For Startup Founders
A leadership hire your startup can build on.
This page is for founders and early leadership teams hiring their first technical, AI/ML, go-to-market, or leadership roles. It's a focused use case within TAP's broader leadership and executive search practice, not a separate company.
Our placements include organizations like
Roles that shape an early-stage company.
Founding & Technical Leadership
First engineers, technical leads, and infrastructure owners who make the roadmap credible.
AI / ML Roles
Applied ML, research, and AI product roles where domain fluency with the tools matters.
Early Go-To-Market
First AE, founding GTM, and partnerships hires who can sell before there's a playbook.
First Leadership Layer
The first managers and executives, hired as the team grows past its earliest stage.
The same rigor as any TAP leadership search.
We are recruiters, not a broader consulting practice. Our AI fluency helps with research and organization; TAP recruiters own every candidate conversation and judgment call.
See how every search runs- Role clarity tied to your roadmap and stage
- Direct sourcing and candidate conversations
- A private website on each candidate we present
- Interview coordination and offer support
How pricing works
Every search uses one of four packages: Executive, Specialized, Professional or Select Search. TAP proposes the package once it understands the search, and you decide whether to accept. The accepted package sets a non-refundable engagement fee, paid before sourcing begins, and a 25% placement fee based on total first-year compensation, invoiced on the candidate's start date and due within the number of calendar days shown for the package. Executive, Specialized and Professional engagement fees are credited toward the placement fee. Select Search engagement fees are set after the intake call and are not credited.
Global-firm depth. Without the global-firm fee.
Move the slider to the role's first-year compensation and see what you save.
Starting points only. Adjust to your role.
Up to $2,000,000
Typical executive search firm $75,000, all billed before your hire starts. Talent Authority Partners $56,250, with $6,000 to start and $50,250 after your hire starts. $18,750 less in fees, $69,000 less paid before your hire starts.
Assumes a package paid in cash. Fee bases differ (cash compensation versus total compensation), so compare exact totals using written proposals. Estimates only; the signed agreement governs all fees.
Most firms send a résumé. We send a website.
A private website on each candidate we present, shared only with your hiring team.
Candidate A · VP of Operations
Recommended: Advance
SampleVideo preview: background and experience
- Multi-site operations leadershipExceeds
Led a multi-site operation through a regional expansion.
- P&L ownershipMeets
Owned a division budget and reported results to the CEO.
- Scaling a team through growthExceeds
Built the operations team from a small core to a full leadership layer.
- Availability
- 30 days
- Location
- Open to relocation
- Relocation
- Not a factor
- Compensation target
- Within your range
- Status
- Employed, seeking a larger scope
- Background check and drug screen
- Ready to complete both
Why we recommend
Has already delivered the kind of multi-site growth your first-year plan calls for, and wants the larger scope this role offers.
Each presented candidate gets a private page with video highlights from our interview, a rating against each requirement with reasoning, interview questions for each of your interviewers, practical details, offer letter support and our recommendation.
See everything insideCandidate A · VP of Operations
Recommended: AdvanceSampleVideo preview: background and experience
- Multi-site operations leadershipExceeds
Led a multi-site operation through a regional expansion.
- P&L ownershipMeets
Owned a division budget and reported results to the CEO.
- Scaling a team through growthExceeds
Built the operations team from a small core to a full leadership layer.
- Availability
- 30 days
- Location
- Open to relocation
- Relocation
- Not a factor
- Compensation target
- Within your range
- Status
- Employed, seeking a larger scope
- Background check and drug screen
- Ready to complete both
Why we recommend
Has already delivered the kind of multi-site growth your first-year plan calls for, and wants the larger scope this role offers.
Tell us who you need to hire next.
A straight conversation about the role and whether TAP is the right fit to run it.