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Why Fractional Leadership Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage for Early Stage Tech Scale-Ups
In the earliest days and stages of a tech scale-up, every decision feels like a high pressure one. Founders are spinning multiple proverbial plates; product building, market fit, building culture, managing investors, as well as working on creating momentum with limited funds and even more limited time. However, the expertise and skills which are required to find a path through this maze; strategic finance, scalable GTM design, operational discipline, or brand defining marketi
John Fergusson
Nov 19, 20252 min read


Candidate Sourcing Is Strategic Market Intelligence - Not a Funnel Filling Exercise
In high-growth technology businesses, talent is one of the few true multipliers. The right individuals accelerate execution, strengthen culture, and compound learning. Yet despite this, candidate sourcing is still frequently treated as a transactional, early-stage activity, you know, something designed simply to “fill the top of the funnel”. That view is no longer just outdated. It is strategically limiting. In today’s market, candidate sourcing is not about volume. It is abo
John Fergusson
Nov 19, 20253 min read


What Makes A Standout CRO For A SaaS Scale-Up?
The hiring of a Chief Revenue Officer is a significant milestone for any SaaS scale-up. To be clear though, a CRO isn’t just a “sales person with a bigger title.” The right CRO can turbocharge your revenue engine and, equally, the wrong one can put the brakes on… 1️⃣ SaaS Growth Mindset The very best CROs have a strong grasp on subscription-based business models: ARR, MRR, LTV:CAC ratios, churn, and expansion. They absolutely understand that SaaS revenue does not just rev
John Fergusson
Nov 12, 20253 min read


Should You Hire a CRO Before You Have a Product?
I was listening to a podcast episode over the weekend and there was a discussion on whether to hire a CRO pre-product which got me thinking… what are the pros and cons of hiring a CRO pre-product? Theoretically, it sounds like a very smart idea, however, the reality can quite often be it’s a touch premature. At pre-product stage , there’s still a lot going on, for example, you’re still validating the problem, refining your MVP as well as searching for repeatable revenue. In r
John Fergusson
Nov 11, 20252 min read


The Founder Effect: Transforming Recruitment in Fast Growth Tech Scale Ups
In fast growth tech scale ups, recruitment moves from being an operational necessity to being what can be a strategic gamechanger. The quality of the hires that you bring at an early stage have the ability to set the tone for future hires as the business grows. While, accepting your recruitment process and systems will evolve, there will be one constant: the founding team will have a significant influence on your hiring success . When working with tech scale ups, those busi
John Fergusson
Oct 30, 20253 min read


Your Interview Process Defines You More Than You Think
In a tech scale‑up, every hire is important. Selecting the right leadership team and team members can see your business grow rapidly, while the wrong choices either slow your progress or derail it entirely! Quite often, one of the most neglected aspects in the hiring process is not defining the role purpose, the candidate sourcing strategy, or indeed the offer itself but, the interview process itself . To be clear, your interview process is more than a vehicle to compare and
John Fergusson
Oct 13, 20254 min read


Stop Writing Job Descriptions. Start Defining Job Purpose
In the fast paced and ever-changing world of tech scale‑ups, hiring has the potential to be one of your biggest game changers but, also...
John Fergusson
Oct 8, 20253 min read


Hiring VPs for Scale Up Success: Leaders Who Shape Your Future
In a tech scale‑up, selecting and hiring VPs for the business has a weighty significance to the overall success of the business....
John Fergusson
Oct 1, 20253 min read


How to Nail Your Interviews For Customer Success Managers...
Here are some thoughts on how to interview Customer Success Managers to help find the best-in-class Customer Success Managers, the ones...
John Fergusson
Sep 28, 20252 min read


What Makes The Top SAAS Salespeople Stand Out From The Herd?
The SAAS marketplace is more crowded and competitive than ever before. The buyers are better informed, more cautious and expect to see a...
John Fergusson
Sep 28, 20252 min read


How Tech Scale Ups Can Compete For Commercial, Execution Focused Talent...
What can tech scale ups do to address the challenge of competing for commercially focused, execution minded talent? Some thoughts to...
John Fergusson
Sep 27, 20252 min read


Transformative Tech Leaders Don't Live On Job Boards...
Are You Looking For Transformative Tech Leaders On Job Boards? In the fast‑moving world of technology and scale ups, securing the right...
John Fergusson
Sep 27, 20253 min read
These articles reflect my thinking on where hiring decisions go wrong, how risk creeps in, and why independent insight matters most at senior and specialist levels.
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