The Bearhug Recruiting “Hallway of Hugs”
Authentic Feedback From Bearhug’s VC Partners, Clients & Candidates.
The following collection of statements comes directly from satisfaction surveys completed by Bearhug’s VC partners, clients, and candidates after successful searches. A clear theme emerges in their words (echoed again and again) capturing the true essence of what “Bearhug” is all about.
“We had to hire a unicorn — someone with both startup and industry experience, plus unique personal traits — all within a limited timeframe and budget. Honestly, I thought it would take forever, if it was even possible. A colleague introduced us to Kraig and his team, who had already helped us find our Head of Marketing, so Bearhug was the obvious choice. At first, I was skeptical of recruiters — I’d never met one who could do more than basic sourcing. But Kraig and his team proved different. Their process forced us to set expectations upfront, and while I expected things to change, the amount of time and effort they put in was unprecedented.
What stood out was how deeply they dug into the roots of our company, function, and culture, and how they represented us as if they were part of the team. I felt constructive, tangible help at every stage — from learning candidate “reading” techniques, to being prepared for every interview, to getting coaching for negotiations. The psychological insight and rigor Kraig and his team brought gave me more information than I could have gathered alone, and helped mitigate risk in ways I hadn’t thought possible.
For growth-stage startups short-handed on time and resources, Bearhug is an invaluable partner. They truly hunt for the best candidates, build trust quickly, and make even the hardest hires possible. After comparing the experience of doing it all myself versus working with Kraig and his team, there’s no chance I could have achieved the same outcome alone. It continues to be a 10/10 experience every time we engage.”
Maria Khokhlova
*Listen to Maria on The Bearhug Experience podcast [here]
“Kraig, working with you was absolutely worth every penny and every minute. You and your team did great work for us and through your hyper-focused and thorough approach, you truly delivered a unique recruiting experience that I haven't seen before.
We got an A-level hire that exceeded my expectations, even to the point where I am nervous if I can fulfill my role as a worthy manager! I now have a new standard for how I’ll recruit in order to match this experience for future hires.”
Robert Romano
“Kraig, I've been watching Bearhug’s process and looking at your work product and it's really blowing me away. I'm sitting here thinking: I've dealt with some really really crappy people in this industry. You've been really incredible to work with. You're in a whole category of your own. I'm looking at Ryan thinking: You have no idea how great this guy really is! It’s not even fair to compare you to other recruiters. You’re not even in the same playing field. Bearhug has set a very high bar.”
Kourosh Zamanizadeh
“Right from the start I knew that Kraig and his team’s process wasn’t going to be like the others. There was real chemistry and care. I felt like I was always in the know and updated constantly which helped me prepare. Everything went accordingly, and when we got to the offer stage, it was smooth sailing.
I feel that through this process both myself and my new employer knew exactly what we are getting. Which sets us up for a great start! I just really appreciated the fluidity of the process. I always knew where I stood and if I EVER had a question the Bearhug team was a text or call away. They really care and it was so fun to go through this with them by my side.”
Lindsey Lonergan
“Kraig, I was very drawn to you and Bearhug by the extremely high touch & personalized approach to understanding the team, the founders, the personal stories and the DNA of the company. I especially liked how you communicated what you were coming across in the market as your momentum increased.
You finding a relevant candidate within 7 days was very impressive. Towards the end, it felt like you were our own Chief People Officer. I learned a ton about how we can align our recruiting process for finding and closing rockstar candidates. I can't think of anyone else I’d rather work with on our future senior level hiring.”
Himanshu Gupta
“Kraig was completely open and transparent about his process. It made me feel so at ease. I was comfortable communicating honestly and candidly, which resulted in a more authentic experience. Posting a job requisition is unlikely to get you the type of candidate you want because the best candidates are working hard at what they do best. A trusted headhunter and advisor like Kraig will help you find the best possible person for your company. The game changer for me was Kraig's thorough intake process where he wanted to understand my goals, drivers, dealbreakers, dreams, etc. before even mentioning an opportunity. So often recruiters ask a few brief questions and then immediately try to sell the candidate on the company and role. It was clear to me from the beginning that Kraig was personally invested in making sure the role was right for his clients and for me, the candidate. Compensation negotiations were uncomplicated because my expectations were outlined from the beginning. It was by far the least complicated negotiation I've had. I recommend Bearhug to any startup or established firm looking for senior-level candidates. "
Samantha Burns
*Listen to Samantha on The Bearhug Experience podcast [here]
“Bearhug’s unwavering drive and persistence gave me the confidence that they would get the job done. We found an amazing candidate, at the right place in their career. The potential "diamond in the rough. Given the incredible amount of time and devotion Kraig and his team bring to the table, clients that will benefit most are those looking to do multiple or very senior placements and that get and value Bearhug’s thorough style.”
