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This episode is brought to you by Mission One, an executive search and advisory firm helping leadership teams make high-stakes hires with clarity, precision and long-term impact.
To learn more about how we support senior hiring beyond the podcast, visit our website (https://missionone.io/) and connect with us.

FAQs

Q: Why is hiring a product leader one of the most critical decisions a mobile gaming company can make?
A: Because product leadership sits at the center of how a game actually succeeds. In mobile gaming, the product function blends game design, data science, live operations, and monetization strategy. The right leader can transform a struggling title into a breakout hit or scale a promising concept into a global franchise. The wrong hire, however, can stall product momentum and misdirect an entire roadmap.

Q: What makes product leadership in gaming different from traditional tech product roles?
A: Gaming product leaders operate in a hybrid discipline. Unlike traditional SaaS product management, gaming product leaders must balance creative judgment with deep analytical thinking. They’re responsible for understanding player behavior, retention curves, monetization mechanics, and live game economies, while also collaborating closely with designers, engineers, and marketing teams to shape the player experience.

Q: What does it mean to identify “needle-movers” versus “passengers” in gaming leadership?
A: Many executives are associated with successful games, but not all of them actually drove the success. “Needle-movers” are leaders who directly influenced key outcomes such as retention, monetization, and long-term engagement. “Passengers,” on the other hand, were present during a successful run but may not have been responsible for the growth. Distinguishing between the two requires careful analysis of a game’s lifecycle, deep industry references, and strong network intelligence.

Q: Why can rapid growth metrics be misleading when evaluating product leaders?
A: Hypergrowth often reflects timing, market dynamics, or a strong underlying concept rather than individual leadership impact. Some of the most capable product leaders demonstrate their value by stabilizing declining games, improving retention, or managing complex transitions. Those achievements reveal strategic discipline, operational clarity, and resilience that raw growth metrics may overlook.

Q: Where are the world’s top mobile gaming product leaders actually based?
A: The talent pool is far more global than many companies assume. While Silicon Valley remains influential, many of the best gaming product leaders operate in international hubs across Europe and Asia where major mobile studios have grown. Companies that restrict their search geographically often miss a significant portion of the available talent.

Q: Why are exceptional gaming product leaders so rare?
A: The role itself is relatively young. Modern gaming product leadership emerged during the rise of social gaming and free-to-play mobile titles roughly 15–20 years ago. Because the discipline is so specialized and still evolving, the number of leaders who have repeatedly built, scaled, and operated successful live games remains very small.

Q: What should companies be willing to flex on to secure top product talent?
A: Companies often need to be flexible on structure, scope, or compensation to secure truly elite leaders. When a product executive has demonstrated the ability to materially influence the success of major titles, the upside they create can far outweigh the cost of the hire. The key is recognizing generational talent early and moving decisively when you find it.

Episode Resources:

Mission One: The Executive Edge is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Mission One: The Executive Edge is brought to you by Mission One. They ensure founders and senior leaders make the most important hires they’ll ever make across consumer tech, AI, gaming, and entertainment.

If you’re building your leadership team or considering your next move to the C-suite, connect with Gerard Miles or Dan Hampton on LinkedIn, or visit missionone.io/contact-us.

FAQs:

1. What is the purpose of referencing in an executive hiring process?
Referencing validates your instincts, confirms the candidate’s real impact and uncovers red (or yellow) flags. It’s a critical final lens before making an offer.

2. What’s the difference between formal and back-channel references?
Formal references are provided by the candidate; back-channel references involve discreet outreach to mutual contacts not on their list. Remember, both must be handled  VERY carefully and confidentially.

3. What are common mistakes to avoid when back-channel referencing?
Never contact someone at the candidate’s current employer without their express permission. Mishandling confidentiality can damage trust and completely jeopardize the hire.

4. How should compensation expectations be handled with executive candidates?
Discuss expectations early and understand what they truly value - cash, equity or flexibility. Top-tier talent often commands premium compensation, so be sure to have those conversations.

5. How should an executive offer be delivered?
Always present the offer verbally first, walk through the details clearly and then follow up immediately in writing. Keep the tone neutral and leave room for questions.

6. How can hiring managers support onboarding during long notice periods?
Maintain consistent communication, invite them into team interactions and assign a go-to contact. Early engagement prevents silence and accelerates day-one impact.

Episode Resources:

Mission One: The Executive Edge is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Mission One: The Executive Edge is brought to you by Mission One. They ensure founders and senior leaders make the most important hires they’ll ever make across consumer tech, AI, gaming, and entertainment.
If you’re building your leadership team or considering your next move to the C-suite, connect with Gerard Miles or Dan Hampton on LinkedIn, or visit missionone.io/contact-us.

