Strong Samoan values are at the heart of growing Hamilton firm Alignz Recruitment, which features six women from the same family helping to build its future, among them founder Meta Tyrell.
The company’s success has seen it open offices in Auckland and Bay of Plenty, and shows what is possible for women and Pacific people in business, says Meta’s daughter Felila Asiata-Feausi, who is National Growth and Partnership Manager.
Felila’s mother, Meta, said: “I want to acknowledge my eldest sister Esther Vailisale who passed away in 2012, for her loyalty and hard work, driving workers to and from work and always having my back.”
Their family values and faith continue to be central to everything they do in business, she says.
Also bringing those values to Alignz Recruitment are Meta’s four daughters Felila, Alana Tyrell, Isabella Tyrell, Analisa Tyrell, and her niece Lua Sao.
“My journey with Alignz Recruitment instilled in me a deep understanding of the challenges and obstacles that can hold a Samoan woman back from fulfilling her potential in running a business,” Meta says.
“You need to be thick-skinned, and the three things I always remind myself every day is: ‘know who you are’, ‘what is our purpose?’, and ‘always remember to do the right thing’.”
HR and Project Manager Alana, who has been with the firm almost nine years, says their parents instilled in them the ability to create, to be innovative and to be solution focused. They also learned the vital importance of networking, she says.
Their parents made it clear that the business and family were separate. “We don’t get treated any differently to all the other staff, we’ve really got to earn our stripes,” Alana says.
“We probably have to work harder, which I’m actually grateful for, because I feel like it’s made me learn faster and be a bit more thick skinned when it comes to business and entrepreneurship.”
Lua, who is a Senior Consultant and has been with Alignz three years, says she values the impact they can have on people’s lives. “What spins my wheels? Helping people and – being PI – making a difference to the village.”
They try to stay in touch with people they have helped into jobs and build relationships with client firms.
Team Leader Analisa, who has been with Alignz for five years, says they have been able to help companies grow, and that in turn boosts referrals – which make up most of their work. Her role includes bringing in new business. “There is a lot of work out there,” she says. “A lot of companies are looking for workers. It’s just a case of trying to find the most suitable people.”
Business Development Manager Isabella works in the Auckland office, where the ethos of building relationships is the same but where they also have to take into account people’s travel times and higher costs. “In Auckland, your networks are huge. You’ve got to build that friendship, that relationship, that trust, and you’ve got to take into consideration not just the skills, but the location.”
They are the only agency working with the NZ Rugby Players Association, including a lot of Mitre 10 players, many of whom are Pasifika.
Alignz Recruitment’s companies include bigger players such as Higgins, CB Civil and Dempsey Wood along with medium to small firms. Felila says they give the same attention to all their clients. “We’ve been going through this journey together.”
As Meta says: “The ethos, ethics and approach of Alignz Recruitment have achieved extraordinary results and have been proven to work for people of all ethnicities and backgrounds. The teams in Waikato, Auckland and Bay of Plenty provide confidence, tools and pathways to everyone, continuing to build relationships and make a lasting contribution to the community.”
