Josh Hickock

Founder

I represent top bankers like an agent represents an in-demand athlete. I also help banks optimize so they can attract, keep and create top talent.

The early part of my career was been spent as one of the most productive banking recruiters in the United States.

When I was 17 I went on a family vacation to New York City. It was love at first sight. It seemed to me like the center of the universe and I HAD to be a part of it. A year later after graduating high school, I drove from San Diego to NYC and at 18 I became the youngest person ever hired by Objective Solutions International, a Manhattan-based financial services executive search firm. 

Two years later in 2002, I was recognized by the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce for creating a solution for banks that were displaced due to the 9/11 attacks by starting a triage recruiting division that made Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity experts quickly available to the organizations that needed them so that they could get back to business.

I returned home to San Diego in 2005 and went to work for a seasoned banking recruiter, Eric Armstrong. I helped him grow Armstrong Financial Group from a solo shop to a banking niche powerhouse with 13 recruiters.

Seeing gaps in how bankers manage their careers as well as banks' hiring practices, I created Work Empowered in 2009 to help both banks and bankers manage the evaluation process in ways that lead to more career fulfillment for the banker and hiring better long-term fits for the banks.

Now with over 20 years of experience in helping bring together great bankers and great banks, I have become a career confidante to several of the best bankers in the US and a go-to resource for banks needing some tough love on cleaning up their hiring practices in a way that yields attracting the best people.