Market Map, Then Go a Layer Deeper
Start from the best companies for a skill, but never assume a great logo means a great individual.
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 3
- Confidence
- 88%
Ipsen's sourcing method starts with market mapping — identifying which companies are best in a specific area (e.g., sales, ads) — then deliberately going a layer deeper to find the genuine top performers inside, because every strong org still has weak links and people who merely rode the wave. It's a corrective to the 'poach from the famous team' shortcut.
Origin
Lauren Ipsen, responding to a poaching tactic Lenny attributes to Gokul Rajaram (target the company known for a skill, then poach the lieutenant types, not the head).
Core principles
- 01Great companies contain both breakout top-1% individuals and people who simply rode the wave
- 02A brand on the resume at the right time is a starting signal, not proof
- 03Always start with which companies are best, then take it a layer deeper into individuals
How to run it
- 1
Market map the skill
Determine which companies are genuinely the best within the specific area you're hiring for (sales, ads, growth, etc.).
Pro tip Ask investors and board members who's great if you lack the domain network yourself.
- 2
Target the executors, not just the head
Within a strong org, look at the lieutenant-type performers who actually did the work, not only the most senior title.
Watch out Even an 'incredibly good at sales' org has weak links — presence on the team is not a guarantee of quality.
- 3
Verify the individual a layer deeper
Spend time identifying who the genuine top people are inside the company rather than over-generalizing from the team's reputation.
Pro tip Beware statements like 'Amazon's Prime team at this time was amazing' — that generalizes a brand onto every individual.
Watch out Don't assume someone with an awesome logo is going to be great — sometimes yes, not always.
In the wild
Ipsen notes founders over-generalize: 'Amazon's Prime team at this time was amazing' — but that team, like any, had breakout top performers and others who reached the benefits of being at the right place at the right time.
→ Treating the whole team as uniformly elite leads to mis-hires; going a layer deeper into individuals avoids it.
Common mistakes
Assuming a famous logo equals a great hire
A brand on the resume at the right time can reflect luck and timing rather than individual excellence, so a great logo is a starting place, not a verdict.
Poaching from a strong team without going deeper
Because every strong org has weak links, targeting 'anyone from that team' without identifying the actual top performers imports the wave-riders along with the stars.
Is it for you?
Best for
Recruiters and founders sourcing for a specific functional skill where certain companies are known leaders
Not ideal for
Roles where no clear best-in-class companies exist or the skill is too novel to market-map
From the transcript
“we always start with Market mapping so determining who the best companies are within a specific area and then I just encourage everyone to take…”
“you always have weak links and just because someone has a brand on their resume at the right time”
“other individuals that get to ride the wave and reach the benefits of being at the right place at the right time”
“don't assume someone that has an awesome logo is going to be great but sometimes there there's”
From the episode
Lessons from one of the world’s top executive recruiters
Lauren Ipsen (Daversa Partners, General Catalyst)