People ATXOn avg <20 days to finalist slateRetained Executive SearchOn avg 92% offer acceptanceAustin, TX30+ Years Behind the DeskVC Firms & Portfolio CompaniesAI Consulting for People TeamsPeople ATXOn avg <20 days to finalist slateRetained Executive SearchOn avg 92% offer acceptanceAustin, TX30+ Years Behind the DeskVC Firms & Portfolio CompaniesAI Consulting for People Teams
Retained Executive Search · Austin, TX

We place the leaders
who define
what’s possible.

People ATX is a retained executive search firm built for founders, operators, and the companies they’re building. C-suite. VP-level. Board. We find the leaders who make the difference — and we stay until they succeed.

30+
Years behind the desk
<20
On avg: days to finalist slate
92%
On avg: offer acceptance rate
12mo
Placement guarantee
30+ Years Behind the Desk
•
North America · Latin America · MEIA
•
12-Month Placement Guarantee
•
Austin, Texas

What we do.

Three practices. One standard.

Three focused practices. One firm. Built to work for you.

Executive Search
Executive Recruiting

VC-backed and high-growth companies deserve leaders who match their velocity. C-suite. VP-level. Board. We find the leaders who make the difference.

EXPLORE →
Academy
Insider Academy

Career development and AI fluency programs for professionals who refuse to be left behind. Two tracks, built by people inside the process for thirty years.

EXPLORE →
AI Consulting
AI Transformation & Change Management

For companies implementing talent technology without an internal change management function. We make adoption happen.

EXPLORE →
Andrés Traslaviña
Andrés Traslaviña
Co-Founder · Specialized Executive Search

Before he ever sat behind a recruiting desk, Andrés was a Colombian kid figuring out how America worked. He interned at Disney World while his classmates were still picking their majors. He lived in Japan. Twenty-five years later he has learned that real human connection is the only thing that survives every wave of technology that promises to make people unnecessary.

Jami Adkins
Jami Adkins
Co-Founder · Leadership Development

Jami graduated and walked straight into a branch manager seat at Adecco. No warm-up. No assistant title. From Green Leaf Search Group to Senior TA Manager at Office Depot, talent and diversity leader at Amazon, and executive search at Whole Foods Market. She knows what the people screening your resume are actually thinking.

The visible job market
is the leftover market.

Get in Touch

Let’s talk about
what you are building.

Whether it is an active search, a transition you are navigating, or a people strategy that needs a second opinion — 20 minutes is enough to know if this is a fit.

Tatiana@peopleatx.com
737-900-1715

Executive Search

About the Firm

The most important decision
isn't which product to build.
It's who builds it.

People ATX is a retained executive search firm built on 30 years behind the desk — across startups, enterprise, and every room where talent decisions get made. We are not a database. We own the outcome, and stay engaged through 360 days post-placement to make sure the leader and the company succeed together.

We are Austin-based by design. This city is not a backdrop — it is the engine. We have watched Austin grow from a creative outlier into one of the most dynamic talent markets in the country, and we are wired into every corner of it: the founders building on South Congress, the operators scaling on the east side, the funds writing checks from the Domain. We love the energy, the collision of ambition and community that defines this place. We bring that insider knowledge to every search we run.

30+ years behind the desk North America & EMEA 12-month placement guarantee Austin, TX
Who We Serve

Built exclusively for
the venture world.

Three client types. One standard of execution. Every engagement gets the same complete focus and full-stack process — no exceptions.

VC Firms & GPs

Managing partners and GPs who need internal talent — Associates, Principals, Partners, Platform Heads — or who are hiring into portfolio companies and need a search partner who understands the fund's thesis and the portfolio's needs.

Portfolio Companies

Series A through D companies making the high-stakes executive hires that determine whether the business scales or stalls. We understand cap tables, runway pressure, and what a board expects from a new C-suite leader inside a VC-backed company.

Startups & Founders

Founders making their first leadership hires — the VP of Engineering, the first Head of Sales, the CFO before a Series B. We advise on the profile, map the market, and run the full process so you can stay focused on building the business.

The Selection Blueprint

Seven stages.
Most firms run three.

The first 360 days after placement are where the hire is won or lost. We run all seven stages — because placement is not the finish line.

01AttractionMarket mapping. Reach the ones not looking.
02QualificationSeparate credentials from capability.
03RecruitingBuild the case. Earn the conversation.
04SelectionStructured assessment. No gut calls.
05HiringOffer managed. 92% acceptance rate.
06Onboarding90-day integration. We stay engaged.
07Growth180 & 360-day check-ins.
What We Do

Search. And everything
the search depends on.

Retained executive search is the core. Organizational consulting is what makes it last. Every service is tied to one outcome: the right person, in the right role, thriving.

