Carver Smith has been an entrepreneur since junior high school when he learned how to string tennis racquets, deliver the Milwaukee Sentinel and mow lawns. Now, he uses that spirit as the Managing Partner of Truity Partners.
Driven by recruiting, staffing and executive search leaders, Truity Partners connects top accounting, finance, tax and HR talent with companies ready to boost the bottom line. Truity Partners has experienced double-digit growth over the last three years with 2022 seeing a 30 percent jump.
According to Smith, this is due to the hard work of the team, high demand for talent, as well as the lift they’ve experienced as a stand-alone company. “The relationships we build in this business and seeing those we have placed thrive in their new organization is really rewarding to me, but seeing individuals on our team learn, grow and be successful is even better,” he said. “Beyond the inherent motivations of being a business owner and our industry where you are changing lives and building businesses, it’s having interests and passions beyond ‘just business’ that contributes to my enthusiasm for what I do.”
His enthusiasm is what has put Smith on the map in the industry. “Simply put, virtually everyone in the accounting space in Southeastern Wisconsin knows Carver Smith,” said his colleagues. “He is viewed as someone with a great pulse on the market – the reputation of the companies and finance professionals.”
According to his staff, what sets Smith apart from other leaders is the relationships, easily considered partnerships and friendships, and the related trust he has built within the network. “He never forgets that each placement not only has an impact on the company he is partnering with, but also changes the lives of the people he is placing.”
Smith is known for saying that the firm takes the awkwardness out of an otherwise awkward process. “He recognizes that you are dealing with one of life’s top stressors and handles both his clients and candidates with that in mind,” said his colleagues. He is also known for the many accolades he has earned, including the spin-off of the Search and Staffing Division to become a stand-alone company and recognition by CEOCFO Magazine in addition to Insight Magazine.
If Smith had to give his younger self advice, he would say the same thing he says to career people seeking advice. “Define what success looks like for you professionally and personally and network and learn what others like and don’t like about their careers,” he said. “Then, put it through your own filter and create your own path.”
For creating a successful path for his staff and his clients, Smith has been named a Titan.