Blue Rock Search

Name

Blue Rock Search

Legal name

Blue Rock Search, LLC

Website

https://bluerocksearch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search Services

NAICS

Executive Search Services (561312), Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

C-Suite & Board Search (BPACAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Functional Leadership Search (HR/Finance/Legal/Marketing/Sales/Ops) (BPACAAAB), Public Sector, Education & Nonprofit Leadership Search (BPACAAAI), Consumer & Retail Leadership Search (BPACAAAG)

Keywords

• Executive search services
• Franchise executive recruiting
• Customer experience recruiting
• RPO solutions
• Executive placement

Headquarters

HQ city

Sarasota

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Executive Search Placement Fees: Retained executive search services with placement fees typically structured as percentage of placed executive's first-year compensation. Services include franchise executive search, CX executive search, HR executive search, PE executive search, and higher education executive search.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Blue Rock Search is a woman/minority-owned executive search firm that places senior leadership for franchisors, customer experience organizations, HR functions, private equity portfolio companies, and higher education institutions. Core offerings span retained executive search across five practice areas, supplemented by Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO), executive coaching, consulting, executive onboarding, and annual compensation research publications. Revenue is generated through placement fees structured as a percentage of placed executives' first-year total compensation under multi-year retained engagements.

Product overview

Blue Rock Search is a minority-owned (MBE Certified), woman-owned executive search firm offering specialized talent solutions across five distinct practice areas: Private Equity, Human Resources and Diversity, Franchise, Higher Education, and Customer Experience (CX). The firm operates both as Blue Rock Search (Franchise & CX division) and Blue Rock Human Capital (HR, PE, and Higher Education division), providing executive search, RPO solutions, executive coaching, consulting, and executive onboarding services. The portfolio includes complementary research publications including annual Franchise and HR Compensation Guides. The company leverages over 50 years of combined partner experience and is recognized among Hunt Scanlon's Top 10 global recruiters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Franchise Executive Search Executive search services specializing in placing franchise leadership talent across operations, marketing, franchise development, real estate, and executive roles within franchise organizations.
• Customer Experience Executive Search Specialized executive recruitment services focused on placing CX leadership including Chief Customer Experience Officers, Customer Success Directors, and Contact Center Operations executives.
• Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Strategic RPO solutions that transform hiring into a competitive advantage through tailored recruiting support, expanding organizational hiring capacity.
• Human Resources Executive Search Executive search services for HR leadership including CHRO, Head of Total Rewards, Head of Talent Acquisition, and HR Shared Services roles across multiple industries.
• Private Equity Executive Search Specialized executive search for private equity portfolio companies and PE-backed organizations seeking leadership talent across all functional areas.
• Higher Education Executive Search Executive recruitment services for colleges and universities placing leaders in enrollment management, academic affairs, and administrative executive positions.
• Confidential Executive Search Discreet executive search services for sensitive leadership transitions requiring confidentiality throughout the recruitment process.
• Interim Executive Placement Temporary executive staffing solutions providing immediate leadership coverage during transitions, special projects, or while conducting permanent searches.
• Executive Coaching One-on-one coaching services for executives to develop leadership capabilities, navigate career transitions, and maximize professional performance.
• Consulting Solutions Organizational consulting services to address strategic human capital challenges, workforce planning, and talent optimization needs.
• Executive Onboarding Structured onboarding programs to help new executive hires integrate effectively, achieve early wins, and deliver accelerated business impact.
• 2025 Franchise Compensation Guide Annual compensation guide providing coast-to-coast salary data across 18 representative metro areas and 6 regions, covering franchise leadership roles in sales, operations, marketing, and financial/legal functions.
• 2025 HR Executive Compensation Report Annual compensation report developed with Paidwell providing coast-to-coast salary data across 6 metro areas and 4 industries for HR executive positions.
• 2026 Franchise Compensation Guide Annual compensation guide released in 2026 providing franchise-focused compensation insights across various roles to help organizations remain competitive in the talent market.

