Starfish Search and City CV presents: Elevate your NED LinkedIn Profile
With over 1 billion users in 200 countries, LinkedIn is the #1 social media site for hiring professionals. An incredible 97% of headhunters use LinkedIn as their primary candidate source, even more so for senior hires. However you may feel about social media, you cannot afford to neglect your LinkedIn profile.
Making it on to the shortlist for a top Non-Executive Director (NED) role is a demanding process. Your LinkedIn profile, along with your CV, will be one of the make-or-break components. Victoria will show you how to use your LinkedIn profile to refine your non-executive brand, elevate your gravitas, move up the rankings, prove your ROI, showcase your expertise, and expand your network in a competitive market.
In this one hour masterclass, you will learn tips and strategies from Victoria McLean, CEO of Hanover Talent Solutions and award-winning, international career consultancy City CV. Victoria is a career industry expert, award-winning Board CV writer and coach, who has helped over 30,000 candidates secure their dream role. Victoria has developed a nuanced and strategic approach, which fuses market knowledge with a deep understanding of recruitment techniques to help build your personal brand and create a compelling LinkedIn profile.
Date: 12th November 2024
Time: 1:00pm / 13:00
Starfish Sessions with Matin Miah
On this month’s edition of Starfish Sessions, Lorraine Payne sits down with Matin Miah, Regeneration & Development Specialist to discuss balancing an interim career in the public sector alongside running a successful food and restaurant business, the lessons that he learned and what he would do differently with hindsight.
Please do introduce yourself: Who you are with a brief Summary of your career?
I’m Matin Miah, I’ve been in the regeneration industry for nearly 30 years, primarily in local government. I began my career in East London and spent the first 22 years of my career working in a variety of permanent positions, and since 2017 I have been an interim manager, with my most recent role as Assistant Director, Regeneration & Economic Development at London Borough of Hackney.
What led you to move into the interim market?
In 2015, I opened my first restaurant and spent first couple of years juggling the business and my full-time, permanent role but it was clear this wasn’t sustainable, so I made the decision to focus solely on the restaurant business and at the time I thought I was done with regeneration.
It was very daunting to step away from this career, but I knew I wanted to grow the restaurant business, so I spent one year focusing solely on that. To my surprise I found I was missing local government, all the networks I’d built over the years. I never felt fulfilled focusing entirely on Rudie’s so I started reconnecting with colleagues and managed to secure a 3 day per week interim assignment which allowed me to split my week between the two ventures.
Initially it was difficult to manage the two alongside one another but I was very open and honest with my client about the business I had, I found that it’s important to manage their expectations from the outset.
Can you tell us more about what inspired you to open your first restaurant?
I love food, my dad was a chef and I loved cooking at home. While I was working in local government, I was dabbling with the idea of being a chef myself but the finances just didn’t work out.
My wife’s parents are from Jamaica and I remember when we first met she told me if the marriage was going to last I would have to fall in love with Jamaica and that wasn’t hard to do at all! I fell in love with the food and culture. After returning from frequent visits to Jamaica I was always craving jerked chicken and I couldn’t find anywhere good back in London, a place to chill and have a good time with good Jamaican food, drink & music (the island vibe!).
We came together and thought why not open a Jamaican restaurant? I still remember the moment where we sat down and it came together. It was the weekend of Notting Hill Carnival and everyone went but I stayed at home to write the first one page business plan. It took me one year from then to the point where we opened our first restaurant in Dalston, Hackney. It was a true labour of love, I had some great people, good chefs and a good team.
Can you talk us through your mindset behind taking a career break to develop your restaurant brand?
We changed our business plan from restaurant to street food which led us to grow from 2 sites to 9 sites in a short space of time. I knew I couldn’t focus to the best of my ability on both things, I was working 9-5 at a council and then 5-10pm at the restaurant. I felt I needed to go all in to truly realise the potential of the business.
You are now back working as an interim manager, how have you managed to juggle your interim career while running a business?
After 9 years in business, I’ve learnt you can either be very operational and let it consume you, or you can build a business where you’re the owner and provide a strategic overview but create a good team underneath you.
It’s hard to let go, it’s my baby but I learned if I wanted to enjoy my life it’s what I had to do. I learned that a key part of my job as a CEO is recruitment – to hire the best people and let them get on with it. We try to create an atmosphere where people can develop and grow and feel part of the family. It’s a real team effort.
The biggest thing I learned that improved my quality of life in business is not to micro manage and always be sweating over the small things.
How do you manage the workload and pressure that comes with both roles?
