Let's Start With an Uncomfortable Truth

Seven months. That's how long the company had been waiting. A well-run business, a clearly defined need, and a signed mandate with an established executive search firm. Seven months, and not a single viable candidate on the longlist. Not one.

When they finally called me, they were frustrated, skeptical, and, frankly, a little embarrassed. I understood completely. But I also knew exactly why this had happened.

And I knew I could fix it.

The Role Nobody Wanted to Touch

The position itself was genuinely challenging; I won't pretend otherwise. The company needed someone to own and build an entire business-critical unit from the ground up. Full end-to-end accountability. Real responsibility. Strategic and operational in equal measure.

But here's the catch: the organization wasn't large enough to formally add another C-Level seat. The title wouldn't be there, nor would the C-Level compensation.

What they needed was someone rare: a leader with the horsepower of a C-Level executive, the ego of someone who doesn't need the title, and the hunger to roll up their sleeves and build, without an entourage, without the trappings, and without floating ten centimeters above the ground.

Sounds difficult? It is. But that's exactly the kind of search where methodology and judgment separate the professionals from the agencies running keyword searches on LinkedIn.

Why the First Search Failed

I took the time to understand what the previous firm had done, including its framework, outreach strategy, and candidate profiling approach. What I found was a competent but ultimately surface-level process: technically sound yet blind to the nuances that make or break this kind of hire.

They were searching for a job description. I needed to search for a person.

The difference is everything. Technical qualifications are table stakes. What makes someone the right fit for a role like this is character, DNA, and mindset. Can they operate without infrastructure? Do they build or manage? Are they genuinely motivated by ownership and impact, or are they quietly holding out for the title and the package that goes with it?

The first firm never answered those questions, so its longlist stayed empty.

They were searching for a job description. I needed to search for a person.

What Happened When I Took the Mandate

I signed. I got to work. Here's what followed:

·       Mandate Signature +8 weeks: 4 top candidates proposed —> all invited to first interviews

·       Mandate Signature +9 weeks: 2 additional candidates proposed -> before the first proposed went to the case study

·       Mandate Signature +10 weeks: Second interviews, case study completed, final decision made

·       Mandate Signature +11 weeks: Candidate signed

·       The two additional candidates, unfortunately, didn't get interviews as the decision was already made with the first batch

Eleven weeks from signature to signed offer. For a role that had been open for seven months with no movement.

This is not an anomaly. This is my standard. Regardless of seniority, up to and including the Group CEO level (a magnitude difference in complexity and seniority), I consistently deliver within 12 weeks. Not sometimes. Consistently. Repeatedly. Every time.

Now, Let's Talk About Fees

Yes, my fees are above the standard rates of agency and executive search firms. I won't apologize for that, and here's why you shouldn't expect me to.

The firm that spent seven months producing nothing also charged fees, maybe lower ones. But you were paying them in retainer fees, in opportunity cost, and in the weight of a critical role left vacant while your competitors moved forward. The "cheaper" option cost this client seven months of lost momentum and organizational frustration.

Speed and quality, combined, are not commodities. They command a premium. That's how it works in every high-performance domain, and executive search is no different.

"Dear client, do you want to search for months, or sign with the rockstar who meets all your requirements in 12 weeks?"

That's the question I ask when my fees are questioned. Not defensively. Confidently. Because I know what I deliver, how consistently I deliver it, and that the cost of leaving a critical role unfilled for seven months dwarfs any difference in search fees.

What This Means for You

If you're a board member or senior executive reading this and you have a critical hire that's stalled, or you're about to launch a search for a role that matters, ask yourself these questions:

·       Does your current search partner understand the difference between the job description and the person you actually need?

·       Are they assessing character, DNA, and fit, or simply filtering resumes/CVs?

·       And most importantly: how long are you prepared to wait?

In my experience, the cost of a bad or delayed senior hire is never just the fee. It's the months of organizational uncertainty, the missed market windows, and the pressure on the people holding things together while the seat stays empty.

The Bottom Line

Great executive search isn't about casting the widest net. It's about knowing exactly where to fish, what you're fishing for, and how to land it quickly.

This client waited seven months before calling me. Eleven weeks later, their problem was solved.

The question isn't whether you can afford to work with someone who delivers at this level.

The question is whether you can afford not to.