Who We Help

Experience that supports hiring decisions;
How do you know if we’re right for you?

Office meeting space

We work with organizations making important hiring decisions at moments of change, pressure, or transition.

Clients usually reach out when the role matters, the decision carries risk, internal capacity is stretched, or the business needs capabilities it does not yet have.

The kinds of organizations we work with

Our clients include:
  • founder-led and owner-managed businesses
  • professionally managed small and mid-sized companies
  • growth-stage organizations building capability as they scale
  • businesses navigating acquisition, integration, or succession
  • non-profit and mission-driven organizations balancing multiple stakeholders
  • HR and People teams that want added support on an important hire

What connects them is not industry. It is the need to make a sound hiring decision in a business context that matters.

The situations that lead clients to us

Organizations often turn to Headway when:
  • a critical leader is leaving
  • a founder is stepping back from day-to-day leadership
  • the business is entering a new stage of growth
  • new investment is increasing the pace and complexity of hiring
  • the company is expanding into a new market
  • growth through acquisition or merger is changing capability needs
  • technology change is reshaping roles and leadership requirements
  • a key function needs stronger leadership
  • internal capacity is stretched and the hire cannot wait
  • the company is preparing for a major transition, such as a sale or public offering
These are the moments when the question is not only who is available. It is also what the business now needs, what the market can realistically provide, and how to make the decision with confidence.

A note on role and industry experience

We understand why clients ask whether we have recruited for a particular role or in a particular industry. Context matters.

Our work is not built around a fixed list of sectors or functions. It is built around understanding the business model, stage, culture, stakeholder environment, and market realities that shape success in the role.

Working across industries keeps our view of talent broad and current. It also helps us see how capability transfers across contexts, where role requirements are evolving, and what organizations are truly competing for.

Yes, often. But the better question is whether we understand what success requires in the role, in your business, at this moment. Titles can look familiar while the real mandate is quite different. We focus on understanding the context, outcomes, and trade-offs that define the search.
In many cases, yes. But we do not believe industry labels alone are enough to define a strong search. Business model, stage, culture, leadership environment, and market realities matter just as much. Working across industries helps us maintain a broader and more current view of talent.
We look closely at what the role actually requires, which capabilities are transferable, where context matters most, and what trade-offs are acceptable. That assessment is part of the search, not something left to assumption.
That is often why clients call us. You do not need to fit neatly into a sector or role template to start a conversation.
Talk to a Search Partner