Executive Search For Early and Growth Stage Startups

“Simon and Fred are two of the best recruiters we have ever worked with. They’re down to earth, very well connected, and most importantly, have a sixth sense for great talent.”

“Rare to engage with an executive search firm run by such authentic operators, who partner with founders to deploy very thoughtful hiring strategies.”

“Their high IQ+EQ and years in the space have resulted in successful outcomes for our portfolio companies and for us.”

"Forward executed two VP searches for me within 90 days of my start as CMO at Weights & Biases.  They were able to dial into the candidate profile quickly, find and present high-quality candidates, and run a strong process through to close.  I'd happily use the Forward team again for senior searches."

“I never really understood how impactful a search firm could be before working with the team at Forward. The quality of the candidates, organization, communication, and sense of partnership made an otherwise painful process smooth and efficient. I look forward to working with them again across our investment portfolio for a wide range of C-Suite hires. I cannot recommend working with them strongly enough.”

“Forward was efficient and effective in helping us figure out the right kind of candidate for our stage and aspirations. They sourced strong candidates and helped us maintain momentum through the hiring process. We ended up with multiple finalists that we really liked and could have hired, and chose a fantastic leader that will be instrumental in the future of the company.”

“They ran a really thorough search process for us. Our search was uniquely challenging given our high expectations for this critical hire, involvement of multiple stakeholders, combined with our early company stage.”

“They act as a great source of unbiased counsel for CEOs to make sure they end up with the best fit for their company.”

“I had an exceptional experience with Forward Search. The team is wonderful; they are down-to-earth, responsive, and trustworthy and they deeply understand how to support high-growth startups.”

“Forward showed us they were truly a full-service executive search business. In addition to sourcing and screening, they conducted countless reference checks and back-channels, and kept dozens of candidates warm while we worked through a lengthy interview process. They also took the time to get to know our company and the candidate profile in a detailed way so that they could be a true advocate for our company to candidates.”

“Forward was a great partner for our VP of Finance, Head of Strategic Partnerships, and Head of Growth searches. They built strong candidate lists and helped us vet and close our top choices. We'd work with them again.”

“Forward has been a fantastic team to work with, their ability to get high quality executive level candidates to the table is unmatched.”

“We trust Forward with our executive hiring, because they're collaborative, dynamic in adapting to our evolving business, and well-connected with top talent.”

“Forward know the market well and came out the gate HOT with a fantastic set of candidates. This was clearly a result of their relationship-building in the market. They also kept a steady flow of new candidates coming and know how to run a tight ship. Look forward to working together with them on the next search!”

“We've worked with Forward Search on several commercial and finance roles, and they've done an outstanding job. In particular, they build and iterate candidate pipelines very fast, which we find is the area where search firms serving startups usually fall short.”

“The Forward team displayed a high degree of collaboration and expertise after we handed them a challenging set of requirements. Their commitment to excellence and speed was truly outstanding.”

“Forward landed us our unicorn executive in 61 days. They helped refine our ideal candidate profile, sourced and managed an exceptional pipeline built on their deep relationships in the market, and closed our top pick. They are an elite, high-velocity recruiting partners. We are excited to partner with Forward again on our next search.”

“I had a fantastic experience working with Forward Search. We worked with them on a couple of searches and the team demonstrated exceptional professionalism and a keen understanding of our needs. The candidates presented exceeded our expectations, both in terms of technical skills and cultural fit. Forward's commitment to communication made the entire process seamless. Thanks to their efforts, we successfully onboarded a strong Finance leader and a strong Revenue Operations leader. I highly recommend Forward Search to any company seeking a top-notch recruitment partner.”

“Forward Search guided us seamlessly through our first experience with a search firm, culminating in an exceptional Head of Marketing hire. Their expertise and dedication delivered outstanding results beyond our expectations.”

“Forward's dedication to understanding the specific needs of our role, growth stage and company culture resulted in a rapid stream of high-quality candidates that perfectly aligned with our requirements. Their customer orientation and friendliness made the entire experience seamless and enjoyable. Thanks to their efforts, we identified and recruited the ideal candidate within just six weeks.”