Most recruiting pricing models
reward the wrong behavior.

It depends on the model. Traditional agencies charge 20–35% of annual salary. Contingency recruiters charge 15–30% on hire. Hourly recruiters bill $25–$150+/hr with no cap. We charge a flat fee based on the role — typically 1× monthly salary — split into ⅓ upfront and ⅔ on successful hire. For most DTC roles, that means $3,000–$25,000 depending on seniority.

Because it was the standard before anyone questioned it. A percentage model ties the recruiter fee to salary, not to the work involved. A $70K hire and a $140K hire may take identical effort, but the fee doubles. Percentages reward salary inflation, not quality. We moved away from that.

Contingency recruiting means the recruiter only gets paid if they make a placement. Sounds fair on paper. In practice, it means recruiters spread thin across dozens of searches, prioritize the easiest fills, and race to submit candidates before competitors. Calibration suffers. You get volume, not fit.

Retained recruiting means you pay upfront — usually a significant portion of the total fee — to secure the recruiter's exclusive attention. The problem: once the retainer is collected, the incentive to move quickly drops. Many retained searches stretch because the recruiter is already paid regardless of timeline.

Because their pricing model rewards it. Hourly recruiters earn more with more hours. Retained recruiters have already been paid. Contingency recruiters are juggling too many searches. The only model that genuinely incentivizes speed is one where the recruiter earns most of their fee on successful hire — and has a reputation built on closing well.

First shortlist typically lands within 5–7 days. Most searches close within 3–6 weeks depending on seniority, geography, and how clearly the role is defined. We move fast because our fee structure rewards it — ⅔ of our fee is tied to the outcome.

Yes. We recruit across EMEA, North America, APAC, LATAM, Eastern Europe, and South Africa. Compensation constraints and timezone overlap are always discussed upfront. We recruit where the talent is, not where it is convenient.

Yes. Many DTC brands at the $1M–$10M stage need senior talent on a fractional or part time basis. We source for fractional hires with the same rigour as full time — because a bad fractional hire wastes just as much time.

Absolutely. Many founders come to us knowing the problem but not the exact title or scope. Our intake process helps shape the role so it attracts the right people and is built to last — not just a job description copied from a competitor.

If the hire does not work out within 30 days, we replace them at no additional charge. Terms apply. This is part of how we keep incentives aligned — we only succeed when the hire holds.

Hourly recruiting incentivizes activity. Every meeting, every email, every "update call" becomes billable. The recruiter has no reason to be efficient. You end up managing the recruiter instead of running your business. We price for outcomes, not effort.

We assess for role fit, culture alignment, ambiguity tolerance, and long term trajectory. We pressure test expectations, pace, autonomy, and what success looks like at month six. Candidates arrive having had a real conversation about your brand — not a generic recruiter pitch.