New Hampshire-based Appcast is among the latest U.S. technology companies to establish operations in the province of New Brunswick with help from Opportunities NB. Officially launching its Fredericton office in August, the company has seen great early success recruiting its first team members in marketing, recruitment advertising, and business development roles.
Appcast’s software solutions use programmatic technology to change the way that leading brands find quality candidates, helping organizations source talent more efficiently and cost-effectively than ever before. The company now supports over 750 clients including names like Verizon, HP, Lyft, PwC, FedEx, and Kellogg’s.
ONB spoke to Chris Cummins, the company’s Fredericton-based Chief Revenue Officer, to learn why Appcast chose New Brunswick.
ONB: How does a company from Lebanon, New Hampshire end up in Fredericton, New Brunswick?
Cummins: ONB support was obviously crucial but our story is similar to other stories about choosing New Brunswick. It’s something of a hidden gem in terms of offering great quality talent and affordable business costs. Plus, a big factor for us was familiarity. When our CEO Chris Forman visited for the first time, he noted how comfortable it felt here. He said it felt familiar to our headquarters in Lebanon, NH — not exactly the same, but very similar.
We’re a rapidly growing company — we’ve doubled our business in the past two years and we’re going to do it again next year. We needed a North American location that could support our growth and it came down to New Brunswick having a great tech-savvy workforce that fit the bill. The number of technology companies in Fredericton, like Salesforce, IBM, and Skillsoft, has made this a hub for people that know how to sell and service technology offerings.
The Atlantic Time Zone is another advantage. We’re going to be opening an office in Europe early next year, so that extra hour will make a big difference.
Finally, we place a lot of emphasis on culture, and New Brunswick felt like a place that fit our corporate culture perfectly. Being an entrepreneur at heart, Chris has also taken note of the entrepreneurial spirit of the city of Fredericton. Given its status as a Canadian startup hub, we knew we could attract talented people with that entrepreneurial nature that would be excited to work for a growing company like Appcast.
HR Tech is a competitive space. What sets Appcast apart?
We believe it’s a couple of things that make us stand apart from the pack. First, our programmatic approach and pay-per-applicant model are unique within the industry.
Perhaps just as importantly, however, is our outstanding support team; they’re a serious differentiator. We hear every day via NPS scores and customer testimonials that not only are our solutions revolutionary but our people are world class and offer tremendous support. In a competitive sector like ours, that makes all the difference.
Finally, let’s touch on Appcast’s relationship with ONB.
I’ve been familiar with ONB via my work at previous companies. It’s been great going through the process of directly working with your team versus simply referring people to you. It’s exactly what I’d hoped it would be, with ONB acting as that single point of contact for us. ONB has served as a consultant on everything from referrals to recruitment to general business advice. When Chris F. visited, we worked with ONB to determine the best location for our office, which accountants and lawyers to connect with, workforce strategy, and everything in between. It’s been a great partnership.
At a recent board meeting, Chris F. mentioned how quickly we ramped up in New Brunswick, much faster than we even expected. We are still sort of amazed at how well it’s all come together. Everyone has meshed well with the company and its culture. We are excited about continued growth in New Brunswick in 2018.
Careers at Appcast
Written by Jason Boies