FAQs:

1. What’s the biggest hiring mistake a company can make?
The biggest mistake is letting "perfect" kill "good” - essentially, waiting for a perfect candidate can cause you to lose a solid fit, costing valuable time and talent

2. What is the ideal length for interviews in the hiring process?
First-round interviews should be at least one hour long to ensure sufficient time to assess both candidate fit and relationship building. Nothing meaningful happens in 30 minutes.

3. Repetitions can turn potential hires off. How can they be avoided in the hiring process, though?
Pre-interview alignment meetings with interviewers, clear role-specific focuses and shared scorecards can prevent repetitive questions and improve interview efficiency.

4. Is speed important in the hiring process; what if it becomes too rushed?
Speed is a competitive advantage; a slow process increases the risk of candidates accepting offers elsewhere. Aim to complete the hiring process within 2-3 weeks.

5. Is it important to switch up the company pitch per interviewee?
Absolutely, yes. Listen to what excites candidates about their next opportunity, and adapt your pitch based on their specific motivations - whether it's equity, career growth or company culture.

6. What is the best way to set up one’s interview structure for success?
Strategically involve stakeholders early, ensure alignment among interviewers and use a shared evaluation scorecard to maintain consistency throughout the hiring process.

Episode Resources:

Mission One: The Executive Edge is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.

Mission One: The Executive Edge is brought to you by Mission One. They ensure founders and senior leaders make the most important hires they’ll ever make across consumer tech, AI, gaming, and entertainment.

FAQs

Q: Where should hiring managers start when building a target list?
A: Start with competitors and adjacent companies solving the same problem. This grounds the search in reality. Once the obvious options are covered properly, you can expand creatively into adjacent industries facing similar challenges, but skipping the basics usually weakens credibility early.

Q: Why does quality outreach outperform high-volume messaging in executive hiring?
A: Because senior candidates are inundated with generic messages and quickly filter them out. Ten well-researched, thoughtful messages to the right people often generate more real conversations than hundreds of templated pings. At this level, relevance and credibility drive response, not persistence.

Q: What is the “Russian doll” approach to candidate targeting?
A: It’s a method of narrowing focus through multiple layers - company, time period, product, geography, team, and reporting line, until you identify the two to four individuals who actually drove meaningful outcomes. This prevents wasted effort on large lists where most candidates were peripheral to the success you want to replicate.

Q: Why does time period matter more than job title in executive searches?
A: Because leaders who solved a problem at the right stage are often more relevant than those holding senior titles today. Someone who built systems during a company’s early growth phase may be a far better fit than someone managing mature operations at scale.

Q: How should hiring teams think about outreach when candidates aren’t actively looking?
A: As relationship-building, not transaction-making. Today’s “not looking” executive may be tomorrow’s hire or your best referral. Thoughtful outreach that shows genuine understanding creates trust and keeps doors open long after a specific role is filled.

Episode Resources:

Mission One: The Executive Edge is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.

Mission One: The Executive Edge is brought to you by Mission One. They ensure founders and senior leaders make the most important hires they’ll ever make across consumer tech, AI, gaming, and entertainment.

If you’re building your leadership team or considering your next move to the C-suite, connect with Gerard Miles or Dan Hampton on LinkedIn, or visit missionone.io/contact-us.

FAQs

Q: Why does every executive search need to start with the problem, not the job description?
A: Because JDs and titles describe hierarchy, not outcomes. Starting with the real problem forces stakeholders to align on what the role must fix, build, or unlock. Without that clarity, scorecards drift, interviews become inconsistent and even strong hires struggle to succeed, while a well-defined problem shapes the entire search.

Q: How should companies think about reshaping a role instead of replacing a person?
A: Hiring is a rare moment to step back and reassess what the business actually needs next. Rather than recreating the previous role, leaders should ask whether the company’s challenges, strategy, or team gaps have changed and design the role accordingly. This first-principles approach leads to better long-term outcomes.

Q: Why is stakeholder alignment so critical to the executive hiring process?
A: Misaligned stakeholders create confusion for candidates and increase the risk of late-stage rejection. Clear alignment ensures everyone evaluates candidates against the same criteria and avoids hidden vetoes or political dynamics. It also improves the candidate experience and protects strong hires from being derailed by internal agendas.

Q: Why do the best executives take calculated career risks rather than seeking comfort?
A: Real career acceleration usually happens in environments with ambiguity, pressure, and opportunity. High-comfort roles often limit growth, slow decision-making, and reduce ownership. Executives who embrace discomfort like turnarounds, scaling challenges, or under-resourced teams, create more opportunities to demonstrate impact and grow faster.

