What Rainmaker Resources does

Rainmaker Resources, LLC is a Cincinnati, Ohio-based executive search and acquisition advisory firm founded in 2010 by Deatra Pottebaum. The firm operates two interconnected business lines. The first is Finance & Accounting executive recruiting, delivered through "Direct Hire Searches" and "Be Hired" services, placing professionals across FP&A, accounting, tax, audit, treasury, and M&A disciplines for clients ranging from startups and mid-sized companies to Fortune 500 corporations. The second is CPA firm acquisition advisory, delivered through the "Be Acquired Network" and "Acquire Services" offerings, which connect accounting, tax, audit, and consulting practice owners with qualified buyers for succession, merger, or acquisition outcomes. The firm is a privately held LLC, founder-controlled with no institutional or PE/VC ownership disclosed, and is WBENC-certified as a Woman-Owned Business.

The operating model is relationship-driven and high-touch rather than technology-mediated. There are no proprietary technology platforms, software products, or AI/ML capabilities disclosed; sourcing and curation are performed by named recruiters, led by Founder & CEO Deatra Pottebaum and Director of Sourcing and Research Kristen Beckman. Revenue is generated through professional services fees — placement fees for executive search (typically a percentage of placed candidate compensation) and project-based advisory fees for acquisition identification. Geographic focus is the Midwest United States, with primary presence in Cincinnati and a secondary presence in Columbus, Ohio. The firm has earned 12 consecutive years on the Cincinnati Business Courier's Book of Lists as one of the Largest Executive Search Firms and has been named one of the Largest Woman-Owned Businesses by Columbus Business First.

Name

Rainmaker Resources

Legal name

Rainmaker Resources, LLC

Website

https://rainmakerresourcesllc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rainmaker Resources is a Cincinnati-based executive search and acquisition advisory firm placing Finance & Accounting professionals and sourcing acquisition targets for CPA and professional services firms across the Midwest U.S.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

West Chester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Executive Search & Recruiting Services: Retained search and recruiting services placing Finance & Accounting professionals including analysts, managers, directors, CFOs, controllers, tax professionals, and audit specialists. Revenue generated through placement fees, typically a percentage of the placed candidate's compensation.
2. CPA Firm Acquisition Services: Advisory and sourcing services helping CPA firms, accounting practices, tax and audit practices, consulting firms, and professional services organizations identify strategic acquisition targets and succession opportunities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Rainmaker Resources is a Cincinnati-based Finance & Accounting executive search firm that recruits and places finance, accounting, tax, audit, treasury, and M&A professionals for client companies. The firm also operates an acquisition advisory practice that helps CPA firms, tax/audit practices, and professional services firms identify strategic buyers for succession, merger, or partnership transactions.

Product overview

Rainmaker Resources operates as a unified Finance & Accounting talent and acquisition advisory platform consisting of four interconnected service offerings: Direct Hire Searches (executive recruiting for finance, accounting, tax, audit, treasury, and M&A roles), Be Hired Services (career placement for professionals seeking opportunities at startups, mid-sized companies, and Fortune 500s), the Be Acquired Network (a confidential marketplace connecting CPA firms and accounting practices with qualified buyers for succession or merger), and Acquire Services (strategic acquisition identification for clients seeking to purchase CPA firms, audit/tax practices, and consulting firms). The firm integrates recruiting expertise with acquisition advisory to serve both talent placement and M&A objectives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Direct Hire Searches Executive recruiting services placing Finance & Accounting professionals including FP&A analysts, managers, directors, CFOs, staff accountants, controllers, tax professionals, audit specialists, treasury and M&A professionals into client organizations.
• Be Hired Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Near 1:1 interview-to-hire ratio
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search firm with a strong Financial Services and CFO/finance officer practice. Competes for senior F&A executive placements and shares the same relationship-driven, retained-search business model.
• Accounting Principals (now part of Robert Half): Specialty staffing brand focused exclusively on accounting and finance talent placement, from staff to senior management. Direct comparable in vertical specialization and target candidate/client profile.
• Vaco: Specialty consulting and talent solutions firm with a Finance & Accounting executive search practice serving mid-market and enterprise clients. Closely comparable in target customer (CFOs, controllers, accounting leaders), niche focus, and high-touch delivery model.
• Spencer Stuart: Global executive search firm with a dedicated Financial Officer Practice placing CFOs and senior finance executives. Comparable as a retained search competitor at the executive level with the same relationship-driven, confidential process.
• Parker + Lynch (Adecco): Specialty recruiting brand under Adecco focused on direct-hire and contract placement of accounting, finance, and legal professionals. Direct peer in F&A executive search with a similar target market and high-touch service model.
• Korn Ferry: Global executive search and organizational consulting firm with a dedicated Financial Officers Practice that places CFOs and senior finance leaders. Directly comparable as a retained executive search competitor targeting the same F&A leadership roles.
• Robert Half: The largest US specialty staffing firm with a dedicated Finance & Accounting division (Accountemps, Robert Half Finance & Accounting). Direct competitor for F&A search mandates at all levels, from staff accountant through CFO, with overlapping target clients in Fortune 500 and mid-market.

Broad incumbents

• Cherry Bekaert Advisory (CPA firm M&A): Top-30 US accounting and advisory firm with a dedicated transaction advisory and CPA firm M&A practice. Comparable as an incumbent in the same professional-services M&A advisory space that Rainmaker's Be Acquired Network addresses, but operating at much larger scale and as a full-service firm.
• Wipfli (formerly Wipfli LLP): Top-20 US accounting and advisory firm actively acquiring CPA firms nationwide. Overlaps with Rainmaker's Acquire Services buy-side advisory value proposition and competes for the same pool of accounting practices exploring succession or M&A.

Emerging players

• AccountingFly: Boutique recruiting and talent firm focused on accounting and finance professionals with a tech-enabled sourcing model. Comparable as a specialized F&A recruiter, but differentiated by an emerging digital/remote-delivery approach rather than pure relationship-driven local presence.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rainmaker-resources-llc
• Xx.com/RainmakerJobs
• Facebookfacebook.com/rainmaker.resources

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rainmaker Resources