TDS is 45. Do We Look Our Age?
In 1975, Sandra (my mother) and her good friend Diane, two ambitious women in their 20s, made the decision to open a recruiting firm. Named on a whim, the letters of T, D, and S had very little meaning so they often told clients it stood for, “Terrific Dynamic Services”.
From a fourth-floor walkup with no AC at Bellair and Bloor, Sandra and Diane spent the early years pouring their hearts and souls into growing the business. From cold calls (Sandra’s first order was secured via the Yellow Pages for Fox Enterprises, who required an Office Administrator) to my grandmother as the ‘greeting committee’ at the front desk, these two women had a keen eye for talent and a boldness that made them stand out. They quickly earned the trust and respect of Toronto’s largest firms.
Fast forward through thousands of placements and the addition of the temporary staffing division, Sandra and Diane grew TDS into one of Toronto’s most well-known recruitment firms with a reputation for best-in-class service. They loved what they did, but after 30 years it was time to pass the torch.
Lindsey, circa 1985 in the TDS Personnel office. Never too early to start business development.
Having grown up around and even working for TDS, I witnessed firsthand the love, sweat and commitment Sandra and Diane put into the business. Leaving the advertising industry had been on my mind, so when the opportunity to learn the business presented itself, I took it. Soon after, I convinced my sister Lindsey to walk away from the world of fundraising and join me on the adventure.
The cornerstone of our strategy was to diversify TDS’ search capabilities across administration, marketing, accounting/finance and operations. Similar to most business owners we faced our own set of challenges. 2008 brought a recession, recruitment automation grew in popularity and we struggled to build the right team to support our customers’ needs while on a personal level, starting families.
With the entire globe weathering the impacts of COVID-19, we look back and continue to be thankful that we took the leap of faith to run TDS. We have built a team of talented consultants that are passionate and engaged. Having the right mix of trust, ambition, and encouragement among our team members has been crucial to our success. There is a special feeling when your goals are aligned – you’re able to share in the camaraderie of the journey, as well as celebrating the achievements as a collective.
Over the course of 45 years, TDS has positively impacted many candidates; helping them realize their full potential while actualizing career goals. Many of our candidates have become TDS clients as their careers progressed; bringing the relationship full circle.
Lasting partnerships with our clients have solidified TDS’ place within the recruitment industry and across multiple sectors. Collaborating with our clients to attract talent continues to be the driving force behind what we do. The friendships made along the way have been tested in 2020, as we encourage and support one another.
Lindsey and I are mindful of our roots and the hard work of others that helped to get TDS to its 45th year. As we head into 2021, we remain committed to deliver on the high standards set by Sandra and Diane, 45 years ago from the same building in Yorkville, now on the 8th floor with AC.
Thank you for your support for the last 45 years – we look forward to what the future will bring!
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