Ed Comiskey: Building a Business Around People

We take a look at Ed’s journey from OGCS’ earliest days to the global organization it is today.

When Ed Comiskey and fellow OGCS founder, Phil Burke, decided to strike out on their own in 2014 in the Americas, the ambition was straightforward: “Build a better mousetrap.”

For Ed, that meant creating a consultancy that offered clients an alternative to the old guard, and something distinct: a better experience.

“We went into meetings with a different attitude” he explains.  

“As the owners of the company, we meant what we said and we did what said, delivering what we promised.  And we had decision-making authority,” he recalls. “OGCS offered clients a real choice. Price wasn't necessarily an issue. Giving them a different option, an alternative, one that presented with a real focused attitude, with more eagerness. That was the sweet spot for us as we started out.”

“Your own reputation is always on the line,” he says “and when clients understand that, they know you’ll go the extra step to earn their trust, and their business.”

That philosophy has remained remarkably consistent as OGCS has grown.

For Ed, the growth of the business has been delivered through hard work, good luck and belief in the expertise of OGCS people.

“To grow we’ve had to take risks. We’ve had to have faith in what we’re doing, what we’re chasing. We’ve grown by sharing risks across the regions, and by pushing into other sectors. We’ve turned good fortune into real growth through hard work and bringing on the best people.”

As the business developed, bringing hand-picked experienced specialists into the organization meant that OGCS could provide a broader range of service provision, with greater responsibility and extensive expertise at the foundation.

People remain at the center of the proposition always

Ed describes OGCS's network as an “intelligence network,” one that’s been built over years of relationships and industry experience.

“Our networks are so deep and broad,” he says. “And there's a degree of trust because the clients that we're sitting across from, in almost all cases, we’ve been with them in some capacity for years. 90% of our business has come out of these relationships and the trust we’ve built.”

His relationship-first approach shapes how Ed thinks about winning new markets. His advice is refreshingly simple: “You have to get out there, just gotta pound the rock, pound the pavement.” He starts by researching the market, identifying prospects, using existing relationships and referrals across the business and, above all, staying focused on delivering what the client needs.

Market changes over time

The industry itself has changed considerably since OGCS began. Ed has seen clients move away from the idea of specialist staffing as a commodity service.

“Clients started to realize, ‘wait a minute, we're getting no value out of this. We're just getting a bunch of bodies,’” he says. Increasingly, clients want more.  They are using OGCS to manage the entire project team. With OGCS they know they are getting knowledge, data, tools, systems and proven processes.

For Ed, the definition of a great consultant goes beyond the technical expertise on paper.

“We start with a thorough interview with the person, we to talk to them, get to know them. Before we put anyone in front of a client, they’ve been reviewed and interviewed by our own internal technical experts.”

Ed sums up the process: “It's one diamond cutting another.”

In building the OGCS organization Ed has high standards but he’ll be the first to say his colleagues, especially the practitioners, drive him and stand as a reminder to never compromise those standards.  “They will never let me forget it and I appreciate it.”

“The attitude of the folks we wish to bring aboard is at least as important as their technical aptitude,” he says. “Our people are open-minded, optimistic and resilient. And they know when and how to reach back into the wider OGCS organization, for guidance or review.”

Good relationships are as important internally as they are externally – this great teamwork is the foundation of OGCS’ impressive client renewal rate.

A business that’s growing every year

As OGCS Americas approaches its 14th year, Ed remains firmly results-oriented. He retains a keen eye on growing the client base. Every returned phone call is part of what he calls the “sales continuum.”

“Not every conversation is about dollars and cents,” he says. “My first ‘sale’ is when a client acknowledges my email or takes my phone call. That’s the start of a dialogue. I want to get to know you and your project, the pain points, the challenges. Then I can start working out how we can help.”

For Ed, that focus on relationships, people and results has remained constant, even as the business around him has changed. Ultimately, success is a measured by helping clients find solutions to their challenges, not just the numbers.

And perhaps this is at the heart of the “better mousetrap”: it’s not a different way of selling expertise, but a different way of building trust around it.

If your project would benefit from the many services and solutions that OGCS provides, connect with Ed Comiskey today.