Executive Search Consultant
Cultura | Executive Search
Cultura is a Top 15 Twin Cities based fully retained executive search firm (MSPBJ Book of Lists) that executes search work all over the US. The firm was founded in 2016 by Brian Peterson, who, after spending years in the search space both in large enterprise settings and boutique retained settings, saw a consistent and clear gap in the search industry as it became more and more transactional in nature. Brian envisioned a search firm which focused less on client or search volume, and rather, committed more time, energy, and resources to search execution, delivery excellence, and more meaningful outcomes on behalf of its clients. Cultura did just that, having developed an extremely comprehensive proprietary search execution methodology (PrecisionPath™) along with several key proprietary digital platforms to support search execution success. This foundational principle remains the driving force behind Cultura's continued growth, yielding unparalleled success metrics including a 100% search completion ratio, 90%+ placement retention rate, 56% diversity placement rate, and a 94% candidate experience rating of 5/5 stars.
After a decade of careful growth and foundation building, Cultura stands stronger than ever and is on the front end of a growth plan with aspirations to become a Top 50 Executive Search Firm in the US. The firm has carved out industry-based client portfolios across Industrial & Advanced Manufacturing, Consumer Markets, AEC, and Private Equity, while continuing to move "upstream" in the level at which it operates, maintaining an annual Average Placement Fee well into the six figures. Cultura has also established strong client relationships with several large global enterprise corporations in addition to many key middle market brands and PE firm groups across the country. Given this momentum, Cultura is now building and developing its central Search Delivery function, currently seeking its next Executive Search Consultant to join the team, focused on search execution in partnership with internal Practice Leaders and clients.
A Foundation you can build on
Getting a sense of the foundation that has been built prior to your arrival offers a lens through which you can see where your career may go.
Cultura
Cultura is one of the top fully retained executive search firms based in Minneapolis that does work across the US. We partner with middle-market and enterprise corporations mainly across 3 vertical categories - Consumer Markets (Retail/CPG/D2C), Industrial Markets (Advanced Manufacturers/Industrial Services), and Private Equity firms and their portfolio companies - to help them identify, engage with, and hire impactful senior executives and their senior leadership successors within the core business services functions of their organizations. Cultura's principals are exceptionally skilled at identifying and engaging non-active talent prospects by crafting compelling messages about our client's businesses and sharing them with a strategically targeted audience in a professional and polished but assertive way. Almost any search firm can "fill a job" - but Cultura's team does not believe that is enough. We go to enormous lengths to achieve the most impactful leadership hire possible for our clients, while crafting unforgettably positive executive candidate experiences. Cultura's disciplined philosophy of engaging with less clients and search activity, and instead, focusing on establishing highly intimate cross-functional client partnerships has allowed the firm to produce exceptional results in search delivery, diversity placements, retention rates, and more.
History
Cultura was founded nearly 10 years ago by Brian Peterson, Founder & Managing Partner, who was a strong performer in a broken industry and envisioned a search firm which focused less on client and search volume, and rather, offered a more dedicated service and comprehensive search execution model. Brian set out to build something special with the pure intention of shifting the soured reputation of the search industry. Each year, the firm has seen steady growth and strategic hiring decisions have been made to advance the practice while keeping company culture a top priority. In, 2021 Michael Tebon joined Cultura as the firms first Executive Search Consultant. This was a strategic hire made in an effort to allow the firm to grow its client base while not displacing its extremely high-touch search execution approach. Michael has helped us prove out the relative scalability of our search model. His presence has been instrumental in providing our firm clear opportunities for continued, steady growth. In 2023, Matt Jensen was hired as a Practice Leader to leverage his extensive background building executive search practices for fortune 500 enterprise corporations, particularly within Advanced Manufacturing and Industrial Markets, and to drive the continued growth of the firm's portfolio. Later that year, Emily Bryant was hired as Operations Manager to help bolster Cultura's delivery capability driving search operations, digital platform development, data entry, among many other initiatives. And in 2025, Cultura onboarded Laura Prebarich, a former Chief Talent Officer and long-term client of Cultura's, to build and develop the firm's position in the national Private Equity ecosystem. Having mindfully developed a mature internal structure with "Practice Leaders" driving business development, client management, marketing, and relationship management, coupled with a central Search Delivery team focused entirely on tactical search execution, Cultura is poised for hockey stick growth as it pursues its goal of becoming a Top 50 Executive Search Firm in the US.
Executive Search & Recruiting
The search industry has experienced tremendous growth on a global scale over the last decade, as the expectations of leadership talent become more and more stringent and as corporate competition for key executives has spiked dramatically. However, the industry is somewhat reputed for its outdated practices, its inability to truly align intimately with clients, and its lack of progressive up-and-coming personnel. As the baby boomer community continues to exit the workforce at significant rates, the executive search industry is ripe for the next generation of leaders to step up into the category and drive it forward in a new and exciting way. Cultura is extremely well-positioned for this shift and industry transformation as its team remains relatively earlier career, particularly compared to its direct competitors within the "fully retained", true executive search space. We consider ourselves well ahead of the curve, with tremendous runway and massive opportunities for marketshare grab. In addition, many organizations' key decision-makers seem to share the sentiment that large, global search firms (the largest 5 firms in the industry known as the "SHREK" firms) have begun to lose ground, moving slower, becoming too distracted by volume, while smaller agile firms, focused more on relational intimacy and execution, take their place. This sentiment shift is highly favorable to Cultura, and the team plans to take advantage of the moment.
Scale
Cultura has experienced impressive growth over the last handful of years, going from an independently run start-up in late 2016 to a ~$2M+ high-touch player and a top 15 Twin Cities based firm in just 10 years. Beginning with a single founder and a purpose-fueled vision, to becoming a reputable firm today with an agile and highly successful team of five, each bringing a diversity of experience and thought to the table, Cultura is entering a pivotal moment of next-stage growth and expansion. In addition to solid revenue growth, the company has made an intentional effort to slowly move "upstream" each year, focused on engaging with larger corporations at a higher level of seniority leading to higher fee and more strategic assignments. Today, Cultura's annual Average Placement Fee sits well into the six figures, and continues to grow steadily, leading to more strategic opportunities and a higher level of credibility within the industry. While Cultura is proud of where it stands today, its team is aspirationally focused on the firm's next 10 years and aims to become a Top 50 Executive Search firm in the US, with a $12M+ revenue target (in today's money) by 2037.
Our Values
Emphasis On Execution
Cultura's principals are well-aware of the importance of business development and marketing efforts. But we also understand the need for exceptional delivery and execution capabilities, and know that this is where its opportunity for true differentiation exists. We execute a performance-driven proprietary search execution model, ensuring our clients are delivered the best possible outcome. Through extensive analytical research, project planning, compelling storytelling, and digital asset creation, we have developed a scalable model centered on precision and delivery excellence.
People First
We are influential communicators, dynamic and convincing executive recruiters, and genuine counselors. However, what's most important through all of this is that we are transparent and honest with all our partners, which we believe creates the most compelling narratives. Our team believes in the power of "we" over "I", and understands that we must take care of each other to build real enterprise value.
Coachability
While we are on a journey of creating career paths and upward mobility over the long term, we all lead each other in certain ways. Cultura does not follow a strict ladder hierarchy, but rather a leadership sphere of influence. All of us are willing to be coachable, knowing there will always be something new to learn. Combining this humility with a healthy level of confidence creates a very dynamic environment positioning our firm for long-term success.
