How Stillwater Works
01
Understanding the Brief
Every search starts with a direct conversation — not a form or a template. Before anything else, I want to understand the investment thesis, the company's current moment, and what good actually looks like in the role twelve months out. That context drives everything that follows. For Family Office engagements, that first conversation also covers the things that don't appear in any job description — family dynamics, generational context, and the specific kind of discretion the role requires.
02
A Focused Search, Not a Wide Net
I work from a deep network built over years inside PE-backed AI and software companies and a lived experience inside an operating-focused family office. The candidates I bring forward are people I know well enough to vouch for — not a long slate assembled from a database.
03
A Small Shortlist, Carefully Built
I don't send ten names and ask you to figure it out. You'll receive a tight group of candidates with a clear point of view on each one — why they fit, where to probe, and how they compare.
04
Through the Close and Beyond
I stay involved through negotiation and onboarding, and remain a resource well after placement. For Family Office clients in particular, that continuity matters — these relationships are long-term by nature, and I treat them that way.
