TruStar Talent Solutions was a client several years ago and outgrew OfficeKey. As many of their staff members began working remotely, they didn’t need such a big footprint, so they came back to us in March of this year. We are glad to offer flexibility in changing times. We want to thank LeRoy Robbins for taking some time to participate in our Q & A.
Q: Tell us about TruStar Talent Solutions.
A: TruStar is an innovative talent acquisition problem solver and business partner for organizations wanting to access and hire top passive talent and leverage their talent as a competitive advantage. We build and deliver customized, yet scalable and cost-effective, talent solutions that drive better business results for our clients.
Q: What type of company represents TruStar’s ideal client?
A: We target mid-market and rapidly growing smaller organizations who need our talent acquisition capabilities and struggle to find the top talent they must have to achieve their business goals. We target organizations within 150 miles of us (so we can visit easily & frequently) that need expertise in finding and acquiring: top sales professionals, sales & marketing leaders, customer service, and data analytics, as well as executive leaders in HR, Sales, Marketing, Finance, and Operations.
Q: What industries or position types have a particularly high demand right now and are there others that you expect to be dynamic factors in the years to come?
A: We work with most industries. But we see truly capable leadership in most industries is lagging as baby boomers are leaving the workforce in larger numbers than can be absorbed effectively by most companies on their own. We also see data analytics and the impact of machine learning and AI as huge new talent demands for most organizations.
Q: TruStar has twice been on the Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies list. What did that accomplishment mean to you and your business?
Being on the Inc 500 list is truly a testament to our amazing, ‘can-do’, and fearless TruStar Associates and to our fabulous clients who pull the best from us as we collaboratively solve their toughest talent challenges. It means our clients trusted us, and we’ve delivered success for them. And, consequently, they’ve told their friends about TruStar which has brought us new business.
Q: Prior to your business career you played baseball professionally in the Oakland A’s organization. Was there anything that you learned from that experience that you apply to running TruStar? I think playing competitive sports taught me the value of teamwork in winning, everyone pulling in the same direction for the same goals. Playing sports, at a very high level, also gave me a mental toughness or grit which allows me to persevere through the hard stuff when others may waver. Playing professional baseball, you essentially play every day from early April (cold) until September. It makes you good at showing up every day, ready to deliver.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your partnership with OfficeKey?
A: We appreciate the flexibility our relationship with OfficeKey gives us. Most of our people work from home and only come to the office once every couple of weeks for teambuilding and sharing best practices. So, we don’t need a big office space we only use sparingly. Plus, the other offices around Cincinnati give us flexibility in meeting with clients in a professional business setting.
Q: How do you spend time outside of work?
A: Outside of work, I truly have a blessed life. I spend lots of time with my wife, Carol, and our three grown kids and their families who all live close by. We have 12 grandkids ranging from 12 to 1 who keep us young (or exhausted ?). So, we attend lots of grandkids’ games and performances. We also have a wonderful home setting for our family with a pond and a pool and lots of room for playing all sports. Which means I also spend lots of “quiet” time mowing, keeping fishing gear ready and hooks baited and just enjoying watching our wonderful family enjoy life together.
Q: If you could have dinner with one historical figure (living or dead) who would it be and why?
A: John Wooden, the legendary college basketball coach. I aspire and resonate so much with his philosophy and approach to sports and life. He had a very simple but highly effective coaching and leadership style that I have tried to emulate and implement. I think trust is so key to being a good leader. If your people know they can truly trust you, they’ll unleash everything they have in working with you.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
A: Definitely, New Zealand. I am an outdoor dog and love being outside and experiencing nature. New Zealand, from the pictures I’ve seen and the films shot there, has so much diversity in terrain and breathtaking scenery. Plus, it doesn’t seem so commercialized from what I have heard.
Q: If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
A: Beaming capable. I would love to be able to beam from one location to another in an instant. Think about it, it would change everything! I would never miss anything truly important to me. We could be there for everyone we care about or who need us in real time.
Q: What is the last book that you read?
A: The Monster at the End of This Book (with a couple of my grandkids). But, I drink deeply from the Bible every day.
Q: What is your favorite movie or tv show?
Princess Bride is my favorite. So funny, the most quotable movie for our family. It has something for everyone. Also, The Natural (go figure). That movie almost pulled me out of retirement from baseball back in the day.
To learn more about LeRoy and TruStar, visit their website.