Aaron Elder
“Kraig, you’ll recall that your team found my phone # and called me right in the middle of a workout with my personal trainer! I could tell right away you guys had done your homework. As a huge proponent of unique prospecting, I was impressed so we kept talking. I was intrigued by your unique approach.
You were also very organized and thorough. Talking to you felt as though you knew me really well and did the work ahead of time to ensure I’d be a good fit you were being retained to fill. I was always comfortable knowing I was in good hands. Your level of organization and thoroughness was exuded at every step. Your process is very structured, efficient, and effective. Your interview prep was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. It was extremely thorough and detailed and left me without many questions (which is rare for me).
What's more, the step by step process was carefully explained and orchestrated. You offered more valuable assistance that other recruiters skip. You provided actual write ups for all the critical steps including resigning. It was carefully crafted to help me through this tough step with best practices of what to do and not do to make every step as painless as possible.
Your team’s positivity, energy, and guidance along the way was clearly on another level not seen in the recruiting world. VC backed startups hiring very high quality and experienced leaders for their rapid & sustained growth is Bearhug’s fortier.”
Jason Murante
“Kraig is the most incredible marketing and sales professional turned recruiter I have ever met in my life. His intensity, thoroughness, and high regard for professionalism and accountability make him as charming as he is demanding :) The same goes for the entire Bearhug team. Talk about a 24/7 type of executive search firm!”
Trevor Shain
“I appreciated Bearhug’s unique approach. They presented the company in a way that really piqued my curiosity but at the same time, made the whole thing feel very low commitment. The team was genuinely enthusiastic about the client and extremely thoughtful. They seemed to understand my skill set and the type of value I could bring. They ran a smooth process and really did their homework which allowed us to explore fit without pressure.
My time was respected and my interactions were high value. Companies would benefit from Bearhug that have a fairly unique need that may be difficult to match with backgrounds in the marketplace. Kraig and his team are incredible at identifying what really matters to companies and creating a candidate profile from that - even when it differs a little from their initial thinking.
The headhunting process can be awkward, but the team at Bearhug made it as comfortable and smooth as possible. It’s easy to get a little lost in the back and forth or to skip steps but the team was an excellent facilitator.”
Anthony Atlas
“Man, now I really know what it means to be a "great recruiter”. I'm afraid there is an impossible gap between Kraig and his team and the rest. One of our investors asked me recently which recruiters we work with and I told him Bearhug is the best recruiting firm we've ever known. Kudos! It's so great that we’ve been able to work together on so many executive roles as we’ve scaled!"
Dmitry Korolev
"The team and I were overworked, stressed and everyone was wearing too many hats prior to our being introduced to Kraig and Bearhug. We were introduced by one of our investors in exchange for them paying the fee plus giving equity.
I had no idea how Bearhug would work, what a relationship would look like, etc. This was our most important decision as a company, and I tried to go in with a clean slate. The experience was like a breath of fresh air. Kraig and his team took the time to understand WHAT we did, and WHO we were looking for.
I felt incredibly well supported. The most surprising part of the experience was how strategic the process was. I felt that Bearhug really worked to try to help us execute on our plan, not theirs. This was our show, and they were there to help us. In the end, we hired a great CEO. Bearhug is who you to go to when you need someone to level-up your company. The service is amazing. It was a 10/10 experience.”
Josh Hailpern
“I have a list of over 55 recruiters and executive search firms that I have worked with in the past. None of them had the follow-up, professionalism, thoroughness, and enthusiasm to support a candidate like Bearhug. They are consummate professionals.”
Richard DeFrancisco
“Kraig is one of the best startup recruiters I have met.”
