Most companies hire Commercial leaders based on what they can see—résumés, titles, and interview polish. But real leadership fit runs deeper. This post breaks down why surface-level hiring (Phenotype) often fails—and how to assess the underlying traits, drivers, and behaviors (Genotype) that actually predict success. Includes a framework for reducing bias and expanding your access to diverse, high-performing talent.
Hiring a Chief Commercial Officer, VP of Sales, or VP of Marketing isn’t about instincts and interviews. It’s about structure. This post breaks down how to identify, benchmark, and hire Commercial leaders who actually drive growth in Life Sciences.
Investors and CEOs of Life Sciences companies aren’t looking for transactional recruiters — they want a partner who understands the pressure, the pace, and what’s at stake. This blog unpacks what they truly value and how Alder Brooks aligns with that mindset.
A candidate can have a great resume, tell a strong story, and still fail to deliver. This post explains why even the most experienced CEOs and Investors need a structured evaluation process — and how retained search firms go deeper than contingent firms when the stakes are highest.
Executive hiring often overemphasizes interviews and resumes — and underemphasizes how a leader actually performs. This blog explains how Life Sciences companies can make better decisions by focusing on evidence of leadership, adaptability, and real results.
When a company outgrows its VP of Sales or Head of Marketing, many CEOs ask: should we promote them — or bring in a new CCO? This blog outlines how to evaluate internal commercial talent objectively and know when it’s time to make a change.
Product knowledge is valuable — but it only tells part of the story. Many Life Sciences companies overweight a candidate’s “Phenotype” (their background) and miss the deeper insight: “Genotype” — how they lead, what drives them, and whether they’ll succeed in your environment.
Hiring a leader from a well-known competitor can feel like a smart move — but it can easily backfire. The mistake isn’t hiring someone from a competitor. The mistake is stopping at the surface. This blog breaks down how to assess both the candidate’s “Phenotype” and “Genotype” to avoid the Big-Name-Competitor Trap.
Gut instinct will always play a role in executive hiring. But when it comes to recruiting a Chief Commercial Officer or VP of Sales, companies improve their odds by using a more objective, structured process. This blog explains how benchmarking candidates leads to stronger outcomes — and fewer costly mistakes.
Most commercial executive searches in Life Sciences fall short — not because of a talent shortage, but because of a broken process. In this article, we break down the most common mistakes and share how CEOs and Investors can hire Commercial leaders who drive real growth.
When hiring a Chief Commercial Officer, VP of Sales, or VP of Marketing in Life Sciences, retained search from a boutique firm that specializes in commercial leadership consistently outperforms contingency. This blog explains why — and what CEOs and Investors should expect from a true partner.
Too many companies hire Commercial leaders based on gut instinct. A Success Profile gives CEOs and Investors a structured way to define what success looks like before recruiting a CCO, VP of Sales, or VP of Marketing. Here’s how to build one.
