Entrepreneurship runs in Ailish Murphy's family. More than 20 years ago, her parents started a catalog business selling Irish-themed products. Her brother owns a company that designs e-commerce Web sites, and her sister was incorporated as a merchandising analyst. So it's no surprise that Murphy got the bug and founded her own company, MurTech Consulting, in 2000.
The Independence-based technology consulting and placement firm specializes in helping Fortune 1000 clients in Greater Cleveland, Akron, Canton and Youngstown outfit their IT departments with qualified talent. "We can augment their staff with contractors or find them full-time employees they can hire," says Murphy, president and owner.
In seven years, the company has grown exponentially, with revenue topping 500 percent between 2004 and 2007. Today, MurTech Consulting serves a core set of 15 clients in more than a dozen states.
The rise of MurTech can be attributed to solid advanced planning. With a sales background in the IT services industry, Murphy developed a detailed business plan and raised personal capital before branching out on her own. She met with several IT managers with whom she had strong relationships, asking what bothers them most about recruiters and what companies really need from them. "It boils down to customer service," she says. "If you listen to their problems and solve them in a seamless way, you have a leg up on competitors."
Murphy hired two recruiters and subleased office space in Seven Hills from a company exiting Cleveland. "The office was oversized, but I had high expectations that we would grow into it," says Murphy.
She was right. Two years ago, MurTech Consulting moved "down the street on Rockside" to a larger office in Independence. Today, the company has 10 internal employees who oversee recruiting, sales and administrative duties and more than 120 consultants working at client sites.
But it hasn't always been smooth sailing. MurTech Consulting opened its doors during the Y2K era, when IT business and dot-coms were booming. Then 9/11 struck, and the economy bottomed out.
"I'm in the business of putting people to work, but companies were laying people off," recalls Murphy. "It was challenging, but I continued to knock on doors and get myself on vendor lists."
She ran a lean business, persevering through 2001 and 2002. Murphy knew it was a matter of just hanging on. "I poised MurTech for business when the economy turned around. And when it did, it was drastic!" she says. Suddenly, MurTech Consulting was rushing to fill positions.
With just one office in Northeast Ohio, Murphy hopes to expand across the country. At the same time, the entrepreneur is growing her family. "I found out I was pregnant for the first time the day I opened the business," she says, laughing. Since then, she's had two more children. Murphy flourishes as a mother and business owner because she's organized and able to "juggle a lot," she says.
Murphy's commitment to family crosses over into her business. "Our product is people," she says. "The greatest reward in our business is we can put people to work and help families."