Morgan's new venture in talent management

Link: Warehouse deal a boost for Morgan's new venture - 19 Feb 2007 - Information technology.

Sam Morgan is at it again with startup Sonar6, a web based talent management system which tracks staff performance and potential - they  have just signed on The Warehouse with all 3000 full-time employees as a client. But what I really liked hearing was founder Mike Carden's vision in competing globally by tackling the UK and US markets rather than Australia which so many NZ companies target:

"... at this stage of the business we have to go after the biggest opportunities. Because we are a web-based business there is as much effort required for us to be successful in the UK as in Australia, and the UK is more receptive."

Great to see such kiwi entrepreneurship aiming internationally.

Comments

[Paul Jacobs]

Hi Steven, it is good to see you posting on a regular basis - you are on a roll! I saw Mike Carden present at the NZ HR Conference in September last year. He was a good speaker and you could sense the passion he has in his product - he drew interest from the audience as soon as he mentioned Sam Morgan's investment. He also told the tale of how he initially tried to win Sam over, despite some early resistance. The product is visually very appealing, totally web-based, and provides managers with some useful tools for workforce development and planning - and creates the basis for meaningful dialogue between managers and their direct reports. I felt at the time that the product seemed a bit light however on the tools for actually measuring ideal employee behaviour. I can see Sonar6 doing very well overseas - I think they have done well to get some runs on the board in NZ in a very short time.

Cheers, Paul

[Steven Kempton]

Thanks Paul for your comments. Even though the product might be a little light on tools to measure behaviour. Lets face it, there is such a huge dearth of management talent out there, not to mention businesses that don't feel it's necessary to evaluate and provide feedback for their employees that almost ANY tool that helped them do it would be effective. I liken it to digging a hole, if all you had were your hands, when someone gives you a soup spoon you'll be pretty happy. Even though you might actually need a spade.

[Paul Jacobs]

Great analogy Steven. Go Kiwi!