Q: How should candidates use metrics without being misinterpreted?
A: Metrics only matter when paired with context. Raw numbers can mislead if market conditions, competitive dynamics, or sector-wide trends aren’t explained. By framing performance relative to the environment such as outperforming peers during a downturn, candidates turn numbers into credible proof of leadership and judgment.

Q: Why do questions matter more than answers in executive interviews?
A: The quality of a candidate’s questions reveals how they think, prioritize, and prepare. Insightful questions show strategic depth, curiosity, and an understanding of the business beyond the job description. Strong questioning often distinguishes candidates who can operate at the executive level from those who simply meet the requirements.

Q: Why does instinct still play a role in final executive hiring decisions?
A: Even with rigorous processes and data, leadership hiring is ultimately about future potential and working dynamics. Instinct helps decision-makers assess trust, alignment, and long-term fit, especially when choosing between equally qualified candidates. When backed by strong fundamentals, gut judgment remains a valid and necessary part of executive hiring

Episode Resources:

Mission One: The Executive Edge is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.

Mission One: The Executive Edge is brought to you by Mission One. They ensure founders and senior leaders make the most important hires they’ll ever make across consumer tech, AI, gaming, and entertainment.

If you’re building your leadership team or considering your next move to the C-suite, connect with Gerard Miles or Dan Hampton on LinkedIn, or visit missionone.io/contact-us.

FAQs

Q: Why start with the real problem behind the role?
A: Because every search depends on knowing exactly what the role must fix or deliver. Without this, stakeholders talk past each other, scorecards drift, and candidates receive mixed signals. A clear problem definition shapes the brief, the evaluation, and the type of leader who will genuinely succeed.

Q: How can hiring managers prevent mission creep?
A: By editing ruthlessly. Separate essentials from preferences, limit the criteria to what drives results in the next 12–24 months, and set boundaries early. This measure keeps the role realistic and prevents teams from chasing a profile no one in the market matches.

Q: Why speak with “archetype” candidates before launching a full search?
A: These early conversations test whether your expectations align with market reality. They reveal if the role is structured correctly, if the capability demands are reasonable, and which candidates would actually be interested. Many teams refine or reshape the brief entirely after this step.

Q: How should leaders involve stakeholders without slowing the process?
A: Define roles clearly. Decide who advises, who interviews, and who makes the final call. Subordinates can share perspective but should not choose their future manager. Structure avoids hidden vetoes, contradictory feedback, and last-minute blockers that frustrate strong candidates.

Q: What makes a strong scorecard?
A: Four or five criteria tied to the real outcomes of the next 12–24 months, each defined with clear evidence of what “good” looks like. A well-built scorecard clarifies trade-offs, prevents decisions based on preference or personal style, and gives leaders a grounded way to explain choices to boards or investors. It becomes the anchor that keeps the search disciplined from start to finish.

Q: Do job descriptions still matter for senior roles?
A: They matter selectively. Job descriptions can help communicate expectations, especially for candidates who prepare deeply. However, they can also mislead if they are generic, inflated, or overly detailed. For senior hires, conversation often provides more clarity than a static document, and in sensitive searches, publishing a JD may reveal too much to the market. The strongest processes use JDs as reference points, not constraints.

Episode Resources:

Mission One: The Executive Edge is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.

Mission One: The Executive Edge is brought to you by Mission One. They ensure founders and senior leaders make the most important hires they’ll ever make across consumer tech, AI, gaming, and entertainment.

If you’re building your leadership team or considering your next move to the C-suite, connect with Gerard Miles or Dan Hampton on LinkedIn, or visit missionone.io/contact-us.

FAQs

Q: What does being the “entrepreneur of your own career” mean?
A: Treat your career like a business you are responsible for building. Choose work that stretches capability, take calculated risks, volunteer for hard problems, and step into environments that demand growth. Careers compound when you make active decisions rather than waiting for permission or title progression.

Q: How does Alexis decide when to take a career leap or accept a new role?
A: He looks for opportunities with leverage: rocket ships, turnarounds, or roles close to the engines of value. If a job feels too safe, cushy, or predictable, that is usually a warning that learning may stall.

Q: What guides Alexis’s hiring philosophy?
A: He prioritises instinct, character, and proof of behaviour over polished CVs. He uses disarming questions such as “Are you a lucky person?” to reveal honesty and depth, and he always checks references himself, listening closely to tone and hesitation.

Q: Why does he say, “one doubt means no hire”?
A: A small doubt often signals deeper misalignment that may surface later in costly ways. Leaders protect culture and performance by acting early. Highly skilled hires who are wrong for the environment consume energy and trust. Walking away requires courage, but it prevents long-term setbacks.

Q: Why does Alexis encourage professionals to avoid the “golden cage”?
A: Stability can quietly limit ambition. Growth comes from environments where learning comes fast, expectations are high, and contribution matters. The safest choice often becomes the riskiest in the long run.

