Pastures new

Stuart Elford, CEO - Staffordshire Chambers

Staffordshire Chambers has given me the warmest of welcomes as I started this week as their new Chief Executive, following the most robust and thorough recruitment process I have ever been through. I went through a recruiter interview, a board interview, psychometric testing, panel interview, networking lunch, media exercises, a round table with no fewer than 44 people spread over 4 tables, and finally extensive referencing. It was tough but in truth I loved it. I have always enjoyed performing under pressure and it was definitely worth it.

On my first day I had a card, plant and wine waiting on my desk by way of welcome. The next few days were a whirlwind of induction, training, paperwork, meetings and a lovely dinner with my President and the Chamber Directors who were on my recruitment panel. The dinner was at the fabulous Tawny Hotel where the food was not just delicious but a work of art. I can honestly say I have never been made to feel so welcome at a new job and I am told that people up here are always this friendly, which is great because I have uprooted myself from Plymouth, loaded up my car and travelled 250 miles to be here.

I will always love Plymouth and will miss my friends, the ocean and the moors, but it is sad that the opportunities were not there for me and I felt the need for a new adventure and a new challenge.

The job will be more than full time so I will not be taking on any clients as Stuart Elford Associates Ltd (SEAL). I will pass Contract to Community to my partners at Crowdfunder and All About The Place to further in the SW. I may try here in Staffs but have to concentrate on learning about and running the Chamber business as a priority. Getting up to speed is helped massively by the fact that I have run an accredited Chamber of Commerce, but it is still a very steep (vertical!) learning curve. The challenge is huge as Staffordshire Chamber is significantly larger than Devon (by about three times), but I am up to it and can't wait to get stuck in.

So, sincere thanks to everyone who has supported me and SEAL over the last year - I will be eternally grateful. For now, farewell, and I look forward to catching up with everyone on my trips back to the Westcountry. Thanks. Stuart