Gaurav Manglik
“Kraig, after you and your team reached out to me directly, it was everyone’s positive demeanor, being very knowledgeable about the role, the company, and my skills and overall confidence and self-assuredness that attracted me. Your team outlined the process and gave me best practices for evaluating recruiters right out of the gate. You all offer value in the form of advice instead of asking for something right off the bat. Your approach was refreshing. I unexpectedly began to envision myself in the role. I could tell I was being probed not just for my skills, but my willingness & endurance to do the job.
I knew exactly where I was in the process at all times. There was a great deal of transparency in all our communications. I’d made up my mind that I wanted this. I got concerned I might be in 2nd place, so I worked hard to push myself up in ranking by offering things of value. I accepted the offer with very little stress or hardball negotiating. I felt confident that I could bring a great deal of value and that this will be a lasting partnership.
Kraig, the services offered by you and your team should be used for hard to find and hard to place senior roles. The project we worked on together warranted calling in the professionals. Kind of like Harvey Keitel as Mr. Wolf in Pulp Fiction!”
Nick Ezzo
*Listen to Nick on The Bearhug Experience podcast [here]
“The Bearhug team came across as structured & methodical. It was clear that their process would ferret out candidates that we simply would not find through other means. And I knew that we had to cast a wide net. I was surprised by how structured and efficient their process was.
The communication was great and we had transparency into what was happening through their proprietary software portal. The backchannel communication with the candidate was extremely helpful. I felt like Bearhug had built a particularly strong relationship with each of the candidates.
Ultimately Bearhug found us a non obvious winning candidate, given that the conventional well was dry. I will endorse Kraig and Bearhug strongly and will act as a reference for any of their future prospects.”
Sriram Ramachandran
“Startups can create a great product, but when they’re ready to really start selling and need people who know how to take something to market, Kraig and Bearhug Recruiting are the right solution to find and evaluate that type of talent and help companies bridge that gap to successfully go to market.
The team being willing to invest the time they did to find and understand me and see I have something unique to offer their clients was truly something special. If it had been a more traditional search process, there’s no way I’d have been found. Their approach is very unconventional and clearly it works."
James Duffy
“I was referred to Bearhug by our Lead Investor. I also blind referenced Kraig and his team with people I trust and learnt that their approach suggested success is possible in a compressed time frame. I also liked their structured approach.
It was important they required heavy involvement from me at the start; this showed there was a likelihood of success. The outcome and hiring windows have been solid. The process has continued to be solid for all our ongoing projects. Our needs have consistently been met effectively again and again, through many tight hiring windows!”
Rohit Gupta
*Listen to Rohit on The Bearhug Experience podcast [here]
“Our monthly sales have grown ~3x since last year thanks to Bearhug. We now have more than 50 customers with 50% target logo penetration (10 of the top 20 homebuilders in the US are our customers) and operations in more than 20 states. It wouldn't be possible without these key people Bearhug helped us find, all in very short time windows. Worth adding, our team freaking loved working with Kraig and his team. We will continue to seek Bearhug’s help again and again into the future.”
Ivan Lvov
“Kraig’s team showed the utmost urgency in putting me in front of a great opportunity, letting me evaluate the fit on my own, and highlighting gently where and why he saw a strong possibility. Their ability to read me was impressive. They shared both positive and constructive observations which gave me the impression they were truly listening. Their interview prep calls were thorough and very helpful.
I'd recommend Bearhug to any high growth businesses that needs a seasoned recruiting team to show them what is *and* is not realistic or possible to get from a candidate, especially when they're hiring unique roles for the first time, e.g. VPs and above.”
Colin Parker
“When Bearhug reached out, they were very professional and forthright. We had multiple calls about the role, prior to them sharing specifics about the actual company and finally being introduced to the CEO – which was a very unique and unconventional strategy.
I felt like they always had not only my back, but I could tell they also had the back of the company I was interviewing with which is a tricky balance. Their attention to details goes so far and above any exec search firm I’ve ever dealt with in the past.
I have never worked with any firm like Bearhug. They were so professional and as friendly at the same time. The opportunity was very professional and exciting as well. It just felt right. The process was consistent and professional from beginning to end. I was never left questioning any part of the process.
My expectations and salary ask were exceeded, and I was provided with the equity to make me want to grow this company into something amazing, and that I can be proud of what we’ll accomplish together. I would definitely do it again with Kraig and his team. It was a tremendous experience. Would definitely recommend Bearhug as a top tier exec search firm. Bearhug is truly an incredible asset for VC firms and their portfolio founders.”
