Our Approach
Here's how we run executive search: not like recruiters, but like product builders. We treat every search like a zero-to-one product cycle, because hiring the right product leader is a high-stakes build. Our approach is deliberate, iterative, and customer-obsessed.
1
Discovery Sprint — Build the Right Problem Statement
“You don’t find the right product leader by chasing titles—you earn it by understanding the job to be done.”
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We kick off every search like a product discovery sprint. We begin with interviewing executives, board members, and key stakeholders. We ask clients to produce a short-list of names for us to interview. We prefer to speak directly with internal customers, especially engineering, marketing, and design partners. We analyze the organization’s velocity, culture, blind spots, and growth ambitions. This helps us develop candidate personas, company target lists, and jobs to be done. At this stage we’ve developed a clear definition of the problems this leader needs to solve.
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Outcome: A clear definition of the problem the leader needs to solve, not just a title or resume buzzwords.
2
Strategic Brief — Tell a Story Worth Joining
“Leaders don’t apply to jobs. They join movements.”
Top candidates need to be inspired. We write a persuasive Strategic Leadership Brief that frames the business mission, market opportunity, and growth curve. We outline the inflection point you're at, and caliber of challenges this product leader will own.
Outcome: A narrative that sells the vision, not just the role. This becomes the backbone of all outreach.
3
Target Mapping — Find the Overlooked A-Players
“Invent and simplify. Leave no rock unturned.”
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We build a precision-targeted map of adjacent companies with comparable scale, product challenges, and market maturity. We look at operators who’ve already done what you’re about to do—just one chapter back. We run structured sourcing across levels, titles, and industries to stress-test assumptions.​
Outcome: A strong, wide, intentional list of candidates—mapped to real outcomes, not superficial fit.
4
Outreach & Assessment — Test, Learn, Refine
“Be curious. Be consistent. Be real.”
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We don’t just blast InMails. We treat outreach like growth marketing. We A/B test messaging to see what resonates and adapt tone and content based on candidate persona. We sell with truth: no sugarcoating, no hype—just clarity. Our candidate calls and leadership survey are directed by questions that produce data points used for AI scoring. Candidate data points cover technical, experience/design, product sense, strengths, blind spots, operating models, passion areas, and product philosophies. At this stage we deeply understand the candidate profile and will determine if they make it through to your hiring committee.
Outcome: A deep understand the candidate profile, only the top candidates make it through to your hiring committee.
5
Selection & Closing — Negotiate, Align, Deliver
“Hire for trajectory, not just history.”
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Once finalists are identified, we manage the final interview process, conduct thorough reference checks, and support compensation negotiations. We work closely with clients to help secure top candidates by thoughtfully aligning cash, equity, mission, and long-term fit. Upon completion of each search, we conduct a retrospective to evaluate and refine our process, ensuring continuous improvement.
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Outcome: You don’t just hire a person. You bring on a force multiplier who shapes the next chapter of your product org.