A Northampton-based consultancy has secured two titles at the SME Business Awards following a year of expansion into leadership and HR services.
Four Talent was awarded Gold for Service Excellence and Silver for Best Enterprising Business, marking its second win in the service category. The recognition follows a period of growth as the business broadened its offer beyond recruitment.
Founded in 2022, the consultancy initially focused on hiring support. However, it has since developed a wider range of services, including leadership development programmes, team workshops and strategic HR projects. This shift reflects increased demand from organisations focusing on retaining and developing existing staff.
The business now works with SMEs across Northamptonshire and beyond, supporting areas such as team performance, communication and leadership capability. As a result, Four Talent has positioned itself within a more competitive people consultancy market.
The company reports a client retention rate of more than 95%, with many organisations using multiple services. While such figures are self-reported, they indicate a focus on longer-term client relationships rather than one-off recruitment activity.
Louise Keightley, co-director at Four Talent, said the past year had marked a change in direction for the business. “We’re incredibly proud to receive this recognition, because over the past year, we’ve really evolved beyond hiring, by supporting our clients to develop their people and build stronger, more effective teams,” said Louise.
She added that the expansion builds on existing experience. “People development and wider HR is where both Lucy and I have years of experience across a range of organisations and sectors, so being able to bring that into Four Talent and round out our offering has been fantastic.”
Lucy Wright, co-director at Four Talent, said service quality remains central to the business. “Service excellence has always been at the heart of what we do. It’s the reason we set up the business, and it continues to be our focus every day,” said Lucy.
Alongside its commercial activity, the consultancy has also undertaken fundraising initiatives, including a charity climb of Mount Toubkal, raising £1,600 for Northampton Saints Foundation, and more than £3,000 for the Hope Centre in Northampton.
Looking ahead, Four Talent plans to continue developing its training and people development offer, with a focus on supporting SMEs to build and retain skilled teams.
Image: Lucy Wright (left) and Louise Keightley of Four Talent with their SME Business Awards wins. Credit: Lou Morris Photography