C-Suite Search

CEO, COO, CFO, CTO, CMO, CPO. The foundational hires that determine whether a company scales or stalls. We place leaders who understand what it means to operate inside a VC-backed business.

VP-Level Placement

VP Engineering, Sales, Marketing, Finance, Product, and People. Leaders who build and run your functions — and who can move fast in an environment where the org chart changes quarterly.

Board & Independent Directors

Board members with operator credibility, sector expertise, and the governance instincts your investors want to see at the table.

Organizational Design

Structure built around your stage. From the first leadership hire to scaling a function from scratch — we help you design the org before you hire into it.

Compensation & Total Rewards

Comp structures that attract and retain — especially for first-time CEOs, CMOs, and executive leaders at companies where equity is a key part of the conversation.

Talent Management

Assessment frameworks, succession planning, and the vision-values exercises that anchor every selection decision we make. The tools that turn good hiring into organizational capability.

Why Retained

Not contingency.
Not shared.

"Contingency firms share your role with competitors and deliver whoever's available — not whoever's best."
Full Network, Full Attention

Retained search means our entire sourcing infrastructure is dedicated to your role — not shared across competing firms working the same passive pipeline.

Accountable for Outcome

We are your partner, not a vendor. We're accountable for the quality of the hire — not just the volume of activity generated against your req.

Access to Passive Talent

The best executives aren't on job boards. They're in our network — built over 30 years. Retained search is the only model that gets you real access to people who aren't looking.

Backed by Guarantee

Our 12-month replacement guarantee isn't a policy. It's confidence in our judgment — and accountability when it matters most.

Our Brand Promise

"When you work with People ATX —
whether you are the GP who needs their next portfolio CEO,
or the operator deciding whether to make the biggest career move of your life —
you will be treated as the most important person in the room."

Not because it is good business. Because it is the right thing to do.
Trusted. Elite. Honest. Yours.

Retained Only
<20 Day Slate
Both Sides Served
12-Month Guarantee
Get in Touch

Let's talk about
your next hire.

Whether you have an active search, a role coming down the pipeline, or you simply want to understand what retained search could do for your portfolio — 20 minutes is enough to know if this is a fit.

Tatiana@peopleatx.com
+1 (737) 900-1715
Austin, TX · North America & EMEA
We work with a limited number of clients at any given time to ensure every search gets the full attention it deserves. If the timing is right, we move fast.

Executive Recruiting

Leaders who move at
the speed of venture.

We find the right leader — not the most available one. Retained search only. No contingency. No shortcuts.

Retained
Search Model

We don’t work contingency. Your leadership hire is too important for a transactional approach. Full commitment from day one.

Senior
Partner-Led

Every search is led by a senior partner — not handed to a junior associate. Direct access and honest market intelligence.

90-Day
Onboarding Support

Go-live isn’t the finish line. We stay with every placement through the first 90 days to make sure the landing holds.

VC-backed companies operate at a cadence traditional firms weren’t built for.

Runway matters. Board timelines matter. Cultural fit at speed matters. People ATX was built inside this world. We understand the difference between a Series A operator and a Series C scaler.

Our network is built around the Austin ecosystem and extends nationally. We go to the talent. We don’t wait for them to come to us.

What We Place
  • › Chief Executive Officer
  • › Chief People Officer / CHRO
  • › VP of People & Talent
  • › Head of Recruiting / TA
  • › Chief Operating Officer
  • › VP of Engineering / CTO
  • › Chief Revenue Officer / VP Sales
  • › Chief Marketing Officer
  • › Chief Financial Officer
The People ATX Difference

We run a boutique practice by design. Every search is led by a senior partner with direct accountability to the client. No bait-and-switch. No junior hand-offs. Thirty-plus years of pattern recognition and a team invested in your outcome — not just the placement fee.

Our Process
  • › Discovery & role definition workshop
  • › Market mapping & competitive analysis
  • › Proactive outreach to passive candidates
  • › Structured interview & assessment
  • › Reference verification & background screening
  • › Offer strategy & negotiation support
  • › 90-day onboarding partnership
Who We Serve
  • › Seed through Series D startups
  • › Private equity portfolio companies
  • › Founder-led growth companies
  • › Companies scaling through M&A
  • › Organizations building their first People function
  • › VC-backed companies with board mandates

Ready to find your
next executive?

Start with a conversation about your company, your goals, and who you need to get there.

Start a Search

Let’s talk about
your next hire.

Whether you have an active search, a role coming down the pipeline, or you want to understand what retained search could do for your portfolio — 20 minutes is enough to know.

Tatiana@peopleatx.com
737-900-1715

Insider Academy

Don’t get replaced.
Drive.

The recruiter on the other side of your resume already knows how this works. Most candidates don’t. That asymmetry is the gap we close. Two course tracks. Built by people who’ve sat on both sides of the desk for thirty years.

