For candidates
Work with startups that know what good looks like.
I place senior executives into consumer startups at pre-seed, seed, and Series A. I lead with full-time permanent roles and take on fractional where the timing is right. Every role I work on is with a startup I know personally.
I don't work with every startup
Before I take on a client, I do my own due diligence. I look at the roadmap, how much runway they have and who's on the cap table, and I ask the questions a candidate can't easily ask in an interview. I've raised money and run a startup myself, so I have a fair idea of what a company that's going to make it looks like, and what one that isn't looks like.
If I'm not convinced, I don't take the search. That's partly because my name is on the introduction, but mostly because moving to a startup is a big decision and I'm not going to put you in front of something I wouldn't back myself.
What it's actually like
The reason people join startups is that the work matters and you can make a major impact very quickly. In a large company your role is defined and your decisions go through four people. In a 20-person business what you do this week shows up in the numbers next month. You build things from scratch, you end up doing jobs you weren't hired for, and you learn more in a year than you would in three somewhere bigger.
There’s also potential upside. Equity can be worth a great deal if the company scales or gets sold. And if you're in early, the leadership roles tend to arrive as the team grows around you, offering quicker progression if you’re earlier in your career.
The reality is, however, the base salary is usually lower than you'd get at an established company, and the equity is worth nothing until it's worth something. Hours are long. Priorities can change quickly, and there's rarely a process to fall back on because the situation hasn’t happened before. Some companies don't make it, and if that happens, you'll have spent a couple of years on something that stopped existing.
I only work with people who go in with their eyes open and don't regret it. But it's not for everyone, and it’s best you know that.
The roles I place
I work on senior roles only: CFO, COO, CRO, managing director and other C-level positions, either permanent or fractional. My focus is commercial and operational roles, so finance, operations, marketing and customer. I don't generally place technical roles. I only place into consumer startups because that's the world I've built in and it's where my network is. If you're a strong operator in B2B I'll be honest that I'm likely not the right person, and I'll point you elsewhere if I can.
If you're weighing up an offer or wondering what a role should pay, I've put together some benchmarks.
Sectors I work with
Join the network.
A short conversation first. I want to understand what you're looking for, what stage suits you, and what kind of startup you work best with. From there I keep you in mind for relevant roles as they come in.
I work with a small number of senior operators in consumer. If you're open to full-time or fractional roles with early-stage consumer startups, I'd like to hear from you.
You're on the list.
I review every submission personally. If there's a potential fit I'll be in touch directly.
I review every submission personally. If there's a potential fit I'll be in touch directly.