You may have heard how Genesis10 got its name. This Genesis10 history starts with a fresh beginning. Genesis means starting over or a new beginning, and 10 stands for the 10 people who joined CEO Harley Lippman 25 years ago to build the company into one of the largest staffing firms in the U.S., according to Staffing Industry Analysts.
The questions were simple: What was Genesis10 like in early 1999? What made the 10 join Lippman? How did they get started? What hard parts did they face? What rewards came with the work?
Eight of the 10 are still with the company. That says a lot about the team and what they built.
Their work shaped the company we know today. It also affects our people, our clients, and the communities where we work.
To mark Genesis10's 25th anniversary, we will share the story of our start and growth over the next 12 months.
Summary
Harley Lippman's Genesis10 story is about trust, risk, and teamwork. The founding team believed in him, and he believed in them. Their shared drive and startup spirit helped the company grow into a major staffing firm. The story also shows the company's lasting impact on employees, consultants, clients, and communities across the country.
The People Who Make Genesis10
Many of the people Lippman asked had worked with him before at a company he owned. They had good jobs, good pay, and young families. Joining him meant a fresh start, a risk, and a pay cut. Still, 10 agreed to help, some after a little persuasion.
Wayne Sueltz, now a Managing Director in Dallas, had worked with Lippman since 1996. He was not sure at first. He said no three or four times. But Harley was persistent. Sueltz believed in him, and he believed in himself. Harley believed in the team too. That mutual trust built strong commitment. Once they said yes, they followed through.
Helen Blake and others joined for the same reason: trust that Lippman would do what he said. He had built a successful company before, so they believed he could do it again.
Blake says the company was a good fit because the group had worked well together before. They knew they would deliver. They worked a lot, and they had a lot of fun.
In the early days, Lippman and Blake in New York City were joined by Glenn Klein, Caron Katz, Gina Lipman, and Stefane Golub. Colleen McIntyre also joined Lippman in Milwaukee. They are all still with the company.
Growing Genesis10
The 10 started from scratch. No matter where they worked - New York City, Dallas, or Milwaukee - they helped in any way they could. They used years of staffing experience and the client and consultant ties they already had. They sold, recruited, and backed one another.
Everyone rolled up their sleeves and did what was needed, says Caron Katz. If someone in recruiting was asked to make a sales call, they did it. If HR or legal needed help, they handled it. If they could add value, they did.
We did everything we needed to do to make it successful, says Stefane Golub.
Lippman was hands-on too. To build a list of prospective clients, Colleen McIntyre recalls him asking the mayor of Milwaukee for a meeting with local business leaders. He got the meeting. McIntyre followed up with handwritten letters and phone calls, which led to more meetings and new clients.
Because we were so small, we really saw the impact of our work, says Gina Lipman. We could see how it helped the company grow.
Genesis10's Impact on the Community
McIntyre agrees. I feel we all have an impact here and what we do matters, she says. We are listened to. Genesis10 has service offerings like Flexible Workforce Solutions, Dev10, and New Journey, and leadership is always looking for new ways to stay competitive.
Sueltz sees the company as a strong American business story. Lippman created opportunity for himself and for the team, both in 1999 and 25 years later.
The company has grown into a place that creates opportunity for all of us, he says. Harley should be proud of that. He created opportunity and meaningful jobs for many people, employees and consultants, out of nothing.
That reach also extends to the communities where the company does business and where employees live. Organizations where Genesis10 employees volunteer - charities, schools, churches, and civic groups - are better because of the people who show up there, Sueltz says. The company also gives back through Harley Lippman's charitable work with military veterans, children in Cambodia and families of Holocaust victims.
At the end of the day, all you have is the people around you, the leadership that points you in the right direction, and the commitment to do the right things, Sueltz says. That is what Genesis10 does.
Caron Katz says she is very proud to be part of the organization's growth. When she looks back, they started with almost nothing. They all put their hearts and souls into it. It feels like part of her success too. She feels attached to it, and she knows her work makes a difference. That is a good feeling.
Q&A
Question: Why is the company called Genesis10?
Answer: Genesis means starting over or new beginning, and 10 stands for the 10 people who joined Harley Lippman 25 years ago to help launch the company.
Question: What motivated the original team members to join Genesis10 despite the risks?
Answer: Many had worked with Harley Lippman before and trusted his leadership. Even with steady jobs, good incomes, and young families, they believed in Lippman, in each other, and in their ability to build something strong.
Question: How did the founding team help Genesis10 grow in its early days?
Answer: They started from scratch and did whatever was needed. They sold, recruited, handled HR and legal work, backed one another, followed up with prospects, and used their staffing experience and client ties to open new business.
Question: What does the article suggest is Genesis10's broader impact beyond staffing and consulting?
Answer: Genesis10 has created meaningful jobs and opportunity for employees and consultants. Through employee volunteer work and Harley Lippman's charitable work, its reach also extends to charities, schools, churches, civic groups, military veterans, children in Cambodia, and families of Holocaust victims.
