Founder Resources

Recruiting Insights for Human Performance Brands and Environmental & DeepTech Startups

"Bearhug's in a category of its own. It's not even fair to compare them to other recruiters. Their process and work product blew me away."

Kourosh Zamani
"Bearhug helped us hire damn great department heads who've all built out strong teams. We’re growing 10% MoM & have expanded to 30 states!"

Maria Khokhlova
"Bearhug found our winning candidate within 7 days. Towards the end, it felt like they were our own Chief People Officer."

Himanshu Gupta
“Working with Bearhug was worth every penny and every minute. I now have a new standard for how I'll recruit for all future hires.”

Robert Romano
“I’ve recommended Bearhug to my board and will promote them to the other startup founders in my network. They've done an amazing job!"

Somya Kapoor
"Of the 55 Executive Search Firms I've worked with, none had the follow-up, professionalism, thoroughness & enthusiasm as Bearhug Recruiting."

Richard DeFrancisco
“Bearhug's unwavering drive & persistence gave me the confidence they'd get the job done. We found an amazing "diamond in the rough!"

Aaron Elder
“Bearhug's a N of 1 at what they do. Any VC portfolio company with go-to-market hiring would be very lucky to work with them.”

Ryan Alshak
"Now I really know what it means to be a "great recruiter". I'm afraid there is an impossible gap between Bearhug and the rest."

Dmitry Korolev
“Bearhug helped us hire all of our GTM function heads. Monthly sales have grown ~3x. Plus our team freaking loved working with them!”

Ivan Lvov
"Bearhug's hiring window was solid. The process was solid. Our needs were met effectively which is why I’ve come back for all our GTM roles."

Rohit Gupta
"Bearhug's approach was structured & methodical which helped us ferret out candidates we simply would not find through other means."

Sriram Ramachandran
"The experience with Bearhug was like a breath of fresh air. We hired a great new CEO and the way they serviced us was amazing.”

Josh Hailpern

Kraig Ward 10/21/26 Kraig Ward 10/21/26

The Bearhug Network: Check Out This Week's 16 Freshly Vetted Executive Profiles (out of 83+) Added Across Consumer Brands & Enterprise Tech. All Ready and Waiting Right Now To Take Your Call.

This week's featured selection from the hundreds of executives who went live on the Bearhug Network includes 16 profiles worth slowing down for. A few that stand out. A sales leader scaled a mobile GIS company through its acquisition, then ran a global utilities business unit at a major enterprise software company, which is the kind of standing utility procurement teams rarely extend to outsiders. An operator rebuilt global operations as a consumer wearable company grew from startup to 9-figure scale and beyond. A merchandising leader lifted gross margin by 200 basis points at a major outdoor cooperative while the organization was mid-reorganization. A product director built the launch cadence at a fast-growing dropper-post and pedal brand, keeping Taiwan and China sourcing tight enough to hit the launch window on award-winning lines. And an engineer led a full product pivot from consumer social to multi-tenant SaaS, cutting hosting costs 70% and dropping page render time from 350ms to 18ms. For portfolio company boards and CEOs sitting on a stalled search, these are the profiles that make a short list shorter.

Kraig Ward 10/12/26 Kraig Ward 10/12/26

The Bearhug Network: Check Out This Week's 17 Freshly Vetted Executive Profiles (out of 91+) Added Across Consumer Brands & Enterprise Tech. All Ready and Waiting Right Now To Take Your Call.

This week's featured selection from the hundreds of executives who went live on the Bearhug Network includes 17 profiles worth slowing down for. A few that stand out. A demand generation leader rebuilt the function at a B2B SaaS compensation platform from a standing start until it influenced 95% of company revenue, with 43% year-over-year MQL growth. A people executive scaled culture and employee experience across 34-plus locations and 5 countries while the brand ran 5 acquisitions and a franchising push at the same time. An enterprise seller ranked first in quota attainment at a CRM platform 2 years running, including a 194% finish, while serving as the sole rep introducing a new product line to the largest accounts. A product leader repriced and repackaged a legacy CAD platform and turned piracy losses into subscription revenue. A hardware operator ran NPI governance, outsourced manufacturing at scale, and commodity management in parallel, from a top-tier electronics manufacturing services firm to an autonomous mobile robotics company. Each has already solved a problem most hiring teams are still paying to learn.

Kraig Ward 10/7/26 Kraig Ward 10/7/26

The Bearhug Network: Check Out This Week's 18 Freshly Vetted Executive Profiles (out of 94+) Added Across Consumer Brands & Enterprise Tech. All Ready and Waiting Right Now To Take Your Call.

