In a world where this space can feel commoditized, one differentiator is intellectual horsepower — someone who can understand the client's business quickly and actually contribute to changing the thinking about what role is required.
Whiterock runs four or fewer engagements at a time. When we're full, we'll tell you. We take on searches we're confident we can execute well — which means turning down a fair amount of work. The clients we do take on get our full attention.
Scott does the work himself. The research, the sourcing, the candidate conversations, the client updates — all of it. There's no junior team running point and handing off at the end. When you hire Whiterock, you get Scott.
We charge a fixed fee, typically between $70K and $100K — not 33%, and no indirect expenses. We offer a 100% money-back guarantee during the course of the search, at any time, for any reason. No client has ever asked for their money back.
No client has ever requested a refund.
You're not just getting a recruiter — you're getting an advisor. The fact that it's a smaller firm actually allows him to do this better.
Four searches maximum at any time. We turn down work we can't execute at the highest level.
Scott does the research, sourcing, and candidate conversations himself. No handoffs.
Deep discovery before the search begins — understanding the company, the board's expectations, and what success looks like in twelve months.
$70K–$100K fixed, not 33%. 100% money-back guarantee, any time, any reason.
Synthesizing candidate and market intelligence in ways that have no precedent in traditional search. A differentiator clients note unprompted.
"They invested meaningful time with my team to deeply understand and help define the role before beginning the search, which materially improved the quality of candidates and the efficiency of the process. Having worked with many search firms over the years, I would place Whiterock among the most thorough and relationship-oriented I've encountered."
"Scott probably does a better job than a lot of recruiting firms at understanding not just the size and nature of the business, but also the character and culture of the company, trying to make sure that's a good match for candidates."
"If Scott called me and asked me about somebody, I would absolutely tell him things I'd never share with a recruiter I didn't know and trust. That's the biggest differentiator."
"He's very thoughtful about his capacity and not taking on projects when he doesn't feel like he can give them the right amount of attention. That honesty and candor engenders trust in a space where maybe there's not a ton of it."
CEO, CFO, CTO, CMO, and CRO searches for venture-backed and growth-stage technology companies. Recent work includes searches across enterprise software, cloud infrastructure, healthcare technology, and fintech, along with work for the investors and boards helping shape their next stage of growth.
Partial list. Full track record available on request.
Scott founded Whiterock in 2003 after a decade in management consulting, including
work with McKinsey & Company. He brings a consultant's orientation to executive
search — less transactional, more diagnostic. His focus is C-level and CEO work for
venture- and growth-backed technology companies, with deep relationships across the
Austin technology ecosystem and national reach when searches require it.
He holds an MBA from the University of Texas and completed doctoral coursework in
organizational behavior at Stanford. Scott does the work himself — research,
sourcing, candidate development, and client communication — on every engagement.
Tina manages candidate outreach and relationship development, bringing a level of
care and consistency to candidate communication that shapes how the firm is perceived
across its entire network. Every candidate who engages with Whiterock engages with Tina.
Her background is in operations and client services. She joined Whiterock in 2012
and has been part of more than one hundred searches.
Candidate behavior has shifted meaningfully in the last twelve months. The pool of executives willing to move for the right opportunity has widened — but the definition of "right opportunity" has narrowed considerably.
The tools have changed. The underlying work — understanding a company's actual need, identifying the right person, and building the trust that makes a placement stick — hasn't.
The spec is a starting point, not a destination. The recruiters who produce the best slates are the ones willing to push back on what the client thinks they want before the search begins.
Most searches that close in 90–120 days do so not because of speed, but because of the quality of the discovery work done in the first three weeks.
If you're a venture- or growth-backed technology company looking to fill a CEO or C-level role, reach out directly. If we're at capacity or the search isn't a fit, we'll say so clearly.
Quarterly updates on the executive market, talent trends, and occasional perspectives on the work. No volume, no noise.