WHO WE ARE: THE GOOD SEARCH
Executive Search, Reimagined
Who We Are: Executive Search, Reimagined
The Good Search is a retained executive search firm for C-suite and senior leadership roles nationwide. Powered by Intellerati—our Executive Search Research Lab and AI Incubator—we deliver investigative, evidence-based search that uncovers the elite leaders legacy firms miss.
The Mission: Finding Your Next Legendary Hire
We recruit Board and C-level executives for legendary hires. We serve technology companies and employers in other sectors that leverage technology to gain a competitive advantage. We specialize in technology as a function in its many permutations, recruiting the following C-Suite leadership roles:
- Chief AI Officer (CAIO)
- Chief Data Officer (CDO)
- Chief Digital Officer (CDO)
- Chief Engineering Officer (CEngO)
- Chief Information Officer (CIO)
- Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
- Chief Innovation Officer (CINO) (New)
- Chief R&D Officer (CRDO)
- Chief Science Officer (CSO)
- Chief Medical Officer (CMO) (New)
- Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
Who We Serve and Where
Headquartered in Westport, Connecticut, in the Greater New York City Area, The Good Search serves employers of choice nationwide. Our clients range from top-tier venture capital-backed startups and private equity portfolio companies to Fortune 500 corporations and nonprofit organizations. For the companies and VCs who retain us, we are a trusted strategic partner.
The Investigative Advantage: Three Points of Difference
The Good Search is not a traditional search firm by design. We believe you deserve an executive search experience that replaces casual networking with investigative rigor. We deliver three fundamental advantages:
1. Candidates You Never Dreamed Existed
Traditional firms rely on their partners’ existing networks, which often results in recycled candidates. We don’t wait for talent to find us; we go find the talent.
- The Non-Obvious Leader: Using investigative methods, we surface high-performing executives who aren’t “on the market” and aren’t in standard databases.
- Precision Mapping: We systematically map target companies to identify the architects of their success, uncovering hidden talent that LinkedIn and legacy databases miss.
2. Flat Fees You Can Trust
The traditional percentage-based fee model creates an inherent conflict of interest: the search firm is incentivized to negotiate a higher salary for the candidate to increase their own payday.
- Aligned Interests: Our simple, transparent flat fee is based on the scope of work, not the final compensation package. We work for you, not the candidate’s salary.
- No “Double-Dipping”: If our investigative work results in another hire for your team from the same search, you pay nothing extra.
3. All the Research (The “Crown Jewels”)
Most firms treat candidate data as their own “Crown Jewels”—a proprietary asset they withhold to keep you dependent. We believe that if you pay for the search, you should own the intelligence.
- Radical Transparency: Our work is available for you to review 24/7. We share the complete long-list, including contact information and detailed profiles.
- Interactive Intelligence: Through Intellerati, we deliver interactive, navigable organizational charts. You receive a living map of your competitive landscape that serves as a proprietary talent pool for years to come.
Why the Traditional Model Fails
Traditional retained search consistently fails to produce a hire 40% of the time. We saw those failures as an opportunity to innovate. We replaced “networking” with investigative research and “intuition” with data-backed evidence. Because we are an investigative boutique, we are not hamstrung by the “off-limits” lists that prevent global firms from recruiting from their own clients.
| Feature | Traditional Retained Search | The Good Search |
| Success Rate | ~60% Industry Average (40% Failure) | 100% Success Record (0% Statistical Fails) |
| Sourcing Method | Passive Networking & Databases | Original Investigative Tradecraft |
| Talent Pool | Recycled “Active” Candidates | Low-Visibility “A-Players” & Architects |
| Research Hub | Back-office Sourcing Team | Intellerati Research Lab & AI Incubator |
| Fee Structure | Percentage-Based (Conflict of Interest) | Transparent Flat Fee (Aligned Interests) |
| Data Ownership | “Black Box” (Firm keeps the data) | Information Symmetry (Client Owns Data) |
| Conflicts | Massive “Off-Limits” Lists | Nimble (No Corporate Handcuffs) |
The “Search Differently” Manifesto
We don’t follow industry “best practices”—we set a higher standard. Our commitment to our clients is defined by these core principles:
- Inclusive by Design: Investigative mapping naturally uncovers a more diverse talent pool by looking at every qualified individual in a sector.
- Beyond the Resume: We engage interest and build rapport quickly, using skills honed in the newsroom to reveal a candidate’s true character.
- Journalistic Urgency: We operate with a deadline sense of urgency, delivering evidence-based recommendations in days, not months.
- Intelligence That Outlasts the Search: The research we provide informs succession planning and competitive intelligence. You can make additional hires based on the research we provide at no extra cost.
- A 0% Failure Goal: While the industry accepts a 40% failure rate, we do not. To date, our statistical failure rate is 0%. Our proprietary approach consistently delivers the right leader.
Our Secret Sauce: The Intellerati Lab
Founded by Emmy Award-winning investigative journalist Krista Bradford, The Good Search applies investigative research principles to retained executive search.
Our proprietary AI-assisted method—Powered by Intellerati, our Executive Search Research Lab and AI Incubator—enables us to map organizations with a level of precision that makes search smarter and more effective. This is why the most innovative companies in the world have become clients of The Good Search.
Find Your Next Executive
No search firm is right for every search every time. Yet we appreciate your interest and make it a practice to listen and to help, regardless.