Prostrate economy, but still recruiting

While many recruiting firms are struggling and some are going out of business, Tampa-based Naviga Business Services is growing and getting new business every week.

Part of the reason is that Naviga recruits sales executives and sales people, staff members who bring in revenues for companies.

Kathleen Steffey, chief executive officer and founder of Naviga, has grown the firm to 12 employees since its beginning in 2002 and now serves clients across the country. Its offices are on Bayshore Boulevard in South Tampa.

While Naviga revenues grew at a clip of 110% a year until 2008, the economy has forced the company to shift its business strategy from relying on Web leads and customers coming to the firm to penetrating its existing customer base.

“We need to stay in front of them,” Steffey told Coffee Talk.

That has meant things like viral marketing and sending out sales trends and best practices data. It also created a blog for its customers at salesjournal.com to get information, talk to each other and post best practices.