We’re Raising the Bar

There's a lot of noise right now about where the economy is headed. The signals are mixed. And if you spend too much time with the headlines, it's easy to feel like the floor is about to drop out. But when I step back and focus on what I’m actually seeing — strong fundraising results, rising consumer spending, job growth, and new assignments coming in with little to no selling — I see a different picture:

Our clients are raising the bar in their organizations, industries, and beyond. They're willing to pay for the right talent because they understand the transformative impact of high caliber leaders. 

With that said, there are certainly challenges out there. The landscape is shifting under our feet. AI is genuinely unsettling in ways that even the most sophisticated individuals can't fully capture. But at the leadership level, the demand for talent is sharpening rather than shrinking. 

A recent Hunt Scanlon report reinforced what I've been hearing directly from colleagues: fee revenue at the 50 largest executive search firms in the U.S. jumped 11 percent last year, with nearly half growing by double digits. Leadership demand across private equity and venture capital, healthcare services and healthcare tech, financial services, technology, construction, legal AI, and professional services swelled last year. Additionally, talent demand in tech-driven industries, especially AI, is surging faster than supply.  

Boutique search firms like Pyramind are powering a notable upward momentum. As noted in the report, “these organizations often operate with deep sector expertise, focused client relationships, and agile operating models that allow them to respond quickly to evolving client needs with fewer conflicts of interest.” 

We’ve also seen the leaders we’ve placed do incredible things. For example, one executive director at a Northern Virginia-based organization has grown the organization to extraordinary heights, changing the healthcare landscape for underserved individuals in the region. Watching her progress reminds me why this work matters to our clients — and to society as a whole. 

This is a good moment, if you're willing to look for it.

Warmly,

Hope Johnson 

Founder & CEO, Pyramind LLC

This quarter, we're introducing Adam Smith, an executive coach and assessment specialist who partners with Pyramind on select search engagements. Adam brings an unusual combination: deep roots in retained executive search and over three decades of leadership assessment and coaching expertise. He joined our extended team after years of professional friendship — and after recognizing, over a social lunch, that there was real work to be done together.

Q: Why did you join Pyramind?

I met Hope through the National Association of Corporate Directors, and we connected quickly over our shared experience in retained search and our belief in genuine partnership with executives. Once Victoria joined the firm — I reported to her in my very first search job back in the late '80s — I had two trusted colleagues in one place. Over lunch one afternoon, we started seeing real ways my background across search, assessment, coaching, and boards could contribute to what Pyramind offers clients.

Q: What have you learned about Pyramind’s approach since joining?

Pyramind clients aren't looking for a headhunter. They're looking for a strategic talent and risk advisor — and the way the firm operates reflects that.

Q: What surprised you most in your first year?

How intentionally the firm curates when and how to involve external partners. Pyramind is committed to long-term fit over optics.

Q: How does your assessment work enhance the search process?

The real question I try to answer isn't "can this person do the job?" It's "how will they actually show up in this environment, with this team, at this moment in the organization's evolution?" That sharpens the final decision — and translates directly into onboarding priorities that help the new leader make an impact faster.

Q: What do you want prospective clients to know about working with Pyramind?

The firm invests deeply up front to understand your strategy, your culture, and what success in the role actually looks like. What I add is an additional layer of fidelity to that decision — so the person you hire doesn't just look right on paper, but also delivers real, lasting impact.

Continual Learning

NAER Annual Conference | April 9–10, 2026 | Charlotte, NC

In April, Hope attended the National Association of Executive Recruiters annual conference at the Dunhill Hotel in Charlotte — her last year serving as chairman after seven years in NAER leadership, including four years as chairman and three as vice president. The conference brought together boutique executive search firms for roundtables, case study discussions, and sessions on legal employment trends, digital visibility in the age of AI, and modern client development strategy.

It was a meaningful capstone to a chapter that shaped Pyramind's industry visibility and professional network.

Virginia Chamber of Commerce Foundation — Women in Business Leadership Council | May 13, 2026

Pyramind was proud to be part of the inaugural meeting of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Women in Business Leadership Council on May 13. The council, which convenes senior business leaders from across the Commonwealth, is focused on advancing workplace equity, healthcare access, childcare solutions, and workforce development for women — with the goal of influencing policy recommendations to the Governor's office and the General Assembly. The first meeting featured a keynote from McKinsey Partner Megan McConnell on findings from the 2025 Women in the Workplace report, as well as a facilitated discussion on women, talent, and Virginia's competitiveness.

Pyramind's team — Hope Johnson, Victoria Geis, Adam Smith, and Lane Crawford — will continue their work across retained search engagements, community partnerships, and industry events through the summer. Look for updates in Q3.

Congratulations to our clients who made strategic leadership decisions this quarter. It is a privilege to be trusted with work that matters.

The Navigator is a quarterly publication of Pyramind LLC. © 2026 Pyramind LLC | pyramindsearch.com