Terry Gren
“I was recruited by Bearhug myself, so I knew how effective the team could be at drawing someone away from a comfortable role to something entirely new and unproven. When I later turned to Bearhug as a hiring manager, we needed up to four superstar AEs in the first half of 2020—COVID-19 threw a wrench in those plans, and I knew it would be a challenge to find that much talent so quickly.
I expected that they would source candidates already performing at the top of their game and take the same hands-on, deep-dive approach they did with me. The fact that they sit down for a two-hour conversation with candidates spoke volumes about their approach and commitment.
From the beginning, I was delighted to see the process from the other side, with access to the detailed profiles the team built for each candidate. We were spoiled for candidates, and the enthusiasm for each one was so high it was sometimes hard to triage. Bearhug’s radical transparency, ability to distill and polish a complex story, and thoughtful coaching—even on negotiation—were phenomenal. We got our dream candidates: a long and circuitous journey, but kind of a miracle outcome under the circumstances.
Bearhug is for organizations going from 0–1, then 1–5—those first hires are too critical to leave to a run-of-the-mill recruiter. I’d be delighted to go through the process again in a heartbeat.”
Jon Kerry-Tyerman
“It's incredibly useful every time Kraig and I talk. He helps me reorient our approach to recruiting. The process he’s taught our team has worked really well. All the members of our Techstars Cohort who've seen what we've done have been super impressed. The process also got rave reviews from applicants, and we had over 50 people apply! Lots of them said the job description was the best they'd ever seen, and many of them said they enjoyed the application process as well. Thank you thank you for all your help!”
Paul Gambill
"When Bearhug reached out, I was skeptical because there is so much spam and scams out there these days. I checked out the website and was impressed. The messaging and content was several steps above what I normally see from "headhunters." As I dug into the website, it made sense and resonated. I decided to take the call based on what I saw there.
Kraig and his team were down-to-earth, empathetic and very thorough. That definitely caught my interest. I felt like they were in my court, advocating for a good offer based on the terms we discussed at the onset while also communicating what they would recommend to get to a closed, negotiated deal and good outcome for all parties.
Bearhug exceeded all expectations and delivered on their promise. I recommend them to any VC and PE firms looking to take the executive talent in their portfolio companies to the next level. Investing in Bearhug to identify and hire great execs can significantly impact the outcomes of their companies and investments. Bearhug goes above and beyond with both clients and candidates."
Matt Fox
“The Bearhug team came across right away as real leaders. I was very impressed by their transparency in communication. I’ve never had an experience quite like working with Kraig and his team before. It was truly awesome. Their process really does allow for the right fit candidate to get lined up with the best possible fit opportunity.
Finding an exec search firm owner like Kraig is going to be a very big challenge for a startup with all they have going on. His team really stretched both during and after work hours (even doing calls at 1am!) in order to make sure everything and everyone stayed aligned. Working with them has truly been a blessing!”
Pranay Dalal
"Kraig’s methods allowed me to immediately identify that there was something unique about the position/search that held clues on how to appropriately be recognized by NOT following the typical submission process."
Chris Callen
“Kraig, I've thought about our conversation and the honest, open collateral you have on your site a number of times since our conversations. I admire the way you're performing your craft. I'm always grateful to be connected with great people doing the hard things the right way.”
Joseph Gerlach
“I appreciated Bearhug’s straightforward communication right off the bat. I also noticed that they were doing a lot more in depth screening before presenting me to their client. They weren’t just doing a 10-minute chat and then sending off my resume for the company to look at and decide if they wanted to talk to me. I respected that. It's not like the lazy manner in which most recruiters seem to work.
The Bearhug team acted as valuable advisors and I appreciated the open, honest dialogue. They set me up for success through our open communication. Even when there was a temporary curve ball in the process and change in the opportunity, I felt that they were always working in the best interest of both their client and myself. They truly believed that our success would lead to theirs.
This was easily the best recruitment experience I've ever had, as a candidate or hiring authority, and I was a top recruiter for a couple of years early in my career. I'm very impressed with the thoughtfulness and vision in Bearhug’s processes. They really "get it". The overall experience was fantastic.”
