Weathering the Storm: How Seaglass Technology Partners Transforms Adversity Into Opportunity

We sat down with longtime clients David Haverty and Michael Masse of Seaglass Technology Partners to talk about how their New Hampshire-based tech staffing agency has been rocking and rolling for over a decade, in good times and bad.

It Starts With a Guitar

Like most people, David Haverty didn’t grow up wanting to be in staffing. In fact, he wanted something very different: to be a musician. But when he realized that the rockstar life was sadly unattainable, he took a job at a large staffing company doing payroll.

But a guitar did mark a turning point in his career.

“Six months into the job, I got to talking with the President of the company about playing guitar. And he says to me: ‘You seem smart and outspoken, why are you at the bottom of the ladder? Let’s get you into sales.’”

After getting experience in sales, he transitioned to an industrial company and started the IT division. And when the owner decided to sell some assets, he went all-in with two colleagues to rebrand as Seaglass Technology Partners. They moved into David’s attic, and the rest is history.

“It’s been a total ride.”

Ups and Downs

And like every rollercoaster ride, it has had its ups and downs. It’s been a cycle of boom and bust over the past decade in business at Seaglass and in staffing in general. And according to Haverty, it’s all about listening to what’s going on in the market and being willing to adapt.

“We’re on the IT side, and we’ve seen wild swings in the past ten years. And even before that, I remember back in ’08 what a challenge it was being an account manager in the business, seeing so many staffing firms close their doors. But on the flip side of that – any time there is a downturn, someone is making money. You just need to be prepared to adapt when the winds change.”

Co-owner Michael Masse adds that in IT, it’s important to be on the cutting age of technological change.

“We’re in IT, and IT is one of the industries that I feel is, while I don’t want to say ‘recession proof’, it tends to be there even during the tough times. We just try to get out in front of new technologies. They are always changing, so knowing the new technologies that are coming out and getting ahead of the curve really helps.”

Lessons on Weathering the Storm

When asked what is most important when getting through a tough economy, Haverty had hard-won wisdom to share. The first thing he suggested was to start asking tough questions about staff.

“You need the right people on the bus and in the seats. You really can’t get by with disruptors and non-producers, so a downturn is an opportunity to really take stock of that and get the most out of every dollar.”

The second piece of advice was to be very cognizant of your core business, but not to have your eggs all in one basket.

“The big takeaway I’ve had from past downturns is to diversify your client roster. If your business is all in one sector that is affected, you’re going to have a tough time. Look at different industry sectors. Maybe healthcare is down, but hospitality is up. Every time it’s raining, somebody is out there making money selling umbrellas. Find where the pockets of business are, who is thriving in a downturn.”

Success Looks Like a Snowball

When asked what success looks like for Seaglass, Haverty had an answer ready.

“Success looks like forward momentum. You know when you are moving in a positive direction, progressing towards something better, and the snowball is growing in size.”

And Haverty appreciates having a success partner in his corner offering support and guidance. When he started Seaglass a decade ago, one of his first calls was to Sue Benuck, a rock star Business Development VP at Advance Partners.

“Once we got talking to Sue, there was really no thought of going anywhere else because she knew everything. I’ve been firmly in the Advance camp ever since. Any time I need anything, I call Sue. I always feel supported.”

Michael Masse also emphasized the personal relationship aspect of the partnership.

“My favorite part of our relationship with Advance is being able to reach out to them anytime we need to. Sue is in my phone, I can text her any time. When we started Seaglass, we were just a couple of recruiters and sales guys. We knew how to recruit, but we didn’t know how to do payroll. So partnering with AP helped us focus on the things we knew how to do to get the company where it is today.”

Beyond just invoice funding, Haverty also mentioned different areas where Advance has helped the business over the years, including coaching, partnerships with other marketing companies, accounting, finance, and other areas.

“AP can be a lot more than just funding. There are so many specialists there that can give you referrals and advice. There have been times in the past when I could have leaned in more for advice, guidance, and thoughts,” said Haverty. “Now, they are my first phone call.”

Thank you so much to David and Michael for taking the time to speak to us on this topic! Find out more about Seaglass Tehcnology Partners at www.seaglassit.com.