We begin with a head start: our own firsthand experience in creative and analytical leadership roles.
Our clients are outstanding agencies and brands in Luxury, Fashion, Footwear, Accessories, Lifestyle and Consumer Goods.
Intro has quickly and thoughtfully placed Digital Marketing leaders, heads of eComm, Directors of Sales, and more, from Designer to VP to CFO.
A pro BMX career gave way to a Merchandising career, landing Michael in a Vice President role at Alternative Apparel, leading Product and Brand functions. He created a people-first culture and his team of 28 have since elevated themselves into meaningful roles around the world.
Michael became sought after for his ability to bring order to creative environments, and offered those services as a consultant. Always punching above his weight class, he believed in surrounding himself with the best, pulling together many interesting and talented friends, and building community via introductions and advocacy.
After playing key roles in bringing superstar talent to lululemon, Buck Mason and more, Michael founded a small but high-output search firm rooted in naturally existing connections.
She prepared herself for the executive search world via experience in operations, sales and marketing. Leading large teams very early in her career taught her the power of understanding human behavior and empathy as well as hyper-organization and rigor.
Julienne works in executive search because it’s a direct way to improve peoples’ lives. She’s inspired by candidates who are curious and driven, and believes that abundance and prosperity are attainable for those who believe in themselves and do the work.
And like most high performers, Julienne seeks balance through multiple talents and pursuits: songwriting, screenwriting, performing, and a thirst for knowledge that plays directly into her recruiting superpowers.
"Intro has matched my company up -- regardless of the industry, project or market I'm operating in -- with folks who are uncannily suited for the goals laid out."
"Intro is refreshing, a far cry from the impersonal and mechanical interaction I have often experienced with several executive search agencies."
"Our partnership with Intro exceeded expectations and produced spectacular results. They differentiated themselves through an in depth probing of our needs, an exhaustive and diligent approach to screening candidates, and providing expert guidance to reach a mutually acceptable arrangement with our finalists."
"Recruiting is at the core of building any great business, and Michael knows how to sniff out the fancy talkin' and get down to performance, execution, and character. I can't think of anyone I'd rather represent me or our brand."
Intro is different. Conversations with Michael are mutually beneficial and genuine. This has not just been my experience, but that of countless dear friends and colleagues whom I have referred to Intro with full trust.
"Working with Michael and Julienne has been an amazing success story. We started with many headhunter options in North America, but we have quickly made Intro our one-stop shop for all types of recruitment."
"Working with Intro has taken so much stress and uncertainty out of the hiring process. Michael and Julienne do a fantastic job of learning our hiring needs up front, developing a very specific profile and only bringing us the best candidates that meet those requirements. They’ve been a true partner in helping us build an exceptional team.”
“The Intro team responded quickly with candidates that were spot-on in terms of competencies but more important in terms of culture and energy.”
"Michael and Julienne listened and understood exactly what we needed in a designer. They came back days later with a short list of candidates; each one of them was able to nail our aesthetic and really wanted to be a part of our brand. We had a winner in under two weeks, and she’s still with us.”
"Michael is the best; a total unicorn in executive search.”
"Mike understands what motivates a candidate to want to join an organization: an alignment of values, ability and shared goals. He has always focused on building enduring cultures founded on integrity, openness and an unwavering commitment to developing good humans for positive impact. This was instilled in me during my time working for Mike at Alternative, validated through his guidance during my transition to lululemon and continues as a friend and mentor.”
"As an entrepreneur, synergy between brand vision and the team that covers your blind spots is vital. Having a recruiting partner that truly understands the importance of brand fit is rare. Michael Ardelean gets it!"
"Midi Management has used Intro's services across different portfolio companies for several executive positions, including CFO. We were very pleased with the processes which were run very smoothly and quickly, with a very good comprehension of the skill sets needed for specific hires and industries. We can confirm that all candidates were successful upon hires. We would definitely recommend Intro!”
"From start to finish, Intro made our employee search effortless. They are all about details, and well connected. Two weeks after starting, we had several perfect candidates and the hardest part was trying to pick just one. I look forward to working with Michael and Julienne again soon."
