MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TIME

A simple adage still reigns true—time is our greatest asset. “We all will only have so much of it in our lives,” says Julia Hudson, co-founder and CEO of Pennyworth Projects. “It’s not that every moment needs to be full, but every moment should be what you want it to be.”

This philosophy guides Pennyworth Projects, a boutique search firm run exclusively by Hudson and co-founder and COO, Lisa Casson. The powerhouse duo launched Pennyworth over four years ago with a clear mission: to match just about anyone—businesses, individuals, families—with the right support staff, executive assistants, or project managers to help optimize their time.

“We want people to be able to regain a sense of ownership over how they’re using time,” says Hudson. “If you’re running a business, you’re an executive, or you just have a big, busy life with a family, running multiple residences or offices, you’re wasting time if you don’t have the right support. Scheduling, planning, vendor and house management—we know these take time away from someone’s life.”

Hudson and Casson speak from ample experience in fast-paced industries like tech, athletics, and hospitality. Both spent years in top executive support roles, notably serving as co-executive assistants to former Yahoo CEO, Marissa Mayer, in the company’s Sunnyvale, California, headquarters. It was there, sitting side-byside, day-in and day-out, that the two cemented their working relationship.

“We were always involved in the hiring process and all of this experience really led us to start Pennyworth,” says Hudson. “We understood these roles from the inside-out like nobody else did. We have sat in those seats, we’ve done the job, we’ve worked alongside people who have worked in jobs parallel to us to build the right support around executives and make things work.”

“We’re also both high-functioning, highly efficient, but very passionate people,” says Casson. “And I believe strongly that life is about energy and timing.”

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, an opportunity to build something presented itself. “No one saw the pandemic coming, and the timing of that alongside Hudson’s move to the Chicago area was the perfect ‘if not now, then when?’ moment for us,” says Casson.

“It was natural because we have a huge network of support professionals in our lives,” says Hudson. “Truthfully, everyone was already calling us to find them the right support. For the first few years of Pennyworth, we just told our network what we were doing with no marketing and built our business out of that.”

Their ability to read between the lines and understand where an organization or individual is in their chapter of life is a unique matchmaking insight that’s helped place dynamic, smart, and experienced candidates in hundreds of roles nationwide.

“We take building our network very seriously. It is the core of our business,” Casson shares.

There is a significance to their roles as mindful custodians of time. Knowing this, the pair conduct each search with complete confidentiality, recognizing that every client’s needs are different and should be respected.

“There’s a really special understanding when we meet with clients and candidates that we do things differently,” Casson shares. “It’s just me and Julia. You’re not going to be meeting with another recruiter throughout the full-cycle placement process. It’s the two of us for the entire journey”

“We’re always open to a conversation,” they add.

“Support roles allow someone to be happier, more successful, and spend more time on things that are most important to them,” says Casson. “If you’re seeking support, we’re there for you because we want people to have that—and we’re passionate about that.”

For more information, visit pennyworthprojects.com.