Swindon & Wiltshire News
Swindon’s Goodtalent sets its sights on European expansion
Swindon-based technology recruitment company Goodtalent is looking to expand into the European market from its home at FigFlex Offices.
Formed at the height of the pandemic – when companies towards away from face-to-face recruitment towards virtual ways to find new hires – recruitment specialist Jimmy Braimah saw a gap in the market and took the opportunity to launch his new company, Goodtalent.
With over 15 years experience in the recruitment industry and one successful company already growing, Jimmy looked for a new challenge and following extensive market research, he discovered that creating a digital recruitment platform was the way to go.
In March 2021, Goodtalent, the cloud-based social talent marketplace for businesses to crowdsource, screen and hire software engineers, started trading.
After originally launching the business from Lagos, Nigeria, Jimmy opened Goodtalent’s UK office in April 2021 from FigFlex Offices at 3 Newbridge Square in Swindon.
As a small business starting out in a new market, Jimmy was looking for a space that would be small enough to start with, whilst also enabling his company to grow from two to twenty people in the near future.
“We knew the best way to tap into the UK market was to create a base here and one that could be a starting point for reaching out into Europe,” said Jimmy.
“I originally met with Swindon Borough Council, which provided me with potential office space options, one of which was FigFlex Swindon.
“The centre manager talked me through the different options available and took me on a tour of the offices. I knew straight away that this was the place for Goodtalent, for three key reasons; the support, location and pricing.
“FigFlex is based right in the centre of Swindon, which provides a quick ten-minute commute for myself and is easy for our clients to find. There’s a lot going on within the town but also at FigFlex itself. With its numerous tenants, it offers the perfect opportunity for us to reach out and network with the other companies in the building.”
Currently just a team of two, with the main ten-person team based in Africa, Jimmy is initially looking to expand the UK office and upgrade from a two-person to a five to six-person space at FigFlex.
Now fully established in the UK, Jimmy is looking ahead to the future of Goodtalent and his future with FigFlex.
Jimmy added: “My ambition is to grow our UK team from two to twenty people in the next three to five months if all goes to plan, and eventually grow our European team from FigFlex Swindon.
“The service and support I’ve received from the team has been incredible. I really feel that as a small business, we are being heard and our plans for growth are achievable, thanks to FigFlex.
“Even when my plans were just ideas, the team still listened and took the time to show me what available space is on offer in the building. I can really see us growing within FigFlex and would recommend them to any small businesses looking to do the same.”
FigFlex Swindon offers a suite of five air-conditioned, sound-proofed meeting rooms and a range of serviced offices, which can be tailored to suit 1 to 100 workstations, as well as a wide range of office layouts that can accommodate a business’ growing operational requirements.
A spokesperson for FigFlex commented: “At FigFlex Swindon, we pride ourselves on providing flexible space to suit our members’ needs and to fully support them as they grow their businesses. We will work with our members to make sure they have the right space that will enable them to flourish.
“It’s fantastic to hear Jimmy’s story and how our dedicated in-house team has supported him through his move to the UK. We hope Jimmy’s expansion plans for the future become a reality and we know our team in Swindon will be there to help him through the transition from a two-person office to a larger space.”