Hosted on Systeme.io
All Insider Academy courses are delivered through Systeme.io. Each card below links to the enrollment page — full curriculum, pricing, and sign-up. This page gives you the overview. Systeme.io gives you access.

Track 01

Career Development

Practical frameworks for HR and People professionals ready for more strategic, senior roles.
Career Development
From HR Generalist to Strategic Partner
Break out of the transactional HR box. Position yourself at the leadership table and influence decisions that move companies forward.
Coming Soon
Career Development
Building Your Personal Brand in HR
In a crowded market, visibility is a career strategy. Craft a professional presence that attracts opportunities — not just applications.
Coming Soon
Career Development
Navigating the Executive Job Search
The rules change at the VP and C-suite level. Learn how retained search works and how to negotiate your next offer with confidence.
Coming Soon
Career Development
Leading High-Performance People Teams
The operational, cultural, and strategic fundamentals of building a People function the business actually respects.
Coming Soon
Track 02

AI Insider

Purpose-built AI literacy for HR professionals. Not tech theory — practical tools you can use starting Monday.
AI Insider
AI for HR: The Foundations
Demystify AI for the People function. Understand what AI can and can’t do, and how to evaluate tools without getting sold something you don’t need.
Coming Soon
AI Insider
Automating Recruiting with AI
Sourcing to scheduling — the AI tools worth using, how to implement fast, and how to stay on the right side of hiring bias law.
Coming Soon
AI Insider
AI-Powered Employee Experience
How AI is reshaping onboarding, engagement, and retention — and how to design journeys that feel personal even when powered by automation.
Coming Soon
AI Insider
Prompting for People Leaders
The most practical AI skill you’re not practicing. Write prompts that produce usable output — job descriptions, policies, candidate analysis.
Coming Soon
The First Move

Free guide — coming soon

Job search fundamentals for an AI-disrupted world. The map before the journey.

The Seminar Series

Limited enrollment

Live sessions — compensation literacy, the hidden market, leadership track decisions.

One on One

By application only

Two sessions with Andrés or Jami. Your story, your market, your strategy.

Interested in Early Access?

Courses launch soon.
Get notified first.

Drop us a note and we will let you know when the first track opens. Early access goes to the list before it goes anywhere else.

Mission · Vision · Values

The right person in the right role
changes everything.

"Trusted Insider. Quietly Elite. Both Sides, Always."

Our Mission · For Clients

VC Firms & Portfolio Companies

We commit fully to every search — no shared pipelines, no contingency races. We bring deep sector fluency and a career of executive recruiting expertise to a single question: who is exactly right for this role at this precise moment in this company's life?

We move fast because we've already mapped your market. We present fewer names because every one is someone we can genuinely defend. And we stay engaged through the first 90 days — because a placement is only a success when the person is thriving.

Our Mission · For Candidates

Executives & Emerging Leaders

Candidates deserve the same quality of service as clients. That means telling you the truth about a role — including when it isn't right for you. It means sharing the market intelligence that helps you negotiate with clarity and confidence.

People ATX is your insider. We know what boards are actually looking for, what the culture is really like before you walk through the door, and what the comp market looks like at your level. We share that knowledge freely — because informed candidates make better decisions, and better decisions make better leaders.

Our Vision

Not the biggest firm.
The most trusted one.

To become the most trusted name in executive talent for the venture capital world — known not just for the leaders we place, but for the careers we shape and the firms we strengthen.

To connect exceptional talent with the companies and funds that will define the next era of venture-backed innovation — with the honesty, precision, and insider knowledge that changes lives and builds legacies.

People ATX is building toward that vision deliberately — by staying narrow, going deep, and never compromising the quality of a single search for the scale of the business.

01
Stay Narrow. Go Deep.

We will never be a generalist firm. The depth of our VC-ecosystem focus is the source of every competitive advantage we have.

02
Raise the Standard.

We measure success by the quality of placements and the strength of relationships — not the volume of searches closed or fees billed.

03
Expand Access.

The insider advantage People ATX holds should extend to exceptional candidates at every background — not just those already in the room.

Our Core Values

Six standards. Non-negotiable.

These are not aspirations. They are the standards to which we hold ourselves every day — with clients, with candidates, with each other, and with the market we serve.

I

Honesty Before Comfort

"We say the hard thing. Every time."

We tell a client when a candidate isn't the right fit — even when it costs us the engagement. We tell a candidate when a role is wrong for them — even when they want to hear otherwise. Honesty is not a value we perform. It is the baseline from which all trust is built.

II

Insider Knowledge, Openly Shared

"Access is not a privilege. It's a responsibility."

We know the comp ranges. The culture signals. Which funds are deploying with conviction and which are struggling quietly. That knowledge has historically been leverage. At People ATX, we share it — freely, with every client and every candidate.

III

Both Sides, Equally

"We serve clients. We serve candidates. We do not choose."