Compartmentalising has been important. Recently I completed a senior interim role working mostly 3 days a week, but it was actually a 5-day job working compressed hours. I had to work smart; I trusted my team to deliver because I knew I had limited time. I put myself at a level where I can add value and I trusted my senior managers to deliver against their objectives.
It’s given me clarity about the sort of roles I now go forward for. With the operations in place with my business and the right structure and brief in place for interim roles, that really helps.
You now have Rudie’s open across a number of sites. Are there more plans to expand further? What’s next?
Over the last 9 years we’ve managed to open 15 sites (and some closing inevitably). We restructured the business in February and rebranded to Dub Pan. We have a smaller portfolio of 5 locations now, some are restaurants and some are concessions in food halls. We also do a selection of music festivals in the summer. I’m not in a race to grow to a maximum number of sites anymore, it has to fit with my lifestyle, work and business.
What advice would you give to someone thinking about a start-up business?
All business owners to some extent need to not be phased by the challenges. You need a sense of being headstrong and have the confidence to take leaps.
What I wouldn’t have done with hindsight is perhaps open my first restaurant in the same location / premises having to spend so much on lease and fitout, as I now know it could have been done a lot cheaper. I think I was a bit impatient; and emotionally driven by the idea of my dream restaurant. Now we do street food, stalls and festivals. I spent a lot of money with those who were “experts” and at the time I considered it necessary but looking back it probably wasn’t. Starting small and scaling up is the right approach, build a base and foundation rather than trying to run before you can walk.
What’s proudest moment of your career?
Despite the risks & challenges, opening my first restaurant without a doubt. It was a huge labour of love. To do that whilst working full time in a different industry and taking that challenge was one of the bravest things I’ve ever done.
Professionally, delivering the New Deal for Communities programme in Ocean Estate. I was only in my 20s, it was a high profile regeneration job in Tower Hamlets and I really wanted to make a difference. I was given the opportunity to lead on a £200m regeneration scheme in a deprived neighbourhood, similar to where I grew up. It was extremely challenging but at the end it has made some big difference to the community.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
If I hadn’t gone down the business route, I would have undoubtedly been far more ambitious on my own growth within local government.
However, I’m pleased I followed my passion and stayed motivated. If I was in the same position, I’d have done the same thing again, maybe I would’ve done it sooner. I had thought and spoken about it for a long time and the longer you stay somewhere, your lifestyle becomes fixed, so it’s hard to break away from that. If there is something you want to do – go for it, sooner rather than later.
Ending on a fun question, what would you recommend from Dub Pan’s menu?
We’re famous for our jerk. To get our own formula right, we travelled across Jamaica visiting many of the best ‘jerk centres’ on the island. They have massive charcoal pits where they cook jerk chicken, pork, anything you can think of. The food that comes out of it is incredible, and we wanted to replicate that as closely as we can based on Jamaican tradition. It’s food I love and I never get bored of it.
Reimagining London’s Public Services with Tech, Data & Innovation at the IET
On Wednesday 11th September, as the digital lead for Local Government at Starfish Search, Rosalind Lambert had the pleasure of attending Reimagining London’s Public Services with Tech, Data & Innovation at the IET. It was an incredible event with Eddie Copeland, Director at LOTI, as key speaker.
Eddie gave a great lecture on the future of Local Government and how using data and technology to innovate we can really improve lives of our communities, as long as the people, the users, are taken along on this journey. Tech is not just a waving a magical wand and implementing a new system, especially where digital poverty exists. We need to be able to firstly lift our communities out digital poverty before innovation can truly happen. Additionally, it is important that Borough’s work together, sharing ideas, data, costs and innovations as the solutions affect all Londoner’s as relatively few citizens live and work in one Borough and this is where LOTI has its maximum impact.
That said, innovation and the art of imagination of what we can do has started to have positive returns. The South London Partnership is using IOT sensors for preventative measures for flooding, RBKC are using generative AI to assess and prioritise resident spotted graffiti for cleaning, Brent is starting to use AI to write up case notes in social care freeing up valuable time, and Harrow is using a visual AI tool to reconcile advertising hoardings with business rates, resulting in capturing lost revenue. Outside of London Swindon has reduced its translation costs by 99% through using Google Translate and has increased public engagement by being able to communicate in citizen’s native language.
Against a background of cost cutting there are some great ideas and innovations taking place not only in the capital with this month Sunderland City Council’s Digital Inclusion Programme winning the Community Improvement Award at the Connected Britain Awards. Sunderland have helped over 200,000 residents’ access vital digital services and have doubled full-fibre connectivity across Sunderland in just 12 months. Long may it continue.
Should you wish to have a chat about your digital transformation journey, please contact the team at info@starfishsearch.com.