Will Johnson
“The TLDR is Kraig and his team are a N of 1 at what they do and any VC backed portco would be very lucky to work with them. From the VC lens, providing access to Bearhug’s team to help with executive go-to-market hiring is value-add in its purest form for portcos.”
Ryan Alshak
“Kraig and his team were all very open and endearing. They seemed like instant friends and trusted advisors. They didn't rush into a pitch. It was a welcome change. This made me feel better out of the gate.
Also found it surprising they were slow to disclose information on the opportunity. Made me want it more (and I get why as it was a discrete search!). Exploring a new opportunity when I wasn’t looking was a lot to juggle, but Kraig and his team made me feel great at every step of the way.
I especially appreciated I could share salary expectations and work through those items with his team to make sure I got a great offer that we wouldn't have to struggle to negotiate on. I loved that they kept me updated at every step.
Bearhug delivered, and in fact far exceeded my expectations. The amount of time, attention and care the team put in... if this is how they treat every candidate – every up and coming executive leader should work with them. I was truly blown away by how they made me feel like all of their time and attention were going into me. Trust Bearhug with all of your exec search budget and senior level roles!”
Chase Lawson
“Bearhug's approach felt very different from a typical Headhunter. They took a more targeted approach vs. the spray and pray style of most recruiters. That was a big factor in my entertaining the opportunity they brought me.
The team was extremely well prepared and non intrusive with their questions. The transparency they provided for each step along the way was top tier. I knew exactly what to expect, exactly what was needed, and it made the entire process flow smoothly. And because we both knew what needed to happen to get me to make a move, it was an easy process.
I would work with Kraig and his team again any time and have told my other colleagues that are high value about Bearhug. I really appreciated someone working in exec search the same way I approach selling and sales leadership day to day. It’s about finding solutions, not pushing a product or service.”
Alex Harrington
“I want to commend the Bearhug team for being such excellent partners to our entrepreneurs and the larger PeakSpan team. We really appreciate and value our relationship with you!”
Phil Dur
*Listen to Phil on The Bearhug Experience podcast [here]
“Kraig, I was only interested in investing in your executive search process because of how unique your hiring process is. I get absolutely sprayed daily by lesser exec search “professionals” and their process does not give me the same confidence I get from you and your team.
The level of thoroughness and your way of working as a professional matchmaker is really impressive. I've hired hundreds of people in my career and from the hiring side, I’ve had countless numbers of these type of conversations. So it carries real weight saying I really can’t say enough good things about the way you and your team do it. The amount of thought you all put into everything you do is unheard of. I’m excited to now hire you to help recruit for me!”
David Volat
“Kraig, as you know, we had to hire a unicorn person for the role you came in to help us with by combining both startup and industry experience as well as unique personal traits within a limited timeframe and a limited budget. I thought this would take a much longer period of time, and might prove to be impossible. When I entered into the process, you were already working to fill other roles for us and had proven you could provide us with the leads and help us market the job and negotiate with the candidates. Seeing as you were hired to be our hiring diplomat under some challenging conditions, it was great that your process forced us to set expectations upfront. I'm a big proponent of testing hypotheses, and luckily, the amount of time and effort you put into this was unprecedented. Besides being an external person, I felt you were truly part of the team knowing the people and the situation in-depth. I’ll advocate that startups at the early and growth stage use you when they are short-handed on time/resources, and who don't have the process and people in place, but understand who they are seeking to hire and why.”
Dmitry Krotkov
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“I’ve recommended Bearhug to my board and will promote you guys to the other startup founders in my network. You’ve done an amazing job with the search and with how you’ve managed expectations. Now our new exec hire just has to come in and get the ball rolling and deliver!”
Somya Kapoor
“Kraig and the Bearhug team are one of the top executive search firms in the nation. They have a very unique perspective on building and scaling companies and I highly recommend their work!”
Spencer Dusebout
*Listen to Spencer on The Bearhug Experience podcast [here]
“I can't imagine there are many people out there who’ve had as much hand to hand combat with fundraising and building very hard startups as I've had over my career. I've dealt with quite literally dozens and dozens of executive search firms. And I will say with the utmost conviction Kraig, you and the Bearhug team are truly something special. You all put more thought into what you do than most people I've ever met in any business capacity. You all inspire me again and again to think outside of the box!”
