Newsletter

The drone and unmanned systems industry has shifted from experimental platforms to mission-critical applications across defense, commercial, and dual-use markets. With that shift comes a new reality: boards and founders aren’t just looking for a title—they’re looking for leaders who can deliver measurable outcomes. Here’s what stands out at the C-Suite level today: Operational Scale-Up…

Most companies don’t fail because they lack strategy. They fail because they hired the wrong leaders at the wrong moment. And no, this isn’t about resumes, buzzwords, or who worked at the biggest brand. It’s about timing, fit, and execution. At the executive level, hiring mistakes are expensive: Lost momentum Cultural damage Missed contracts Burned…

Let’s get something out of the way up front: If your CEO or President is outsourcing executive hiring to HR… you’ve already lost. I don’t say that to be dramatic. I say it because I talk to aerospace and defense leaders every week — founders, operators, PE-backed turnaround CEOs — and the story is almost…

Every executive résumé looks impressive. Well, not every resume. But many do look very impressive, flashy, full of buzzwords and loftly accomlishments. At the senior and C-suite level, résumés are designed to highlight wins, polish titles, and compress years of complexity into clean bullet points. They’re not dishonest—but they’re incomplete. And when companies rely too…

A Growing Industry with a Shrinking Talent Pool Let’s not sugarcoat it, the U.S. drone industry is booming, but the leadership pipeline isn’t. Federal funding, DoD adoption, infrastructure inspection, public safety, and logistics are fueling rapid growth. Yet companies from Boston to San Diego are hitting the same wall: they can’t find enough proven leaders…

Hiring a strong operations leader? Make sure you know what you actually need, because a VP of Operations and a COO are not the same thing. Candidates, make sure you know what you are applying for. Too often, companies tell us: “We need a rockstar to run operations.” But when we dig deeper, they’re unclear…

As a business owner for 2 decades and an executive recruiter for over 13 years, I’ve worked with many top-tier leaders who turn down opportunities that seem perfect on paper. It’s not just about compensation or location—there are deeper reasons why they decline. If your company is struggling to attract senior leadership talent, it might…

If you’re an executive aiming to transition into a startup or growth-stage company within Aerospace & Defense, here’s the hard truth: Most of these companies don’t want generalists. They want specialists, particularly those who can execute a Go-to-Market (GTM) strategy that scales a real product. In my work with Aerospace and Defense (A&D) startups and…

  LinkedIn is a powerful platform for professionals to showcase their skills, network with industry leaders, and secure lucrative job opportunities. For senior executives seeking their next career move, a well-crafted About section on LinkedIn can be a game-changer. So if you are a senior executive jobseeker, this weeks newsletter will proved you a few…

5 ways you make recruiting harder for yourself and for your company (and why you can’t find anyone for your open positions) #1. You post jobs on LinkedIn You post one of your hot jobs on LinkedIn job post and you get 400 applicants (and email notifications) and 399 don’t come close to being qualified.…