Hire Ground Podcast Episode 26: Founder Transitions, Open Boards, and the Hospitality of Search with Cleve Justis
Episode 26 of Hire Ground Podcast
Cleve Justis, founder of Potrero Group, grew up in his family’s hotels and restaurants. He still runs searches like a host: build trust early, listen closely, and deliver hard news with confidence.
Christina and Cleve talk about why founder transitions are as much psychological as organizational. A founder’s exit is a grieving process, and the grief comes in waves. Cleve explains why search committees tend to look backward at the leader they’re losing when they should look forward at what the organization needs next. And as founders themselves, Christina and Cleve ask the uncomfortable question: are they following their own succession advice?
Cleve also makes the case for recruiting board members the way you’d run an executive search, with a position profile, an open application, and a wide net. Potrero’s open board searches typically draw 30 to 200 applicants. They close with what retained search clients get beyond the final candidate, Cleve’s upcoming book on boards, the Cobb Mountain Leadership Retreat, and why every leader needs peers and mentors.
Listen on your platform of choice:Hire Ground is the essential podcast for K12 school and nonprofit leaders who are serious about hiring, retaining and developing high performing teams. This podcast brings together thought leaders, executives, and board members for honest conversations about leadership, hiring, governance, and what it really takes to build a thriving organization from the ground up.
Hire Ground is hosted by Christina Greenberg - founder and CEO of Edgility Search and 20-year veteran of executive search and nonprofit talent - and was co-created with Josh Czupryk, founder of Josh’s K12 Jobs Blast.
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