Startup Executive Search

Your Startup Executive Recruiting Partner

As the Pacific Northwest’s top executive search firm, we have the experience and expertise to help startup companies scale up.  For over 25 years, we have been attracting uniquely qualified individuals, enabling our partners to turn leadership openings into business opportunities. Our recruiting services are designed to identify and integrate top talent across multiple business sectors. We deliver candidates who are uniquely positioned to drive growth and innovation. Whether venture-backed or bootstrapped, we know how to find leaders who can deliver results and work well in your startup culture. Let’s chat to learn about your startup vision and the key leaders that will help you win in this rapidly evolving space.

Powering Leadership for the Northwest’s Next Breakout Companies

The Pacific Northwest has become one of the nation’s most dynamic startup ecosystems, with cities like Seattle and Portland thriving as hubs of innovation. According to PitchBook, venture capital investment in the Northwest reached over $4 billion in 2023, a sign of sustained entrepreneurial energy even in a more cautious funding environment. At Herd Freed Hartz, we specialize in helping venture-backed startups in this region scale by securing exemplary leadership talent at the right time. Whether you’re hiring your first VP of Sales, a game-changing CMO, or a seasoned CTO, we understand the urgency and nuance involved in building winning teams in a fast-paced, resource-conscious environment.

Startups Aren’t Hiring People—They’re Building Capabilities

Unlike large enterprises, startups aren’t just filling roles—they’re betting on the future. Recruiting for a startup requires more than just identifying candidates with impressive resumes. It’s about finding agile, entrepreneurial leaders who can thrive amid ambiguity, wear multiple hats, and help turn vision into execution. Research from Harvard Business Review shows that leadership adaptability and strategic grit are two of the most predictive qualities for startup success. We take a bespoke approach to every search, getting to know your company’s mission, culture, and goals so we can bring you leaders who not only fit your current stage but can help you grow into your next one.

It’s about finding agile, entrepreneurial leaders who can thrive amid ambiguity, wear multiple hats, and help turn vision into execution.

Recruiting Startup Executive Talent with Precision and Passion

In today’s hiring market, speed matters—but so does precision. According to LinkedIn’s Future of Recruiting Report, 77% of talent professionals say diversity, culture fit, and alignment on values are more important than ever. We agree. That’s why our executive search process is designed to be both efficient and human-centered. We combine structured candidate assessment, deep market insight, and a high-touch experience to ensure you’re hiring not just someone qualified, but someone who’s invested. Our track record speaks for itself: 92% of our placed candidates are still in their roles two years later.

Your Partner in Startup Executive Team Scaling

Startup leadership hiring is a high-stakes, high-reward endeavor. The right executive hire can be catalytic—fueling product-market fit, accelerating revenue, or unlocking new rounds of funding. But the wrong hire? It can set you back months. That’s where we come in. With decades of experience supporting Northwest startups—from stealth-mode ventures to post-Series B scaleups—we bring both local market savvy and national reach. Our team knows how to navigate founder dynamics, board expectations, and rapid-growth timelines with integrity and discretion.

Let’s Build Something Great—Together

At Herd Freed Hartz, we’re not just recruiters—we’re collaborators, connectors, and champions of what’s next. We bring the same entrepreneurial mindset to every executive role search that you bring to your company: scrappy, driven, and all-in. Whether you’re launching your first product or entering a new growth phase, we’re here to help you attract the leadership talent who will help turn your ambition into impact. Let’s start the conversation—and build the team that takes your vision to the next level.