Quantifiable outcome

• Trusted by major franchise brands including Subway, Planet Fitness, and thousands of franchise operators for executive placement
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• PaidwellcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 January 2025Blue Rock Search collaborates with Paidwell on annual HR Executive Compensation Reports and Franchise Compensation Guides. Paidwell provides compensation technology and consulting expertise while Blue Rock contributes recruiting industry knowledge and data.
• Sanford Rose AssociatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlue Rock Search is an SRA Network member, part of the Sanford Rose Associates international network of executive search offices. The partnership provides access to shared resources, methodology, brand recognition, and network collaboration across the executive search industry.
• International Franchise Association (IFA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerBlue Rock Search is an IFA Supplier Forum member, participating in franchise industry events and leveraging IFA membership for marketing and lead generation within the franchise community.
• Hunt ScanlonmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerRecognized by Hunt Scanlon as a Top 10 global recruiting firm, included in HR/Diversity Recruiting Power rankings and Private Equity Power rankings. Hunt Scanlon recognition provides credibility and visibility in the executive search industry.
• CXPA (Customer Experience Professionals Association)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBlue Rock Search maintains membership and alignment with CXPA, the Customer Experience Professionals Association, supporting their CX executive search practice.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Korn Ferry: Large publicly-traded organizational consulting firm with a substantial executive search practice spanning C-suite, board, and functional leadership across industries. Overlaps with Blue Rock's HR, franchise, and PE leadership searches while also offering talent assessment and RPO services comparable to Blue Rock Human Capital's expanded offering.
• Egon Zehnder: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm with practices spanning consumer, financial services, education, and HR. Comparable to Blue Rock across C-suite and functional leadership searches, including Higher Education and PE-adjacent advisory work.
• Spencer Stuart: Premier global executive search firm focused on board, CEO, and senior leadership placements across industries. Comparable to Blue Rock on C-suite and functional leadership searches, with deep practice areas in consumer/retail and HR that overlap directly with Blue Rock's franchise and HR verticals.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search leader operating across all C-suite functions and industries. Comparable to Blue Rock as a C-suite and functional leadership search provider, though operating at much larger scale with broader geographic reach and a wider sector portfolio that includes the same franchise, PE, and HR practice areas Blue Rock serves.
• Russell Reynolds Associates: Global executive search firm with dedicated practices in consumer, financial services, and HR leadership. Comparable to Blue Rock's franchise/CX and HR executive search practices, operating at materially larger scale with global geographic footprint.

Direct peers

• DHR International: Boutique executive search firm with practice-area specialization across consumer/retail, HR, financial services, and PE-backed company leadership searches. Most directly comparable to Blue Rock in scale, multi-vertical practice structure, and enterprise retained-search go-to-market model.
• ON Partners: Boutique executive search firm specializing in technology, product, and PE-backed company leadership placements. Comparable to Blue Rock's PE executive search practice and growing tech/product functional leadership work, with similar enterprise field-sales model and retained engagement structure.
• Polachi: Boutique executive search firm specializing in technology, digital, and product leadership placements with a strong PE portfolio-company practice. Comparable to Blue Rock on multi-vertical practice structure and PE-backed leadership search, though with a more technology-weighted specialty mix.
• True Search: Boutique executive search firm focused on placing executives at PE-backed and growth-stage companies. Directly comparable to Blue Rock's Private Equity executive search practice, with similar retained-search model targeting PE portfolio companies and operating partners.

Others

• Sanford Rose Associates: International executive search network of which Blue Rock Search is a member firm. Related as a strategic/network partner providing methodology, branding, and cross-office collaboration rather than as a competitor; relevant for understanding Blue Rock's affiliation and access to shared resources.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BlueRock_Search
• Facebookfacebook.com/bluerocksearchllc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/blue-rock-search

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Blue Rock Search