Executive Recruiting
for Small Business
We place GMs, COOs, and operations leaders who run the P&L like it's their own.
Veterans preferred. Results required. First intro in 7 days.
We're Not For
Every Company.
Who this is forYou must be ready to stop being the operator in your own business. If you want someone to manage tasks, hire a manager. If you want someone to own outcomes and grow your company, that is who we place.
A manager manages. An operator owns. Operators run P&L, drive sales, fulfill the work, and treat your P&L like it's theirs. The best ones are building toward ownership. That is what we recruit and what we place.
We are not a staffing agency. We do not dump resumes. We make introductions to operators we would hire ourselves.
Operations Director
Industries
We specialize in the sectors that form the backbone of the American economy.
Construction
Where operators build from the ground up.
Home Services
The businesses that keep America running.
Logistics
Speed, scale, and supply chain discipline.
Defense
No room for average.
Roles we place
Placing elite operators in pivotal roles.
Chief Executive Officer
Vision, Strategy & Culture.
Chief of Staff
Force multiplier for the CEO.
President
Execution, Growth & P&L.
Chief Operating Officer
Strategic scale & integrity.
GENERAL MANAGER
P&L owner. The intersection of Sales and Operations. The most important hire in a small business.
Our most common placement.
Revenue Command
VP of Sales
Revenue architecture.
Director of Sales
Market penetration.
Sales Manager
Frontline leadership.
Operations Command
VP of Operations
System integrity.
Director of Operations
Multi-site command.
Operations Manager
Tactical execution.
Don't see your role?
Get in touchHow It Works
Discrete. Curated. Operator-led. We introduce your first vetted operators in 7-14 days and place elite leadership in 14-60 days.
Intro call
Day 0We talk. You tell us about the role, your business, and what keeps you up at night. We tell you exactly how we work. If it is a fit on both sides, we sign a recruiting agreement and get moving.
Intake
Day 1-7We get into your operational gaps, growth stage, and culture. We do not start sourcing until we know exactly who we are looking for and why you have not found them on your own.
Shortlist
Day 7-14We make introductions, not resume drops. Every operator we present has been screened and interviewed by us. You only see people we would put in our own businesses.
Placement
Day 14-60Final interviews, offer, and placement. Our 180-day replacement guarantee starts on day one. We stay in contact through the transition.
Sometimes all four steps happen in the same week. We will always tell you where you are.
What clients say
"Nathan and team are the real deal when it comes to finding top talent. If you're on the hunt for top notch talent, look no further. Smooth Operators are seriously good at what they do."— Scott Titensor, President, Bart's Heating and Air
"Smooth Operators has been instrumental in our company's growth, filling multiple roles quickly. Easy decision to use them again."— DeMonty Marshall, Head of HR and Recruiting, Flow Service Partners
"Nathan took the time to figure out what we really needed. As a small business owner himself, I could talk to him about our challenges and he just got it immediately."— Mike Troughton, CEO of Athco LLC
Companies We Have Served
Total Veteran Placements
The Operator
I'm not a recruiter. I'm an operator who built a recruiting firm.
Before Smooth Operators existed, I spent two decades doing the work. Army combat veteran, six years active duty, two tours in Iraq. After the military I acquired five companies, built one from scratch and sold it, and grew an HVAC company from $58K in revenue to over $10M. I've hired more than 1,300 people across every level, managed P&Ls up to $220M, and led teams of up to 550. I know what a great operator looks like because I've been one, and I know what a bad hire costs because I've made that mistake too.
That experience is what Smooth Operators is built on. When you work with us, every candidate has been sourced, screened, and vetted by people who have actually run businesses like yours, not career recruiters reading a job description for the first time. 66% of our placements are veterans or veteran spouses, and we've filled roles from GM to COO across home services, construction, manufacturing, and skilled trades, most in under 45 days.
"If you want a seat-filler, go to a staffing agency. If you want a leader who will treat your P&L like it's theirs, we should talk."
The Headhunter
I am a career recruiter. I build teams that win.
I started in 2012 with no understanding of the industry, just the belief that I could compete and help people change their trajectory. Since then, I've placed over 500 professionals across executives, physicians, software engineers, finance leaders, and operators. I became the #1 producer in my vertical across 33 offices, built and led teams, and worked across tech and healthcare before focusing on operational leadership.
I come from a family of veterans, and while I didn't serve, Smooth Operators is how I give back, placing disciplined, mission-driven leaders into businesses that depend on execution.
I met Nathan through a mutual friend. Our first call lasted two hours while he was building Smooth Operators from the ground up. I watched what he was building for a year and a half. In true headhunter fashion, I went after him and earned my seat. I joined in June 2024 and am now a Founding Partner. Today, I work with founders and ownership groups in blue-collar, operationally intensive industries to place leaders who execute, not just interview well.
"I watched what Nathan was building for a year and a half. In true headhunter fashion, I went after him and earned my seat."
Insights
Lessons from the field. Hiring strategies and operator insights.
How to Hire a General Manager for Your SMB
The GM is the most important hire in a small business. Here's the playbook: what to look for, what to avoid, and how to structure the first 90 days.
What Is an Operator? (And What Isn't)
An operator is a P&L owner. They sit at the intersection of sales and operations, treat the business as theirs, and make the numbers move. Here's what that actually means—and why it matters for your hire.
When's the Right Time to Hire an Operator for Your Business?
If you're feeling stretched, stuck in the weeds, or like your business can't grow without you — it might be time to hire an operator. Here's how to know for sure.
FAQ
Common questions. Straight answers.