Meet Emily Ingersoll, Chief Financial Officer

Being the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of a staffing firm like FootBridge demands a keen focus on financial acumen, strategic foresight, and a deep understanding of the staffing industry’s intricacies. For these reasons, we depend heavily on Emily Ingersoll’s financial wisdom to help us remain competitive. From finance to accounting, bookkeeping, and compliance, continue reading to learn how much we appreciate her efforts and why her insights help shape our future goals as an ever-evolving staffing firm.  

Question: Our discussion couldn’t come at a better time, with November 2024 marking your sixth anniversary as the Chief Financial Officer at FootBridge. How does it feel to have reached this significant milestone?

Emily: I vividly remember starting my adventure with FootBridge on Veterans Day in 2018 as it was a big shift from a previous role in public accounting to a private accounting position.  However, it wasn’t long before I felt like I’d discovered a rare gem with our unique staffing firm. As for immediate goals as Chief Financial Officer, from the beginning, my objectives were well-defined as I aimed to learn the intricacies of managing a staffing business from a financial perspective while also viewing it as a powerful means to drive revenue, maintain organization, and create meaningful change. 

FootBridge caught my attention because our CEO, Todd Springer, was eager to strengthen the leadership team to spur company expansion. I also sought a workplace that felt welcoming yet offered the opportunity for my daily contributions to have a tangible impact, and FootBridge has exceeded my goals in that aspect.  

Question: Businesses seek partnerships with reputable and financially sound staffing agencies. Could you shed light on how you work hard to foster and sustain client relationships while adeptly handling contractual agreements?

Emily: Absolutely. Partnering with esteemed organizations is a top priority for us, so I actively engage with our client’s financial teams to conduct credit checks, oversee purchase orders, and facilitate transparent communication about terms and billing procedures. Although our account executives handle client relationships, it’s important to highlight that many clients make use of visible portals. Therefore, we tailor our approaches to meet their specific requirements, showcasing a degree of adaptability that sets us apart from other staffing agencies. Additionally, our flexibility with project-based invoicing is a considerable benefit.

Question: What processes do you implement to ensure transparency and alignment between finance and other departments within our staffing firm?

Emily: We keep everyone on the team in the loop by sharing weekly updates on company performance. If there’s an opportunity for improvement, we encourage feedback from our internal team, clients, and contractors alike. Our clients particularly value our open communication, especially regarding contractor management. For payroll, we rely on ADP, and we offer benefits through major providers. This system enables employees to easily log in and check their sick leave and paid hours without any hassle.

Additionally, both clients and employees have access to Bullhorn, which provides real-time employment updates every week. We also handle payroll and billing on a weekly basis, ensuring that time cards are always accessible to everyone involved. Then there are our recruiting tools, such as LinkedIn and Indeed, which are among the best in the market. Not to mention, our passion, combined with working smart, allows us to customize our staffing approach.

Question: Taxes, labor laws, and other regulatory requirements vary by state and add tremendous complexity to the payroll process. How does FootBridge ensure contractor compliance? 

Emily: Our robust compliance with legal standards is a significant asset, and we, therefore, operate conservatively to ensure complete adherence to legal requirements and to minimize risks. We also meticulously follow the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), hire top advisors, and maintain a robust payroll system.  While many staffing firms struggle with employee coding, we are diligent in our job classifications. We also take pride in educating our clients about overtime requirements and staying updated on state laws.

Question: FootBridge is known for our close-knit community, which adds personalization to our relationships and helps eliminate technical errors. What else do you feel sets us apart from other staffing firms? 

Emily:  The industries we serve, such as oil and gas, are very niche staffing sectors, which allows us to develop very close relationships with our candidates and clients. To that extent, we have weekly in-person meetings to understand the ‘why’ behind every task and strategize on how we can propel FootBridge to the next level. If something is being asked of someone, but they don’t know why it needs to be done, we need to clarify that because it is crucial to understand how one’s work contributes to the overall goal.  Then there’s analytics, which we heavily embrace because doing so can provide better forecasting, help set realistic expectations, and challenge goals.  

Question: Despite our modest size, FootBridge is uniquely dedicated to growth. Consequently, it’s not just about increasing the bottom line but about growing people and the business sustainably. Tell us about this. 

Emily: Over the past two years, we have been in a significant growth phase because we’ve reinvested in our internal infrastructure and tools, focusing on organic growth rather than mergers and acquisitions. We’ve also worked especially hard to hire the right team, relying on our core values to guide us because, with the right team in place, we are better prepared to meet new hiring demands. To achieve sustainable growth, it’s essential to nurture and retain our team. Rapid expansion within a year only to stumble afterward is not our goal; therefore, we adopt a thoughtful and strategic approach. We focus on our people’s skill sets, growing clients, and honing good business skills rather than merely chasing revenue. Diversity is also a priority. We ensure we learn from our peer group and recruit from diverse backgrounds. I oversee all support staff, and we take the same cohesive approach across the board.

Are you interested in pursuing a career at FootBridge? Contact Joe Squires at: Jsquires@footbridgecompany.com.