Jay Potter
*Listen to Jay on The Bearhug Experience podcast [here]
“I've spent my professional life taking risks and reading people. I tend to know which Headhunters are good and seasoned in the first 30 seconds of a call. I don't entertain the rookies. They don't have the life experience to understand what people with my career history are looking for.
Kraig and his team were an honest read. They do things very different right from the start. They really interview for personality, looking for the fit, then filters the BS artist out. Bearhug works in an experienced and highly talented arena. In a league of their own. I was truly shocked and surprised by the depth of contact the team had from end-to-end!”
Doug Brown
“Kraig, we are thrilled to formally finish the process. Congratulations on your helping us get an amazing new executive to our company!”
Vangelis Mihalopoulos
“Kraig and his team reached out in such a unique way via every available channel (email, social, text, and by calling me cold). Turns out they’d somehow gotten my name at the end of a call where they’d been doing a reference check on a previous hire for one of their projects. Quite the strategy!
Life was very chaotic at the time not only because I was getting married, but I had a lot going on at work as I was having my best quarter ever as a leader. I was really committed to getting deeper into the early game of startups vs. my previous corporate positions with mid-to larger orgs.
In the end my expectations were more than exceeded and it was well worth my time. I would do it again down the road in a heartbeat if/when appropriate. The entire Bearhug team was very professional and their network is incredibly impressive. They really do take care of each exec placement and their model helped support me to eliminate my fear that this might be a waste of time or might not truly be a good fit. Luckily that wasn’t the case!”
Austin Lahr
“Kraig, you and your team had such great prep, attention to detail, supporting documentation, and delivered on all commitments end to end! You guys absolutely exceeded my expectations. It was a totally different and superior recruiting experience relative to what I was used to.
Bearhug is changing the rules of the game. Getting to know your team each as individuals - and learning together about the opportunity - was a surprise and a delight. You guys are super smart and will be lifetime friends and colleagues.
Any high growth startup that is looking for key exec hires that meet very specific criteria really do need your services. They will be energized and surprised by the whole recruiting process which creates a very positive impression of the organizations you are representing. The caliber of your process makes candidates want the companies you are representing.”
Walter Rowland
“Bearhug, happened to reach out to me at just the right time via phone, text, and by email. I was super impressed after my first conversation with the team and was eager to learn more about the type of clients they worked with and the specific opportunity they had in mind because of their unique targeted approach.
The way they presented the opportunity was really awesome. I knew you understood their client and their needs immediately and they really wanted me to know that this should work for both sides. I was surprised by how fast and smooth everything went. I really enjoyed the level of transparency and amount of detail that was discussed throughout.
The end was the best part for me. There were some last minute changes to the way the team would ultimately be structured, and Bearhug made sure that this was going to work out well for everyone involved. My expectations were far exceeded.
While I really enjoyed the entire process, what stands out is that I now not only have a great opportunity, but I’ve also built a true relationship with a great exec search firm. I recommend that any well funded startup looking for a Headhunter they can trust to work hard as a true extension of the exec team in the market should work with the team at Bearhug.”
Khurram Massey
“Kraig, when you and your team reached out, you guys presented such a great opportunity. It was exciting to see that such a perfect fit job that I’ve always wanted was out there. I was also incredibly impressed with how responsive you all were. You guys really gained my trust by being so transparent throughout.
I was so impressed by the level of organization and the amount of thought that went into each stage of assessing me as a potential candidate. I felt like I was being taken care of and you were more often waiting on me rather than me waiting on you. In one word, the process was intense!
I was juggling my current full time work and performing a full time job researching and preparing for the interviews, but you helped make it a smooth process. You helped me reflect on what the objectives were for this role and prepare for how to effectively discuss those topics. You really delivered. You were on top of ensuring that both parties were prepared for the final stages and would have aligned expectations going into the offer stage. I was so happy with the assessment, interview, offer, and initial onboarding process. I feel that the time I gave to this process massively paid off.
For clients who want an array of quality candidates that could fill a position with unique qualification sets, the Bearhug approach and system for recruiting executives clearly works!”
Joel Sherman
“Kraig, you and your team put real personal investment into all our conversations. I wasn’t actively exploring other options, but felt what you guys were representing was a great opportunity to explore based on our initial conversations and your approach. There was so much time and effort put into the outreach, and I could tell the messaging was so different from all the typically automated messages I get bombarded with from every other executive search firm. I felt very supported end to end and always got all of my questions answered.
