Listen to this articleAlissa Henriksen doesn’t have to worry about ending up in Madeleine Albright’s hell for not supporting women. She and her husband Lucas, founders of Grey Search + Strategy, are committed to women in everything from the way they lead their team and how they treat candidates to the companies they place women with and the organizations they support.
While the focus is always on finding the best person for a job, Grey Search particularly enjoys working with female candidates and wants to help them realise their potential and value. Henriksen said part of their secret sauce is working together to promote women.
“It’s often women who talk themselves out of a job,” she said. “And we really work with them to make sure they put themselves at the forefront.”
In addition to her work with clients, Grey Search is an active sponsor of TeamWomen, an organization that trains future generations of women in leadership roles. One of her favorite aspects of the organization is her work with the Empower Leadership Academy.
“We work with girls from fifth to 12th grade and develop skills like resilience, acceptance, grit, etc.,” she said.
When it comes to where companies spend their money, Grey Search consciously selects companies run by women.
“As an organization, we have a choice in how we spend our money,” Henrikson said. “We work a lot with City Girl Coffee out of Duluth. That choice has a domino effect. It’s a great woman-owned business that supports women who grow the coffee.”
Additionally, Grey Search partners with Molly Perry Creative in Edina, as well as MATTER and ONEHOPE Winery for executive gifting.
What’s next for the recruitment company that was founded at the height of the recession in 2008?
Grey Search is opening a second office in Arizona and aims to impact more than 500 companies over the next five years.
