Home Truths with.... Sam Pettigrew

In Episode 3 of Home Truths, we hear from Sam Pettigrew of Pettigrew Recruitment Group & Pettigrew Lettings

Can you tell us a little bit about what you do for a living?

 For the past 6 years I have been running my own recruitment business - Pettigrew Recruitment Group which works closely with a range of housebuilding and construction clients across Scotland.  We provide technical and professional appointments on both a temporary and permanent basis which sees us working on roles from graduate level to Director appointments.  No two days are the same but this one of the things I love about recruitment, it tests you all the time and I love nothing more than supporting business growth and working with candidates to achieve their career goals.

What I didn’t realise when I started, is once you have the bug of running your own business, you end up seeking more, and whilst we have added on other aspects of service to our offering since 2019, this year will see us embark on something completely new. With the launch of our brand-new lettings agency - Pettigrew Lettings, specifically catered to manage properties for landlords the Perth and Kinross areas initially.  Having spotted a gap in the market last year I have been working in the background to obtain the business accreditations and specific qualifications needed to be able to commence trading (thank goodness they are over!) And this week will see us launch the business officially!  I am looking forward to supporting our staff and balancing priorities between the two thereafter!

What was the first job you ever had?

Oh, this takes me back, my first role was as a counter assistant at Craigie Cross Fish & Chip Company when I was 16 years old, the best place in town to get a chippie if you ask me!  I remember my maths being sharp as a tack as we had to add up the order totals in our head – something I wish I could still claim today!

Who has been the biggest influence on your own career?

My first ever Managing Director when I started out in recruitment in 2007, Emma Marriott, she is an absolute force of nature, and I find myself reflecting the style of leadership in the businesses I run today on many of the things she taught me in my early years.  I remember at the time there were not too many leaders in business, and I always admired her natural style of leadership and here encyclopaedic knowledge.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I am quite a simple creature really, I love to spend time with my 3 children, husband Dave and our dog Barra and being outdoors is a real mood booster for me.  Whether it’s paddle boarding, kayaking or just out for a walk (even in the rain) I love it, we are so spoilt for beautiful spots on our doorstep across Perthshire.

Aside from this I have rekindled my love for cooking / baking and can often be found in the kitchen prepping for gatherings we like to host at the house!

What’s one bit of advice you have received that still resonates with you?

To always stay true to yourself and not to chase business that does not feel right.  I think when you are starting out, it can be easy to say yes to everything as you are trying to establish yourself but for me, if it does not feel right then it is better to pass on the opportunity, I have learned over the years that something better always presents itself!

What is your personal definition of success?

I think there are many ways you could mark this, but for me it is that our small business is able to sustain employment for staff and provide career opportunities for those who work with us to develop their own careers. 

I remember hiring our first staff member in 2021and being absolutely terrified of adding someone to our payroll that I would be responsible for, but we were more than ready for that gamble, and it actually allowed the business to grow and meet the demands of more clients.

Another would be how our small business competes in a very crowded market and holds its own.  Recruiting in the housebuilding market has had it’s challenges in the last two years but each year we keep setting goals and smashing them, so I could not ask for more from my team.

If you could go back and give your younger self some words of wisdom what would they be?

Just start.  When I set up in 2019, I had probably waited 2 years longer than I should have as I didn’t have the confidence in myself to make the leap.  When I look back now, it has honestly been the best thing I have done, for my career and our family.  If you have an idea and the determination to succeed, the two together are a very powerful combination in business so just go for it!

 For our accompanying video interview with Sam, please visit our social media pages on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn. 

Bringing over 20 years of local estate agency experience, Possible are Perthshire's only company who are solely dedicated to selling properties. We cover the entire Perthshire area and over the years have helped hundreds of clients in locations such as Perth, Scone, Bridge of Earn, Auchterarder, Crieff, Blairgowrie, Luncarty, Bankfoot, Pitlochry and everywhere else in between.