Everyone Wants “Top Talent.” Few Can Explain WHY.

For the past 18–24 months, most companies operated in survival mode.
Headcount frozen.
Teams stretched thin.
Zero margin for error.
That era is ending HOWEVER it’s not being replaced by aggressive hiring.
It’s being replaced by extreme selectivity.
In nearly every 2026 planning conversation I’m having with PE-backed and founder-led companies, the pattern is unmistakable:

• One marketing leadership hire approved…not five
• Revenue and pipeline accountability baked in from day one
• No patience for “we’ll figure it out” learning curves
• Boards expecting EBITDA impact inside 6–12 months
This is why so many senior marketing searches stall or fail:
→ Too many resumes
→ Too little real signal
→ Titles disconnected from TRUE revenue/value creation
→ Misalignment between mandate, expectations, and reality

The leaders winning in this market aren’t brand stewards.
They are:
• Demand, growth architects
• GTM operators
• AI-native marketers
• Trusted advisors to CEOs and investors

Precision hiring doesn’t start with posting a job.
It starts with clearly answering one question:

What specific revenue problem does this hire exist to solve?
That’s where most companies get stuck and where the real risk lives.

Final thought:
If 2026 is a make-or-break year for your growth strategy, your next marketing hire can’t be a gamble.
Happy to compare notes with CEOs, PE partners, and Heads of Talent who are feeling this shift firsthand.