This week's featured selection from the hundreds of executives who went live on the Bearhug Network includes 18 profiles worth slowing down for. A few that stand out. A sales leader rebuilt a technical outdoor apparel brand's standing with independent specialty retail from the ground up and earned Vendor of Excellence recognition along the way. An operations leader at an outdoor and defense accessories manufacturer delivered an 87.5% improvement in delivery consistency and a 94.6% reduction in inventory variance, then restructured the workforce through a demand collapse without losing the culture. A marketer unified 4 independent trade labels under a single house-of-brands strategy and won a major national retailer's Marketing Innovator Award in the first year. A footwear product executive spent 30-plus years in the category, led 300+ developers and engineers across 7 countries, then stood up a first-ever in-house footwear program at a high-growth outdoor brand. A commercial operator built a NE APAC business from zero presence over a decade-plus, earning wholesale, channel, and retail relationships in a market that punishes global playbooks.

Kraig Ward 9/23/26 Kraig Ward 9/23/26

The Bearhug Network: Check Out This Week's 19 Freshly Vetted Executive Profiles (out of 86+) Added Across Consumer Brands & Enterprise Tech. All Ready and Waiting Right Now To Take Your Call.

This week's featured selection from the hundreds of executives who went live on the Bearhug Network includes 19 profiles worth slowing down for. A few that stand out. An operator who rebuilt an outdoor specialty chain from zero after bankruptcy, opening 62 stores in under 12 months and rationalizing a 180,000-SKU assortment down to 65,000 while driving a 3x EBITDA improvement. A supply chain executive who was handed the mandate to architect a new global product function at a nine-figure workwear institution after a decade shaping sourcing infrastructure at a major apparel conglomerate. A product leader who has spent nearly two decades keeping a marine electronics division the top performer inside a publicly traded outdoor company through consecutive enterprise headwinds. A finance leader who built the function from scratch across 8 venture-backed companies, survived 600%+ revenue surges, and navigated due diligence through four acquisitions. And an operator who scaled from day zero at a data privacy infrastructure company into the COO seat as the platform expanded into the AI security stack.

Kraig Ward 7/12/26 Kraig Ward 7/12/26

The Bearhug Network: Check Out This Week's 42 Freshly Vetted Executive Profiles (out of 191+) Added Across Consumer Brands & Enterprise Tech. All Ready and Waiting Right Now To Take Your Call.

This week's featured selection from the hundreds of executives who went live on the Bearhug Network includes 42 profiles worth slowing down for. A few that stand out. A COO who held the full operating system together at a consumer goods manufacturer shipping to 120-plus countries while deploying AI-driven automation across finance and supply chain. A CFO turned dual COO who built a golf media brand's finance function from scratch, closed a nine-figure Series A, and expanded operations across 3 countries, all while representing the company externally to private equity and strategic media investors. A marketing executive who took a security enterprise from sub-$100M to high-9-figure revenue while launching a new consumer sub-brand from zero. And a finance leader currently managing a live restructuring at a PE-backed action sports accessories brand, unwinding a standalone retail footprint while redirecting capital toward wholesale and DTC. Each one reflects the kind of operating depth boards call for when growth outpaces the infrastructure built to support it, and the search for the next leader typically starts well before any job description gets written.

"Your level is above 99% of recruiters because of the obsessive detail you go through to truly understand both the candidates and the role. Most firms say they go deep, but Bearhug actually does. That’s why we got the outcome we wanted, in the timeframe we needed."

Brett Moyer
"Bearhug’s process was absolutely thorough. From market coverage to real-time visibility, nothing was left unexamined. We landed the perfect person for the moment. 10/10."

Brett Carlson
"The Bearhug team is 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
“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
“Bearhug helped one of our portfolio companies hire almost their entire US C-level team, that enabled the business to scale from 1 to 20M+ over the last 4 years. They are truly awesome.”

Anton Fedorov
"I’ve worked with dozens of search firms, and Kraig and the Bearhug team are truly something special. They put more thought into their work than almost anyone I’ve met in business."

Jay Potter
“Kraig and the Bearhug team are one of the best startup recruiting firms I have ever met.”

Gaurav Manglik
"Kraig, we are thrilled to formally finish the process. Congratulations on your helping us get an amazing new executive to our company!"

Vangelis Mihalopoulos
"Having seen Bearhug from both sides, as a candidate & client, their approach is unmatched. Radical transparency and hands-on coaching delivered results that felt like a miracle."

Jon Kerry-Tyerman
“Bearhug’s outreach stood out immediately — specific, contextual, and focused on real impact. The process was collaborative, transparent, and the most thoughtful I’ve ever experienced."

Amit Shrivastava
“Bearhug’s approach was refreshing — transparent, knowledgeable, and focused on adding value from the start. Their approach turned a high-stakes role into a smooth, confidence-building experience.”

Nick Ezzo
"Bearhug is the recruiting partner high-growth businesses need — experienced, transparent, and realistic about what’s possible in senior searches. They bring urgency and deep preparation to every step."

Colin Parker
"Bearhug does things differently. The process was thoughtful, transparent, and executed with a level of rigor and insight I didn’t expect."

Doug Brown
"I was initially skeptical, but Bearhug quickly proved different — down-to-earth, empathetic, and thorough. They exceeded all expectations and delivered a great outcome for both sides.”

Matt Fox
"Bearhug’s process was extremely structured, efficient, and effective. Unlike anything I’d ever experienced. The level of detail and organization gave me total confidence at every step."

