EP Evolution, the brainchild of Sheppardson and director Jennifer Miller, is an extension of the firm’s magazine En Passant, which has built up a director-level audience across hotels, restaurants and contract caterers. It brings together a hub of experts with business development specialisms which include restaurant startup and catering/hospitality marketing, among others.

The firm takes an introduction fee or a percentage of the project fee.

Another payoff is that the service affords Chess greater visibility of their clients’ needs. “We have one company where we have six projects in the pipeline. We can have four to five consultants working with just one company and we have three or four recruitment projects on with the same company. We have a really strong relationship with the managing director and different directors across the business,” Miller told Recruiter.

“A client might have a business that is strong on the retail side but not particularly successful on the hospitality side, so they would come to us and say they want to develop this side of the business. They may not want to hire someone but are after advice and expertise, and we would set them up with the relevant consultant.”

Sheppardson adds: “It makes us the centre of the community. If you are going to be successful you have to be at the centre. EP Evolution allows us to drive the agenda of the community.”