Starfish Search take on Yorkshire’s Three Peaks with the Public Sector Challenge
A superstar team from Starfish Search are undertaking the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge this September. Organised by the amazing people at Public Sector Challenge, The goal is for teams to beat the clock (within 12hrs) and climb the 3 biggest peaks in Yorkshire alongside other Public Sector Teams and private sector partners. The teams will be undertaking the challenge to raise money for Cancer Research UK, a cause that lies close to everyone’s hearts at Starfish Search.
Chief executive of Brentwood BC and Rochford DC, Jonathan Stephenson, devised the plan to create the Public Sector Challenge after leading his own teams on a similar challenge back in 2022 where 30 employees from the council raised more than £12,000 for local charities when they took on the Three Peaks Yorkshire challenge. The challenge consists of a 26 mile walk and climb over 12 hours and includes 1585m (5200ft) of ascent. It takes on the peaks of Pen-y-Ghent (694 metres), Whernside (736 metres) and Ingleborough (723 metres). These hills form part of the Pennine range, and encircle the head of the valley of the River Ribble, in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
There’s still time to contribute, please visit the link here to donate. Check out some of the pictures below.
Starfish Search’s Lorraine Payne recognised in the Top 10 Interim Service Providers in the Industry
We’re delighted to announce that Lorraine Payne, one of our esteemed interim search experts, has been honoured in the Institute of Interim Management (IIM) 2024 Interim Management Survey as one of the Top 10 Interim Service Providers in the country.
The IIM is the leading professional body dedicated to supporting and advancing interim managers across the United Kingdom. They represent the interests of professionals who deliver interim management services across a wide range of industries, providing leadership, managing change, and filling critical roles in organisations during times of transition. The IIM is committed to promoting excellence and upholding the highest standards in the interim management profession and plays a crucial role in equipping interim managers with the necessary tools to succeed in today’s complex and dynamic business environment.
The IIM’s annual Interim Management Survey is a cornerstone initiative in the UK’s interim management sector, providing vital insights into industry dynamics. This survey offers transparency and valuable benchmarking tools, aiding both interim professionals and hiring organisations in making well-informed decisions.
With 14 years of experience in the recruitment industry, Lorraine Payne is passionate about building relationships across various sectors with both clients and candidates. At Starfish, Lorraine leads the placement of interim managers within the Local Government sector, focusing on a UK-wide remit. Lorraine shared her thoughts on the recognition, stating, “I am deeply honoured to be recognised in the Institute of Interim Management’s Interim Management Survey Top 10. This acknowledgment is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire team. We continually strive to deliver excellence in every engagement. It’s a privilege to be part of such a meaningful purpose as an organisation and provide real positive change for our clients and the industry. This recognition only further motivates us to keep pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve together.”
Being featured in the IIM’s Top 10 Interim Service Providers is a significant accolade, recognising both individual and organisational excellence in the interim management industry. This honour reflects Lorraine’s outstanding commitment to delivering high-quality interim solutions, our strong reputation for client satisfaction, and our mission to contribute to the professional development and diversity of interim managers.
Get in touch with Lorraine Payne at Lorraine.Payne@starfishsearch.com, or to contact the wider interim team, reach out to interim@starfishsearch.com.
CTRL+ALT+LEAD: Navigating the Future of Leadership in the Digital Age
Following on from our last thought leadership event where over 60 national CEOs met at the Institute of Contemporary Art to discuss our What3Words Leadership report, we’re delighted to announce our new project for 2025. Titled, Ctrl + Alt + Lead: Navigating the Future of Leadership in the Digital Age, our new report will explore what the future holds for the fast-evolving world we are leading in, and what this will mean for shifting leadership qualities.
In an era where artificial intelligence and digital transformation redefine the way we work, lead, and grow, Starfish is at the forefront of these changes. Our newest research will deep dive into how AI is reshaping the expectations and qualities of effective leadership. We’ll discover how leaders can leverage technology to foster innovation, inclusivity, and adaptability, while maintaining the human touch that makes leadership meaningful.
We’re honoured to have the support of an additional cohort of leading influential organisations active in the Invention, Innovation and Tech & AI space, each adding their unique perspective on the opportunities and complexities that lie ahead for all of us.
It’s quick to take part. To submit your entry, which will be included in our report scheduled for completion this Autumn, all you need to do is complete the three questions in the form at the link here – CTRL ALT LEAD application form.. As we expect a high volume of entries, we’re keeping word count limited and will produce an analysis of your responses on completion.
When ready, please send your entry to thefutureholds@starfishsearch.com.