Interviewing Toronto Entrepreneur: Marty Britton
Welcome to our Friday Feature: Toronto Entrepreneurs segment, where we bring you insights, experiences, inspiration, and advice from prominent entrepreneurs in the Greater Toronto Area!
We’ve interviewed prominent business leaders who have been kind enough to take the time to share their experiences with us on what it’s like starting their very own business (and nurturing it as well)!
We believe that these stories would be valuable to other aspiring or established business leaders. On behalf of TorontoEntrepreneurs.ca, we hope that you enjoy reading this as much as we enjoyed creating it! Feel free to share this story with your networks.
Introducing Toronto Entrepreneur: Marty Britton, President & CEO of Britton Management Profiles Inc.
Company Profile
Company name: Britton Management Profiles Inc.
What does your company do? Pre-employment screening/background checking.
Year launched: 1974
Number of employees: Approximately 20
Website: www.brittonmanagement.com
The Interview
1. How did you get the idea to start your business?
My father founded the company in 1974. I really did not understand what it was that he did until he became ill in 1994. I was on a maternity leave from my Civil Engineering job and stepped in to help out. That was 25 years ago!
2. What's the best/worst thing to happen since you started your business?
911! That was a day that changed the world and I did not realize the repercussions on my business for years. Before 911, backgrounds were not commonly done. We were mostly an executive/investigative reference checking company before 911. After that, companies became more concerned about who they were hiring and our business took off. We added employment and education verifications, exit interviews, global sanctions check and criminal and credit along with a variety of other checks.
3. What are some of the challenges you’ve faced as an entrepreneur? Time management and ensuring that I have the right people in the right seats. I’m also often required to wear many hats and at times juggling priorities can be stressful.
4. What are some lessons you’ve learned as an entrepreneur?
It’s important to value your time and put a price tag on it. It’s also important to believe in yourself, your vision and build a strong supporting cast. Once you have the right people in the right seats, it’s important to let them do the job!
5. What are the best parts about entrepreneurship?
Being in control of your own destiny, some of the time.
6. What has been your most effective form of advertising?
Because we are the first background checking company in Canada we have grown organically and through word of mouth.
7. What goals have you achieved for your business so far?
There have been many but expanding our service offering on an international scale has been huge. Our client retention rate is very high and this speaks highly of my wonderful supporting cast.
8. What are your goals for your business in 2019?
I am taking part in a Business Women In International Trade (BWIT) mission with the Canadian Government to expand our services in the US.
9. Where do you see yourself and your business in 5 years?
I don’t want to be as involved in the operational aspects of my business and be more of an Ambassador to the industry where I can share my knowledge and expertise with others.
10. What upcoming projects are you working on?
Getting ready for the upcoming Trade Mission to the US is a lot of work and preparation. This takes place in June so we are all working hard to ensure a strong ROI from this event.
11. What trends are you seeing in your industry?
Social media checks are becoming more common and my advice to people is to only put out on social media what they want your prospective employers to see.
12. What business advice would you give yourself if you were to start all over?
Hire the right supporting cast, let them know what you need and then get out of their way.
13. Last but not least, let’s end off with a fun fact! What might we be surprised to know about you?
I’ve played Pebble Beach!
Social Media
Let's get social. Follow Britton Management Profiles Inc. on social media!
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/brittonmanagementprofilesinc/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marty-britton-2020a616/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/brittonMgmt
Many thanks to Marty for sharing her story with us! Stay tuned for our next featured Toronto Entrepreneur!