Finding and keeping great talent is a challenge for companies of all sizes. It can be more of a challenge for early-stage and fast-growing companies, particularly if the founding team has more technical than managerial experience.
In this webinar, Drue De Angeles and Mike Travis, veterans in the executive search business, shared their ideas about opportunities and common fumbles when it comes to building a great team. They spoke to the perils of “over-hiring”, the differences in approach for younger and more mature companies, the importance of cultural fit, writing an effective spec, what to do when a new hire doesn’t work out, and how to engage a search firm as a partner over the long term.
Speakers
Drue De Angelis
Managing Partner, The De Angelis Group
Drue De Angelis is the Managing Partner of The De Angelis Group, a retained executive search firm focused exclusively on early-stage startups to mid-sized MedTech companies. The De Angelis Group was founded in 2000, and prior to its founding, Drue spent 13 years in the orthopedic implant industry for Stryker and Zimmer. His passion is helping entrepreneurs navigate the ever-changing challenges of competing against big, well-funded enterprises. Drue’s focus is on VP and C-level positions across the value-chain with a heavy concentration on commercialization.
Mike Travis
Principal, Travis & Company, Inc.
Mike Travis leads Travis & Company, a retained executive search firm specializing in life sciences, including Medical Devices, Diagnostics, Instrumentation, and Drug Discovery Tools. Mike helps the world’s top life science companies find, recruit, and hire the best executive talent. With more than 25 years of experience and hundreds of executive placements, he prides himself on partnering with clients to find the best match for their organizations. Mike credits his accomplishments through the years to one central principle—understanding and serving clients as if their businesses were his own. Prior to joining Travis & Company, Mike was a sales and marketing executive at a high-growth startup.