Start Here: The Realities of CPG Executive Search
What is actually happening behind the closed doors of executive search.
Welcome to the CPG Talent Exchange.
I am Michael McGowan. With over 25 years of CPG Sales and Marketing expertise, and now operating as the founder and President of Crescere Executive Search, I spend my days running bespoke executive searches in the $150k–$300k+ range.
This newsletter is where I drop the recruiter speak and share what I am actually seeing inside those hiring processes.
Not press releases. Not corporate fluff. Just the brutal math of the market, the patterns from failed shortlists, and the misaligned expectations on both sides of the table.
Who This Is For
This briefing is built specifically for:
Founders, CEOs, and Hiring Leaders who are building revenue teams and want to know what the market actually demands (and what it costs).
Executive Candidates navigating a highly complex, shifting hiring landscape.
Candidates who want to understand how hiring decisions, risk assessments, and compensation packages are calculated when the candidate leaves the room.
Note: If you are looking for basic interview tips or resume formatting hacks, this is not for you.
What You Will Get
I publish one in-depth breakdown every Tuesday. I cover:
The Execution Gap: Why the “perfect” resume is often a trap, and what complete candidates do differently.
The Math: How compensation and leverage are actively shifting.
The Graveyard: Why searches stall, why $200k offers collapse at the 11th hour, and what companies consistently underestimate.
The Disconnect: The massive gap between what companies say they want and who they actually hire.
The Best Place to Start
If you are new here, catch up on the foundational shifts happening in the market right now. These are the breakdowns that operators and executive teams reference the most:
If you want the reality of the executive market, hit subscribe.
You will get one quality post every Tuesday. No spam. No fluff. Just the truth from behind the desk.
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