How We Source Ex-MBB and Ex-IB Talent for Startups

Hiring from McKinsey, BCG, Bain, or top investment banks is a proven way to inject strategy horsepower into startups. But it’s also competitive. Here’s how we do it.

1. Go Beyond LinkedIn

• We tap into curated alumni networks, closed Slack communities, and niche referrals.
• Many of our best candidates aren’t actively job-seeking—they’re open to the right role, not just any role.

2. Speak Their Language

• We understand what high-performing ex-consultants and bankers care about: impact, velocity, learning, and exposure.
• Our roles are positioned to highlight founder proximity, career acceleration, and scope—not just compensation.

3. Vet for Grit + Adaptability

• Pedigree doesn’t guarantee fit. We vet for scrappiness, comfort with ambiguity, and bias toward action.
• Case studies and working sessions reveal more than resumes.

4. Match with Intent

• We get deep context from the founders—team culture, growth stage, business model.
• That allows us to make precision matches, not volume plays.

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Mini Case Study: From Consulting to Chief of Staff

‍One of our favorite hires came from Bain. She was two years out of consulting, exploring startups but unsure how to navigate the transition. We matched her with a Series A fintech founder who needed help scaling ops, owning fundraising comms, and hiring key execs.

She hit the ground running. In her first 90 days, she helped structure the company’s OKR process, drove diligence for their Series B, and even took point on hiring a VP of Marketing. Today, she’s Head of Strategy and manages a small team. The founder told us, "It’s the best hire I’ve ever made."

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We’ve helped dozens of VC-backed startups hire top-tier ex-MBB and IB talent—not by casting a wide net, but by building a smarter one. If you want strategic thinkers who thrive in chaos, we know how to find and convert them.

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