Executive Recruitment for Canadian Owner-Managed Businesses
We specialize in recruiting positions on the senior leadership team for privately held companies across manufacturing, distribution, retail, food service, real estate and more.
What We Do
We are a boutique executive search firm built around one client: the Canadian owner-managed business. Recruiting for an owner-managed company is fundamentally different from recruiting for a corporate giant , culture and judgment matter more than credentials, the executive often becomes a partner to the founder, and there's rarely an HR infrastructure to lean on. That's the work we've done for over 30 years.
Whether you're looking for a CEO, COO, VP of Operations, General Manager or Division President , or you're bringing in your first senior executive ever , we know how to find the right person and how to bring them in successfully.
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Why Choose Us?
We Specialize in Owner-Managed Business
We don't recruit for everyone , we recruit for Canadian owner-managed and mid-sized businesses. Culture, founder fit, and judgment matter more than credentials, and we know how to find leaders who'll work in that environment.
Senior-Led Search, Start to Finish
Your search is run by Lance, Marilyn, and Kelley personally , the same people you meet with do the work. Nothing is handed off to a junior researcher.
Confidentiality for Founders
Replacing a key executive , or bringing in a successor to a founder , is a sensitive transition. We run quiet, protected searches that respect your discretion at every step.
Quick Turnaround on Searches
Our proprietary search protocols deliver a thoroughly vetted shortlist usually within five weeks of launching the search. We respect your urgency and your standards.
Framing the Position
Not sure whether you need a CEO, COO, VP of Operations, General Manager or Division President? We'll help you think through the role and recommend the right level of hire.
We Stand Behind Our Work
We offer our clients a one-year, no-fault, full replacement guarantee on every executive we place.
How We Do It
Analyze the Need
We do a full 360 of your business and every aspect of the position you want to hire for.
Analyze the Need
We do a full 360 of your business and every aspect of the position you want to hire for.
Create Preferred Candidate Profile
This is the template of all the technical qualifications, experience and personality traits you need in your next hire.
Create Preferred Candidate Profile
This is the template of all the technical qualifications, experience and personality traits you need in your next hire.
Research and Identify Possible Candidates
We map out all the possible candidates that might fit the preferred candidate profile using our comprehensive database.
Research and Identify Possible Candidates
We map out all the possible candidates that might fit the preferred candidate profile using our comprehensive database.
Reach Out to Possible Candidates
We'll reach out to between 100 and 200 potential candidates on your behalf.
Reach Out to Possible Candidates
We'll reach out to between 100 and 200 potential candidates on your behalf.
Present Benchmark Candidate
We'll show you a candidate early in the search who we feel fits your technical and personality requirements so we can calibrate the search.
Present Benchmark Candidate
We'll show you a candidate early in the search who we feel fits your technical and personality requirements so we can calibrate the search.
Fine-tune Search Criteria if Required
If you like what you see, we'll find three or four more candidates like the benchmark. If not, we adjust course.
Fine-tune Search Criteria if Required
If you like what you see, we'll find three or four more candidates like the benchmark. If not, we adjust course.
Interview Long-List Candidates
We interview between 15 and 25 potential candidates and whittle the list down to the best of the best.
Interview Long-List Candidates
We interview between 15 and 25 potential candidates and whittle the list down to the best of the best.
Present Short List of Candidates
We present the best four or five candidates out of the twenty or so we interviewed.
Present Short List of Candidates
We present the best four or five candidates out of the twenty or so we interviewed.
Conduct First Interviews
After you meet the full short list, you pick the two you'd like to take to the next stage.
Conduct First Interviews
After you meet the full short list, you pick the two you'd like to take to the next stage.
Move on to Second and Third Interviews
This is where you have any other stakeholders, if any, interview the final one or two candidates.
Move on to Second and Third Interviews
This is where you have any other stakeholders, if any, interview the final one or two candidates.
Offer to Final Candidate
We work with you and the candidate to lay the groundwork for all parts of the offer.
Offer to Final Candidate
We work with you and the candidate to lay the groundwork for all parts of the offer.
Candidate Accepts Offer
Expect your new hire to give three weeks to a month's notice at their current position.
Candidate Accepts Offer
Expect your new hire to give three weeks to a month's notice at their current position.
