Lesson 1: Success Begins with Embracing Self-Belief & a Deep Commitment to Lifelong Learning & CI
Margo’s knack for identifying an individual’s potential, oftentimes long before people recognize it in themselves, is on beautiful display in the story that brought Jennifer and Marika to the team. After a persistent recruitment effort, Margo persuaded Jennifer to join her small yet formidable search firm in 2007. Jen tells the story like this “With my background being in financial services and product development with large companies, I did not see how I fit into the world of boutique executive search.”
Margo’s philosophy and pitch to Jen was straightforward yet profound: Success isn’t just about what we already know, but about our eagerness and ability to learn. Beyond that, it’s about having the ambition and courage to bet on yourself. She left Jen with one thought:
“Imagine the regret of not trying. That’s scarier than failure itself.”
Margo’s mantra for success in executive search hinged on curiosity, ambition, and resilience. In her mind, these were not mere skills, but disciplines to be nurtured no matter the field you were in. Like muscles that need to continually be exercised to grow, she encouraged her team to adopt this growth mindset.
“If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you.”—Zig Ziglar
📸 Pictured here are Margo and Jen at an ATK rocket launch test in late 2008. A year into executive search by then, Jen had fully embraced and experienced the power in Margo’s philosophy and approach. That year, she immersed herself in learning, absorbing everything she could about search, our clients, and industries. While formal training was helpful, the most profound learning came from Margo’s mentorship and the insights from client partners and candidates, who were incredible teachers.
That year also marked the growth of our team with the addition of Marika Akers, bringing an unmatched level of drive and commitment that continues to inspire us. Marika embarked on a similar learning journey and describes her experience like this: “Reflecting on my first year, the learning curve was incredibly steep. I dedicated many hours to self-guided exploration of our processes, clients, and their industries. I was a human sponge, absorbing everything and anything I could. This deep dive into learning was exhilarating. Now, after 16 years, I can sincerely say that every single day brings new learning opportunities. Margo instilled in us the ethos of continuous improvement — to be just 1% better and more knowledgeable each day. She saw in me a capacity for learning and bet on me. This is a legacy I’ve embraced in mentoring others and in the way I approach life itself.”
In just one year, the team placed candidates in diverse industries and challenging roles: a Director of Space Launch Engineering (ie: rocket scientist!), Principal Advisors in UG and Open Pit Geotechnical Engineering and Mine Processing, a Group Communications Director, a Head of HR, a VP/GM for an aerostructures team, and even bankers. Margo’s mentorship allowed the team to discover for themselves the transformative power of combining insatiable curiosity, ambition, and resilience to deliver influential leaders to our clients.
The profound impact of placing high-impact leaders in these roles was a career-defining experience for Jen and Marika, igniting a 17-year journey of relentless learning, growth, and meaningful partnerships worldwide.
The lesson we hold close, in our brightest and toughest moments, is this: Lead with curiosity, never stop learning, and the only limitation to your success will be your ambition and resilience. Bet on yourself, work hard, and trust that success will follow.