I appreciated the communication and coaching I received throughout each stage. I had a great experience, especially given that it was in the middle of much uncertainty with COVID-19 still having a major impact on business. I felt supported and encouraged and received the advice I needed to land the new role. I appreciate the time, effort, and attention I’ve received over the last few months and envision a successful, long-term relationship!”
Andrew Smith
“Kraig, I want to acknowledge that it’s extremely rare for an exec search firm to pick up the phone and call these days! Your team’s whole process and messaging was so spot on. I literally get 4 to 7 Inmails or emails from Headhunters a week, and I never bother responding. Your approach was so unique. It felt so bespoke from the very first outreach.
You guys took so much extra time to qualify me as well as qualify the type of opportunity I’d be interested in. The 'exercise' you assigned at the end of the first call intrigued me and made me want to commit to actually investing my time. You all were so authentic & honest. I started joking with my wife that your fee must be insane (intended as a compliment) because no exec search firm has ever been this thorough and this thoughtful.
The extent of the prodding, qualifying, & coaching was certainly something I was unaccustomed to and you guys went so far above anything I’d ever expected. You all operate less like recruiters and more like executive hiring coaches for both myself and for your client. I really can't over emphasize how unique your experience has been!”
Justin Hunt
“Kraig, after your team reached out via multiple channels and your messaging was completely outside the norm, I was actually somewhat caught off guard, because it was so targeted. I checked you out online which put my mind at ease realizing you guys were the real deal.
I was extremely surprised by the amount of depth and detail you provided about the opportunity. It really helped me go in feeling incredibly well informed and prepared. Your team delivered and more than met my expectations, despite some really major complications that surfaced that were out of your control.
My favorite part was just how different the whole thing was from anything I’ve ever experienced before. It was very supportive, and very informative. High level executives, and top tier managers need you!”
Josh Cummins
“Bearhug helped one of our portfolio companies hire almost their entire C-level team. That business has scaled from 1 to 20M+ over the last 4 years. They are an amazing partner for exec hiring for series A/B startups!"
Anton Fedorov
"Four years in, mid-move to a new office, closing our Series B, and prepping our first post-round board meeting, waiting wasn’t an option. We needed a head-turning CPO with executive presence and marketplace expertise — our north star is ‘DoorDash for car repair.’ This leader would expand TAM, own the transaction, and elevate the product team ahead of adding future technical leadership.
Bearhug’s process was absolutely thorough — market coverage, cadence, updates, and the portal. I never felt anything wasn’t examined. The depth and transparency covered the market, kept us aligned, and gave real-time visibility. That’s what I need in a complex two-sided environment.
In the end, we got the perfect person for this moment. I’m 100% convinced we have the right guy for what the market offers and what we need. Ten out of ten."
Brett Carlson
“I wasn’t actively looking. I’d been through the grind of building from 0–1 and scaling globally, but Bearhug’s outreach stood out immediately — it was specific, contextual, and spoke directly to the type of impact I could make. It felt like a real conversation, not a transaction.
What gave me confidence was that Bearhug wasn’t just filling a seat — they had a deep understanding of the market, the leadership team’s goals, and the broader opportunity. The process was highly collaborative, transparent, and rigorous. I felt prepared for each conversation, and they made sure I was seeing the bigger picture — what success in the role would look like, and how I could position myself effectively.
It was the most thoughtful and effective executive recruiting process I’ve been part of — a true ten out of ten."
Amit Shrivastava
“Kraig, your level of expertise is above 99% of recruiters out there because of the obsessive detail you go through to truly understand both the candidates and the role. Most firms say they go deep, but the Bearhug team actually does. That’s why we got the outcome we wanted, in the timeframe we needed."
Brett Moyer
Believe it or not, we have hundreds more testimonials we could publish. But they do start to get repetitive.
If you’ve worked with us and haven’t yet shared your feedback, we’d still love to hear from you. Just use the appropriate button below to share your experience.
Let’s Talk.
hello@bearhugrecruiting.com
(858) 324-6480
Bearhug’s San Francisco Bay Area Headquarters:
98 Graceland Dr.
San Rafael, CA 94901
Bearhug’s South-East Headquarters:
1985 Riviera Dr Ste 103 - 1156
Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
