After being made redundant at the start of the year, a determined recruitment specialist has shared how she turned what could have been a career-ending setback into a thriving business that now pulls in over £100,000 in monthly turnover.
Becky McHugh, based in Nottingham, found herself without a job when the company she worked for abruptly closed.
But instead of letting the news define her next chapter, she teamed up with former colleague Caroline McBriar to launch their own recruitment agency.
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Together, they created The Staffing People – a temporary staffing business with a sharp focus on the hospitality industry. In just 12 months, not only had the business survived its challenging launch, but it also closed its first financial year in profit.
Speaking about the journey, Becky explained that the decision to launch their own venture came naturally. “Caroline and I were both made redundant when the company shut down.
Between us, we’ve got 30 years of experience in recruitment, so we decided it was time to go out on our own,” she said.
Despite years of working in the industry, running a company was completely new ground.
The duo had been prominent figures in their former firm, but neither had dealt with the unique pressures that come with being at the helm of a business.
“We were definitely in deep,” Becky admitted. “You never really know how much pressure is involved until it’s all on you. But we both work well under pressure, so we took it on head first – and here we are.”
Specialising in hospitality staffing, The Staffing People provides workers for stadium events, hotel functions, private parties, and seasonal gatherings like Christmas parties.
Thanks to long-standing industry relationships and years of proven reliability, Becky and Caroline were able to secure their initial clients through the connections they’d spent their careers nurturing.
“It’s all about trust and who you know in this industry,” Becky explained.
“You can’t just open a recruitment agency and expect the work to come to you. We were lucky that people believed in us and gave us that first shot.”
However, launching in January – historically a slow month for hospitality – meant the business got off to a rocky start. “We picked the worst time to begin, really,” Becky laughed. “January is always brutal in this line of work.
The first few months were really tough, but we knew it would get better. You just have to plan for it and not let a couple of bad months shake you.”
Despite those early challenges, the agency began picking up momentum by March. By then, some of the industry’s most recognised names had returned as clients, and turnover began to grow significantly.
What started as a scramble to cover basic costs quickly transformed into a fast-paced, high-growth operation, eventually hitting a turnover of £100,000 a month.
One of Becky’s proudest achievements is not just the financial success, but the fact that the business ended its first year in the black – and that’s after paying themselves a wage.
She also beams with pride over the calibre of clients the agency now supports.
That said, the work has been intense. Running the company has meant working around the clock. “Our jobs don’t stop,” Becky admitted. “It’s literally 24/7 now.
We were used to hard work before, but this is a different level. There are constant demands and responsibilities. It’s full-on, but we genuinely love what we do.”
And yet, there are still moments where she questions it all. “There are days when I think about walking away,” she confessed.
“But then something amazing happens – a new client comes on board, or we pull off a challenging weekend successfully – and I remember why we’re doing this. Seeing our team happy and proud of the work we’re producing keeps us going.”
Many of the temporary staff who were let go at the same time as Becky and Caroline now work with them at The Staffing People, and their wellbeing remains a top priority.
“They were made redundant with us. We never want them to go through that again, and we won’t let it happen,” Becky said.
As for her leadership style, Becky believes in leading from the front. She’s still deeply involved in every aspect of the business – from onboarding new recruits to showing up at 5am to check staff in at rainy outdoor events.
“No job is too small,” she said. “I’ll never ask someone to do something I’m not willing to do myself.”
Although financial success is part of the vision, Becky’s ambitions go beyond turnover.
“Of course, it’d be great to be the biggest agency in the country in terms of revenue,” she said.
“But more than that, I want to be the agency that people want to work for. One that’s known for being kind, honest, and genuinely trying to do things the right way.”
Building her own company has reshaped how Becky sees herself and those around her. It’s made her tougher, more focused, and more aware of who truly supports her mission.
“When your business becomes your whole life, it’s hard not to take things personally,” she admitted.
Her advice to anyone thinking about starting a business of their own? “No one’s coming to save you. No one else is going to make sure you get paid at the end of the month. If you want it, you’ve got to get it done.”
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