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How to find a Unicorn: An Inside Look at Bespoke’s Executive Index

A Conversation with Bruno Kern, Research Operations Manager of Bespoke Partners

by Adam Boone, Bruno Kern

April 24, 2025,,,
How to find a Unicorn

In February 2025, we unveiled a game-changer in executive recruitment—the Bespoke Executive Index. After three years of research, development, and testing, it is now touted as the "industry's first AI-powered talent market mapping platform." The Executive Index has mapped and validated the backgrounds of over 670,000 software and SaaS executives, promising to cut search time by 15% while achieving an impressive 84% success rate in finding top-quality candidates.  

I recently sat down with Bruno Kern, Research Operations Manager, whose sole role revolves around the Executive Index. And rightfully so. The Executive Index has become a critical tool for our search team to deliver outstanding results for our Software and SaaS clients. From optimizing the system’s accuracy, to improving executive categorization, Bruno ensures the Executive Index evolves in a way that aligns with real-world software executive search needs. 

Here is a summary of our conversation:  

Boone:

Bruno, how do you personally optimize the Executive Index to enhance its value for Bespoke’s search team members tasked with finding those “unicorn candidates”? 

Bruno:

I focus on testing the Executive Index by using real search cases that our researchers encounter, ensuring it delivers the best possible results. I fine-tune parameters to optimize searches, refine how we identify step-up candidates, and improve methods for finding executives with specific private equity experience. 

I also work on expanding the index’s sector relationships to make adjacent searches more effective. A key part of my role involves meeting with researchers 1:1 to gather feedback, understanding their challenges, and developing complex solutions that enhance the Index’s accuracy and usability. 

Boone:

What has been the most impactful aspect of enhancing the Executive Index for our search team?

Bruno:

The most impactful and exciting part has been seeing how small refinements in the system can dramatically improve the accuracy and relevance of executive matches. Fine-tuning how we classify private equity, venture capital, and public company experience has been particularly rewarding, as it directly impacts how efficiently our team discovers top-tier candidates. It’s also been great to see users engage with the Index and validate that it’s making their workflows smoother and more insightful. 

Boone:

What has been the biggest challenge in optimizing the Executive Index?

Bruno:

Balancing accuracy, completeness, and usability. Ensuring that we capture executives with the right private equity and venture capital experience—while avoiding false positives—has required constant iteration. Refining scorecard flexibility so users can adjust parameters dynamically without overwhelming the system has also been a fun challenge to work through. While these have been challenging, they ultimately are always resolvable and help us improve the Executive Index. The result has been faster and more creative search solutions for our clients. 

Boone:

How successful has the Executive Index been thus far in finding qualified candidates? And how do you see it improving in 6 months to a year from now?

Bruno:

We are currently achieving an 84% hit rate, meaning we are finding qualified, best-in-class candidates for placements through this tool. That number alone reflects the significant progress we've made. This improvement is driven by ongoing team training, the launch of new features, and enhanced data quality, all of which are contributing to more accurate and reliable results.  

Over the next 6-12 months, I expect the Executive Index to improve through enhanced machine learning integration, smarter filters, and some net new features our team is pretty excited about. 

The Future of AI-Powered Executive Search

Since its launch, the Executive Index has transformed our recruitment process, dramatically reducing search time by surfacing high-quality candidates in record time. 

We’ve rapidly improved our ability to uncover hidden talent—executives who may not show up through traditional search methods but bring exactly the adjacent skills and experience our clients need. 

As we continue to refine the platform's algorithms and expand our data sources, the Executive Index isn't just changing how we work today—it's reshaping the entire landscape of executive recruitment for tomorrow. 

Watch the latest Tailored Talent 2-part series to learn more about Bespoke Partners Executive Index.

Adam Cover blue

Bespoke’s Executive Index: From the Universe to the Unicorns™ – Part 1

Bespoke's Executive Index: From the Universe to the Unicorns™ - Part 1

Adam Cover blue

Bespoke’s Executive Index: From the Universe to the Unicorns™ – Part 2

Bespoke's Executive Index: From the Universe to the Unicorns™ - Part 2

Want to learn how the Executive Index can transform your next search? Let's talk.


Reach out to our team today.

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Bespoke Partners Named in Top 10 of the “Top 49 Retained Executive Search” 2-Years Running by C-Suite CV Secure.

Authored by:

  • Boone
    Chief Marketing Officer

    Boone”has orchestrated strategy, launches and marketing programs for more than 100 products, services and ventures generating billions of dollars in revenue and many multiples of enterprise value. Sequoia Capital, Goldman Sachs, Greylock, Bessemer Ventures and other top tier private capital investors have backed Boone's companies in a range of sectors including software, telecommunications, cybersecurity, and networking.

    Boone has led marketing, demand generation, branding, product management, services marketing, or alliances marketing programs for numerous successful companies including Avaya-acquisition Sipera, Sequoia start-up Syndesis, Subex, CoManage, and others. He has driven joint marketing programs and go-to-market initiatives with iconic industry leaders including Microsoft, IBM, GE, AT&T, Oracle, Comcast, Cisco, Ciena and Samsung.

    Boone holds an MBA in Business Strategy from the WP Carey School of Business at Arizona State University and completed the Competitive Marketing Strategy Program at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

  • Research Operations Manager

    Bruno graduated from the University of San Diego, with a BBA in Finance and a minor in Supply Chain Management. During his time as a University student, Bruno served as a Board Member and later President of the International Student Organization at USD.

    Prior to joining Bespoke, Bruno has held internships working for private equity portfolio companies in Slovakia where he helped improve their product offering and provided consulting services on Exchange Traded Funds and Securities Lending.

    Later he interned as a research analyst at a boutique executive search firm where he helped execute searches for C-level executives and Vice President positions for Private Equity portfolio companies.

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