The search industry is structurally biased toward clients. People ATX rejects that model. The candidate experience is not a courtesy. It is a signal of everything we stand for. When a candidate feels genuinely seen, they become a better hire.

IV

Precision Over Volume

"Three names who are right. Not twenty who are available."

Every finalist is fully vetted — behaviorally, technically, culturally, and referencially. We do not pad slates to appear thorough. We do not advance candidates to hit a milestone. Our reputation is built on the quality of the names we put in rooms.

V

Speed Without Shortcuts

"Urgency is real. So are standards."

VC-backed companies operate on compressed timelines. We built our process — market mapping, candidate relationships, outreach infrastructure — specifically to move faster than the market without cutting corners. Under 20 days is an operational commitment.

VI

Accountability Through the Close

"Our work is done when the leader is thriving."

We stay engaged through onboarding. We check in at 30, 60, and 90 days. We back every C-suite and board placement with a 12-month guarantee — not as a contractual provision, but as an expression of confidence in our process and our judgment.

The Team

Thirty years behind the desk.
Two people who never forgot
what it costs to get a hire wrong.

Every search at People ATX is led by someone who has sat across from the candidate, read the room, and made the call. No hand-offs. No junior staff running your search.

Andrés Traslaviña
Andrés Traslaviña
Partner and Co-Founder

Before he ever sat behind a recruiting desk, Andrés was a Colombian kid trying to figure out how America worked. He interned at Disney World while his classmates were still picking their majors. He lived in Japan. He learned early that real human connection is the only thing that survives every economic wave and every technology that promises to make people unnecessary.

Thirty years later, that hasn't changed. He has placed senior leaders at companies most people recognize. He has sat across from thousands of candidates, the ones who got the job and the ones who didn't, and he has seen exactly what made the difference. It was almost never the resume.

International recruiting Organizational design Structured talent assessments Leadership succession planning
andres@peopleatx.com
Now Available
HAMBRE — The Latin American Professional's Edge
↗
Jami Adkins
Jami Adkins
Partner and Co-Founder

Jami graduated and walked straight into a branch manager seat at Adecco. No warm-up. No assistant title. No one holding her hand. She learned how hiring actually works before most of her peers had written their first cover letter.

From Adecco to Ajilon, then six years as managing partner at Green Leaf Search Group running executive search placements across engineering, finance, and sales. Then the corporate side: Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition at Office Depot, talent and diversity leader at Amazon, and executive search placements across some of the most competitive hiring environments in the country. Jami knows what the people screening your resume are actually thinking. And it is not what career centers are teaching.

Leadership development Leadership retention Executive coaching Talent strategy
jami@peopleaxt.com
AI Transformation & Change Management

New technology.
Human adoption.

You bought the software. Now you need people to actually use it. We make that happen — without the chaos that usually comes with it.

01
Service Area

AI & Talent Tech Implementation

We help you select, configure, and launch the right technology for your stage — without over-engineering or wasting months in analysis paralysis.

02
Service Area

Change Management Strategy

Most implementations fail in adoption, not installation. We embed the people-side strategy from day one — communications, training, resistance planning, manager enablement.

03
Service Area

Ongoing Optimization

Technology evolves. So do your needs. Fractional and retainer-based support so your tools keep delivering ROI long after go-live.

Built for companies growing faster
than their infrastructure.

Startups & Scale-ups (25–500 employees)

Implementing your first ATS, HRIS, or performance platform without a change management lead. We step in as your fractional function.

Companies adopting AI tools for the first time

Your team is skeptical, managers aren’t bought in, and your rollout is at risk. We build the trust and capability required for real adoption.

HR teams without a dedicated People Ops function

You have the tools — or you’re about to — but not the bandwidth to manage the change. We do it with you, not for you.

Organizations replacing legacy systems

Migrations are where morale goes to die if managed poorly. We specialize in transitions that keep employees engaged and leaders confident.

How We Work
01
Discovery

We assess your current state — tools, processes, culture, and readiness — to understand what you’re working with and where the risk points are.

02
Strategy

We co-create a change roadmap for your timeline, budget, and people involved. No templates. No copy-paste.

03
Activation

We execute alongside your team — communications, training, manager enablement, and real-time problem solving as issues arise.

04
Sustain

Go-live isn’t the finish line. We track adoption and optimize until the technology is embedded in how people actually work.

Engagement Models

Project, Retainer, or Fractional

We work on a project, retainer, or fractional basis. Most engagements run 60–180 days, though we offer rapid-assessment sprints for companies in early implementation. Reach out and we’ll scope something that fits.

Let’s Build Something

Tell us where your
process needs work.

No pitch deck. Just a conversation about where AI can actually help — and where your team does not need it yet. We will be direct.

Tatiana@peopleatx.com
737-900-1715