For clients
Who are we?
Bialla Partners, Inc., is a nationally recognized, retained executive search and management consulting firm with a proven ability to identify and deliver A-list leaders across a variety of industries and functions.
With a national scope, Bialla Partners has been engaged in retained search for more than 45 years with a focus on results and a long and documented track record of identifying the finest talent in any business or industry we pursue.
While we are industry “generalists”, our diverse partnership has strong concentrations of expertise and experience in the following sectors:
• Consumer Products
• Consumer and B2B Technology (Software, Hardware, Services)
• Internet/Digital Media/eCommerce
• Health Care (Pharma, Biotech, Medical Devices)
• Financial Services
• Business and Professional Services
• Retail & Apparel
• Growth Companies
Additionally we have strong functional expertise in the following Leadership disciplines:
• General Management Leadership (CEO, COO, President, GM)
• Customer-facing Leadership (Marketing/Sales/Business Development)
• Core Operational Leadership (including Finance, Manufacturing, Technology, Human Resources)
• Digital Leadership
• Board of Directors
What makes us different
When selecting an executive search firm, clients often wrestle with many issues: should the firm be large or small; specialized or general; does it matter where it is based; and who will handle the search? Most importantly, you need to know what competitive advantages our firm offers. What conflict of interest issues are there, where are you off-limits, how important am I to you as a client? All valid questions.
Our firm is small by design and with a team of roughly ten experts we can swiftly mobilize a search into action and with great precision. The people you meet initially from our firm are the same ones who will conduct your search. One partner will have primary responsibility for the search, but all of our staff and resources will actively contribute to the effort.
Here are some of our key differentiators:
1. We Know Leadership.
We excel at sourcing executives who drive revenue and/or know how to run things - regardless of industry. Thus, the bulk of our search work is for CEO, COO, President, GM, as well as other key C-Suite and VP-level roles (Marketing, Sales, Finance, HR, Technology, etc.) and Board Directors. All Bialla Partners have been successful senior operating executives with leadership roles (CEO, GM, CMO, etc.) in relevant companies, and thus intimately understand what it takes to drive a successful strategy, run an efficient operation, scale a business, build and enduring brand, etc. Because of this experience, we know how to assess critical leadership talent better than most and mitigate the risk of a bad hire.
2. We are fast and effective.
In a recent CEO replacement search a leading eCommerce company, we had 5 extremely qualified candidates in front of them within the first two weeks – one of whom was the ultimate hire. We placed the CMO for a $1B Retailer within 4 weeks. We are efficient and responsive – the “Navy Seals” of the search business.
3. We don’t hand off searches to junior associates.
The individual Partners do the work and personally conduct each search. You wouldn’t trust a brain operation to an intern and you shouldn’t trust your critical recruiting to a junior associate. Thus each Partner only works at most on 3 or 4 searches at a time. We value quality over economic expediency and feel this way of working ensures the best results.
4. We are able to source from a wide variety of companies.
Unlike many of the large publicly-held search firms, we are not blocked by numerous client or candidate conflicts. This means we can recruit freely from a wide field of companies and candidates.
5. We are Experts in FIT.
These days finding résumés that match a spec is the easiest part of Executive Search. Successful hires require much more in depth qualitative assessment and are ultimately all about FIT:
• Capability Fit - Intellect, technical/functional skills, sector knowledge, leadership/management competencies, nuances of skills required to achieve success in any client’s unique situation.
• Attitudinal Fit - Company story, culture fit, values/ethos, structure/style, risk profile
• Team/diversity Fit - Structure, diversity, chemistry fit with other key executives
• Expectation Fit - Deliverables short/long, career progression, remuneration
• Integration Fit- Flexibility/adaptability, on-boarding, experience of previous moves, planning first 90 days
• Practical Fit - Remuneration, location, % travel, formal qualifications, family circumstances
We address all of these issues from the outset of a search with you and evaluate every candidate in these areas. And because we are experienced operating executives who have been in the very shoes of those we are evaluating, and actually the ones doing the interviewing and evaluation, we are dramatically increasing your odds of a successful search outcome.
6. We are extremely experienced and well-networked.
Some say in this business that you are only as good as you network and the quality of that network. With over 100 years of combined executive search experience among the Partners, as well as an additional nearly 100 years of real world business experience across a broad range of industries, we have developed great credibility, deep and rich networks, and frankly, there isn’t much we haven’t seen. Consequently, our networks stretch throughout the world, and we are able to draw from a wide array of well-developed candidate sources, nationally as well as internationally.
Net, our firm's experience and structure benefit you by improving the chances of success, not only in finding, but also in attracting, the best possible candidate – indeed the inspired candidate – from a wide pool of available talent.
How much will it cost?
We are a retained search firm and approach your business as management consultants. Accordingly, we bill you over the estimated duration of the assignment.
Our fees are competitive: 33 1/3% of the candidate's estimated first-year compensation. This is paid in three equal installments and is adjusted to actual compensation upon completion of the assignment. We offer our clients the option of a fixed fee that is negotiated before we embark on an assignment.
We guarantee the candidates we place for one year. In the unlikely event that our candidate resigns or is terminated due to poor performance, we will replace the candidate for no additional fee, except expenses incurred.
Finally, we don't add surcharges, mark ups or additional fees for administering your search like some other search firms (those fees tend to average about 10-12% over and above the search fee). This means you know what you're paying for upfront. No surprises come later.
What do we do when you retain us?
Our search process is simple and straightforward.
Step 1
Meet with you and those members of your team you think appropriate to develop a full understanding of your management style and company culture as well as the position's job responsibilities and reporting lines. We then draft a position description including job responsibilities and candidate requirements for your review as well as a target list of companies we intend to source from.We target Step 1 to be complete by the end of the first week of our being assigned your search.
Step 2
The next step is to research and identify potential candidates using Bialla's proprietary database, our extensive personal networks and other proprietary methods to target companies and key industry executives most appropriate for your search.
This includes initial contact and qualification of potential candidates, meeting them in person to further qualify them, blind referencing those we think are strong contenders and presenting them to you along with their resumes via a candidate write-up in person, or if you prefer, by phone or email.
Because we are experienced both in your industry and the particular function for which you are hiring, our candidate flow often begins by the second week of our being assigned your search. We can also handle your search on a confidential basis if circumstances require.
Step 3
When you are ready to begin interviewing candidates, we can help you qualify and sort through those candidates we've presented in terms of their experience, fit and suitability. We also assist in scheduling candidate interviews to help with the process.
Step 4
When you are ready to extend an offer to a candidate, we handle reference checking and degree verification as well as advise you on the offer negotiations. If you prefer, we can even handle the offer negotiation ourselves. Once the candidate has accepted we can also assist with transition management.
How long will it take?
The industry standard is 90 days but being satisfied with the standard has never been a goal at Bialla.We've completed searches in less than 30 days.
We've also had searches take longer than 90 days. The length of time of a search is generally in the hands of the client. What often takes time are the logistics: travel, some educational interviewing by the client, and managing time.
Because we are specialized, we require less time to learn your business, which makes the search process go faster. That means a typical search for us takes 60 to 90 days to complete.
Our approach is to put the most qualified candidates in front of you as soon as possible. We don't wait until we have a list of 10 pre-screened people to begin submitting candidates. In many cases we start submitting candidates for your review within the first two weeks of the search.
Because we pride ourselves on being fast and nimble, beating the standard is part of our job.