Kristi Rocha

VP, Client Services

Lynne Saiz

VP, Client Services

5201 Great America PKWY
Ste. 320
Santa Clara, CA 95054

In this month's issue of The Power of Talent, we take a look back at where Torchiana Mastrov & Sapiro started and how we got to where we are now. From focusing primarily on Search to implementing Outplacement Services and expanding through our Leadership Development and Executive Coaching Practice, Torchiana prides itself on continually expanding to provide the best quality service for each of our clients. 

Here at Torchiana, we believe that your people are your most valuable asset. That's why our staff of professionals has expertise in all facets of leadership development, executive coaching, career management and career transition/outplacement services to help your company grow. Keep reading to find out more and to learn about a new service we're excited to offer. 

Please contact us if you'd like to discuss how Torchiana can assist you with your career management needs.

All the Best,

Kristi Rocha & Lynne Saiz

As this past month was a big anniversary for Torchiana Mastrov & Sapiro, I recently reflected on what has made us successful over the years. The bottom line is it's the value of really listening and adapting to clients' needs. I started our business 34 years ago as a Retained Executive Search firm. Drawing on my extensive HR experience and responsibility for recruiting talented people in multiple industries, Search was a great place to launch. 

In the beginning, the biggest surprise for me was probably the fact that often the best candidates, in my opinion, were not always selected. Over the next several years I came to understand the organizational dynamics and the motivations of the hiring managers. What I learned is that, "Opposites attract - except at work, where likes like likes." Understanding these driving forces at senior levels would become especially valuable as the business grew and changed. In Search, one becomes an objective third person and observer of the situation - a fascinating experience. 

In 1982, during a game changing sales call, I met an HR leader of an iconic San Francisco company, who said that for the first time in the 130-year history of the company, they had more executives than they could accommodate. He asked what we could do to help these executives find new opportunities elsewhere and the answer to that question started us in the Outplacement Services business. Interestingly, Outplacement is the other side of Search; instead of looking for talented people for clients' organizations, we are helping talented people look for clients' companies for themselves. 

Our entry into the Outplacement industry was personally and professionally very rewarding. Meeting and learning from so many talented people was thrilling, and having the opportunity to share my knowledge was equally gratifying. As the business grew, we focused on Outplacement Services and withdrew from Retained Search. 

Another milestone event occurred when we had a significant opportunity to support a client that offered a voluntary lay off for a large number of their employees. This program was designed to help in the decision-making process of, "Should I stay or should I go?" Since this is not an option for many people in transition, we built new programs that focused on evaluating internal career development and planning in addition to the external choices including job search, career change, retirement, entrepreneurial opportunities and consulting. 

For many of the ensuing years, the Outplacement Services industry continued to grow with over 20 firms locally and we prospered as the largest independent organization in the Bay Area. 

In the latter 90's, the employment market tightened with the dot com boom. Our clients, instead of having too many people, were starting to get regrettable resignations from employees they had hoped to keep. "How can we continue to keep key employees when we cannot compete with the financial offerings of this new industry?" was the question asked of us. We recommended that companies re-recruit employees that were needed for future growth and prepare them for leadership opportunities. 

Our Leadership Development and Executive Coaching Practice was born from the need of organizations to survive and grow their existing workforce. Investing in high potential employees who were staying in the company proved to be a good investment and a great productivity tool because leaders gained a greater understanding of how to leverage their strengths and develop new skills to improve managerial effectiveness, greater leader impact and enhanced organizational performance. 

Success breeds success. It's the "talent" that gives companies a competitive edge. Let Torchiana be your go to partner for all your talent management needs. Find out more at www.Torchiana.com.