Jason Murante
"Getting to know the Bearhug team through such a thoughtful, structured process was a standout experience. Any high-growth startup needing specific executive hires should expect not just results, but a process that makes candidates want to join."

Walter Rowland

Founder Resources

"Bearhug's in a category of its own. It's not even fair to compare them to other recruiters. Their process and work product blew me away."

"Bearhug helped us hire damn great department heads who've all built out strong teams. We’re growing 10% MoM & have expanded to 30 states!"

"Bearhug found our winning candidate within 7 days. Towards the end, it felt like they were our own Chief People Officer."

“Working with Bearhug was worth every penny and every minute. I now have a new standard for how I'll recruit for all future hires.”

“I’ve recommended Bearhug to my board and will promote them to the other startup founders in my network. They've done an amazing job!"

"Of the 55 Executive Search Firms I've worked with, none had the follow-up, professionalism, thoroughness & enthusiasm as Bearhug Recruiting."

“Bearhug's unwavering drive & persistence gave me the confidence they'd get the job done. We found an amazing "diamond in the rough!"

“Bearhug's a N of 1 at what they do. Any VC portfolio company with go-to-market hiring would be very lucky to work with them.”

"Now I really know what it means to be a "great recruiter". I'm afraid there is an impossible gap between Bearhug and the rest."

“Bearhug helped us hire all of our GTM function heads. Monthly sales have grown ~3x. Plus our team freaking loved working with them!”

"Bearhug's hiring window was solid. The process was solid. Our needs were met effectively which is why I’ve come back for all our GTM roles."

"Bearhug's approach was structured & methodical which helped us ferret out candidates we simply would not find through other means."

"The experience with Bearhug was like a breath of fresh air. We hired a great new CEO and the way they serviced us was amazing.”

The Bearhug Network: Check Out This Week's 16 Freshly Vetted Executive Profiles (out of 83+) Added Across Consumer Brands & Enterprise Tech. All Ready and Waiting Right Now To Take Your Call.

The Bearhug Network: Check Out This Week's 17 Freshly Vetted Executive Profiles (out of 91+) Added Across Consumer Brands & Enterprise Tech. All Ready and Waiting Right Now To Take Your Call.

The Bearhug Network: Check Out This Week's 18 Freshly Vetted Executive Profiles (out of 94+) Added Across Consumer Brands & Enterprise Tech. All Ready and Waiting Right Now To Take Your Call.

The Bearhug Network: Check Out This Week's 19 Freshly Vetted Executive Profiles (out of 86+) Added Across Consumer Brands & Enterprise Tech. All Ready and Waiting Right Now To Take Your Call.

The Bearhug Network: Check Out This Week's 42 Freshly Vetted Executive Profiles (out of 191+) Added Across Consumer Brands & Enterprise Tech. All Ready and Waiting Right Now To Take Your Call.

"Your level is above 99% of recruiters because of the obsessive detail you go through to truly understand both the candidates and the role. Most firms say they go deep, but Bearhug actually does. That’s why we got the outcome we wanted, in the timeframe we needed."

"Bearhug’s process was absolutely thorough. From market coverage to real-time visibility, nothing was left unexamined. We landed the perfect person for the moment. 10/10."

"The Bearhug team is 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!"

“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!"

“Bearhug helped one of our portfolio companies hire almost their entire US C-level team, that enabled the business to scale from 1 to 20M+ over the last 4 years. They are truly awesome.”

"I’ve worked with dozens of search firms, and Kraig and the Bearhug team are truly something special. They put more thought into their work than almost anyone I’ve met in business."

“Kraig and the Bearhug team are one of the best startup recruiting firms I have ever met.”

"Kraig, we are thrilled to formally finish the process. Congratulations on your helping us get an amazing new executive to our company!"

"Having seen Bearhug from both sides, as a candidate & client, their approach is unmatched. Radical transparency and hands-on coaching delivered results that felt like a miracle."

“Bearhug’s outreach stood out immediately — specific, contextual, and focused on real impact. The process was collaborative, transparent, and the most thoughtful I’ve ever experienced."

“Bearhug’s approach was refreshing — transparent, knowledgeable, and focused on adding value from the start. Their approach turned a high-stakes role into a smooth, confidence-building experience.”

"Bearhug is the recruiting partner high-growth businesses need — experienced, transparent, and realistic about what’s possible in senior searches. They bring urgency and deep preparation to every step."

"Bearhug does things differently. The process was thoughtful, transparent, and executed with a level of rigor and insight I didn’t expect."

"I was initially skeptical, but Bearhug quickly proved different — down-to-earth, empathetic, and thorough. They exceeded all expectations and delivered a great outcome for both sides.”

"Bearhug’s process was extremely structured, efficient, and effective. Unlike anything I’d ever experienced. The level of detail and organization gave me total confidence at every step."

"Getting to know the Bearhug team through such a thoughtful, structured process was a standout experience. Any high-growth startup needing specific executive hires should expect not just results, but a process that makes candidates want to join."

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