Founder FAQs
Why do you work retained?
Because speed is not the risk. The wrong hire is.
Contingency recruitment rewards whoever moves fastest. That works for repeat roles. It fails for the first AI hires.
We work retained because:
- The role definition matters more than speed
- The shortlist must be precise
- The cost of a wrong hire is enormous
This isn’t about filling a vacancy. It’s about getting a critical hire right once.
Why not just hire a contractor or consultant?
Contractors are useful for short-term delivery. They are a poor choice for ownership.
Most contractors:
- Optimise for billable time, not long-term impact
- Leave knowledge behind when they exit
- Don’t embed into the business properly
Your first AI hire needs to:
- Own outcomes
- Build internal capability
- Be accountable beyond a single project
That requires a permanent operator, not temporary support.
Why not use a general recruiter?
Because AI hiring is not a keyword-matching exercise.
Most recruiters:
- Don’t understand AI delivery
- Rely on job boards and inbound CVs
- Can’t assess execution capability
AI titles are misleading.
What matters is what someone has actually delivered.
We specialise in applied AI and automation roles only.
That focus is the difference.
Are we too early for AI?
If AI is already affecting:
- Cost control
- Operational efficiency
- Headcount pressure
- Speed to scale
Then you’re not early — you’re behind.
If you’re just curious about AI or want to experiment without ownership, then yes, it’s too early.
We work with companies ready to act, not explore.
Why are these hires expensive?
Because senior operators are rare — and mistakes are costly.
A failed AI hire typically costs:
- £150k+ in salary and opportunity cost
- 6–12 months of lost momentum
- Internal confidence in AI
Paying less for the wrong hire is not cheaper. It’s more expensive.
What if it doesn’t work?
That’s exactly what this process is designed to prevent.
We reduce risk by:
- Defining the role before searching
- Targeting proven operators only
- Aligning expectations around first-90-day outcomes
No hiring process is risk-free. But guessing is riskier.
What happens on the first call?
No pitch. No sales process.
We’ll cover:
- What you’re trying to achieve with AI
- Whether hiring is the right next step
- Which role actually makes sense first
If we’re not a fit, we’ll say so.