on other online platforms. I’ve also used a number of the industry trade publications which gets people to reach out, but not the ones I need.


I’m not only looking for sales reps; I’m also hiring textile designers, product development people, and marketing, too. In the textile & wall covering world, people are passionate about the designs they represent; we check most of the boxes that employees are looking for. So why can’t I find anyone? I’m not against using recruiters, but even when I have, I’m just not finding success when it comes to hiring, that is why I am asking how else can I do it? Do you have any suggestions for me?

Signed,
Show Me the Talent
 

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Dear Talent Show,


Well, my simple answer is you can do it yourself and the talent is right in front of your nose!     

Here is a recruiter secret that applies not only to textile and wall covering, but it really applies to almost every furniture company; indoor, outdoor furniture manufacturing; residential & contract; tile and stone companies. . . Anyone hiring in 2025 should consider what I’m about to tell you, it’s a new opportunity because of recent developments in our industry.

The secret is this: recruit from companies that were just acquired by private equity firms!

PE is gobbling up textile converters, tile and stone companies, lighting, floorcovering, outdoor, contract and residential furniture manufacturers. It seems, every time you turn around today in our industry you’ll be reading about a new acquisition of one of these companies by private equity. Frankly, as an industry expert, I think this is a good thing – injecting new ideas, new capital, and professional management. However, what I’ve learned as a recruiter is that employees at all levels of these acquired companies are very worried about what could happen to them and their company. Employees hate it when their company is acquired – they panic and want to jump ship!

 

Within days of any PE acquisition recruiters are flooded with calls, emails, and resumes from creative talent, salespeople, sales managers, leadership. . . you name it, they’re all worried about their jobs. Some think they’ll be getting fired, but mostly they’re concerned about how they’re going to be treated by people that they don’t know -- investment bankers, strangers to the industry with an MBA and a different perspective. There is a fear of the unknown, it’s only natural, and when something rocks the boat people look for life jackets. It’s just human nature.

The answer to your question is you or your HR people should be cold-calling people from companies that have been recently acquired by PE. The first 90 days post any acquisition is key! That is when people are most anxious to make a change. That is the clever way to recruit! Wow – there you go, I just saved you a bunch of money.

Allow me to say that most of these employee fears are irrational, and at The Viscusi Group we tell them so. Most companies acquired by private equity do better post-acquisition and the employees eventually thrive. When I tell people this, they don’t always believe me, and they still just want to get out. I have a theory that another reason is because they often feel betrayed by the owner, and the family they’ve been working for many years.

If we have a client who has paid The Viscusi Group to go out and recruit a salesperson with an existing book of business, you can believe we’re going to swoop to a company acquired by PE (assuming they’re not an existing client) and recruit that person away. And boy, do they want to leave FAST!  Typically, I find the 90-day window critical to moving someone because the dust has not yet settled. These are ideal headhunting conditions.

So, there’s your answer, go after the people who work for PE-backed companies, and use their anxiety to your advantage. Happy Hunting! (And no charge.)

Stephen Viscusi is the founder of www.viscusigroup.com, an executive search firm that specializes in the interior furnishings industry. Hires made through The Viscusi Group are guaranteed a one-year free replacement. Please share your story or comment on this article and send your workplace questions to stephen@viscusigroup.com.  Or give us a call at (212) 979-5700 ext. 101.
© Stephen Viscusi 2025
 

#PrivateEquity

Signed,
Stephen