Q: How does Alexis stay grounded as a public company CEO?
A: By protecting time with the product and the people who create value. Leadership for him is not a reporting tower, but full contact with the work itself.

Episode Resources:

Mission One: The Executive Edge is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

He shares how to craft a message that teams can echo across every layer of the business, why leaders must repeat that vision until it becomes shared language, and how strong communication underpins alignment across large organisations. Jonathan also unpacks his approach to recruitment, focusing less on what candidates have done and more on what they will do, and redefines “office politics” as the essential work of collaboration. The conversation closes with practical reflections on decision-making, instinct, and the fine balance between creative leadership and commercial discipline.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.

Mission One: The Executive Edge is brought to you by Mission One. They ensure founders and senior leaders make the most important hires they’ll ever make across consumer tech, AI, gaming, and entertainment.

If you’re building your leadership team or considering your next move to the C-suite, connect with Gerard Miles or Dan Hampton on LinkedIn, or visit missionone.io/contact-us.

FAQs

A: Use one clear line of vision and repeat it everywhere until your leads echo it to their teams. Consistency beats cleverness.

A: In large organisations, politics is alignment work, which includes mapping decisions, owners, and trade-offs so that teams can move together.

A: Hire for what candidates will do. Use future scenarios, interview explicitly for collaboration, and keep a fair, standardised panel.

A: As a red-light screen to catch derailers (toxicity, integrity issues). Don’t let glowing references make the decision for you.

A: Only when mechanics advance the brand promise. If it’s a bolt-on, users will feel it and reject it.

A: Puzzles for curious readers are part of the paper’s DNA. The portfolio extends that heritage, thoughtful, editorially crafted, and daily.

Mission One: The Executive Edge is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.

Mission One: The Executive Edge is brought to you by Mission One. They ensure founders and senior leaders make the most important hires they’ll ever make across consumer tech, AI, gaming, and entertainment.

If you’re building your leadership team or considering your next move to the C-suite, connect with Gerard Miles or Dan Hampton on LinkedIn, or visit missionone.io/contact-us.

FAQs

Q: What exactly does a headhunter do in executive search?
A: A headhunter, or executive recruiter, is engaged by a company to identify and attract senior leaders for critical roles. They act as both advisor and connector, representing the client’s interests while building relationships with qualified candidates who match the organisation’s culture, scale, and strategy.

Q: What is the difference between a retained and a contingent search?
A: In a retained search, the recruiter works exclusively for one client and is paid a retainer fee to manage the process end-to-end. This model is more strategic, thorough, and relationship-driven. Contingent search firms, on the other hand, are compensated only when a candidate is successfully placed, leading to faster but higher-volume searches.

Q: How can executives identify the right recruiters to connect with?
A: Start with clarity about your function, sector, and preferred company size. Then research recruiters who specialise in that space. Ask peers who they’ve worked with, check which firms are placing roles you admire, and engage directly with headhunters who consistently work in your domain.

Q: What should I include in my first message or follow-up to a headhunter?
A: Keep it concise and factual. Mention your role, scope, and achievements, along with any relevant metrics such as revenue managed, team size, or growth milestones. Add a short line about your focus areas or where you want to grow next. The goal is to make your profile easy to remember and easy to share internally.

Q: How often should I check in with recruiters?
A: Frequency depends on your activity level. When you’re exploring new roles, a short monthly update works well. If you’re not actively looking, once every quarter is enough. The best check-ins share something concrete like new achievements, expanded responsibilities, or an update to your location or focus.

Q: How can transparency help during a search process?
A: Open communication builds trust. If you’re in another process or close to an offer, letting the recruiter know allows them to manage timing with their client or adjust opportunities for you. Recruiters value honesty because it helps them advocate effectively on your behalf.

Q: What makes a candidate stand out to a headhunter?
A: Clarity, professionalism, and follow-through. Be quick to respond, articulate your story cleanly, and reference credible names or results that reinforce your track record. Recruiters remember candidates who are prepared, thoughtful, and consistent in how they communicate.

Q: Why does understanding the recruiter landscape matter?
A: Knowing how search firms operate helps you engage strategically. When you understand who specialises in your sector, how they’re compensated, and what they prioritise, you position yourself more effectively for the right introductions and long-term opportunities.

Mission One: The Executive Edge is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.

Mission One: The Executive Edge is brought to you by Mission One. They ensure founders and senior leaders make the most important hires they’ll ever make across consumer tech, AI, gaming, and entertainment.

If you’re building your leadership team or considering your next move to the C-suite, connect with Gerard Miles or Dan Hampton on LinkedIn, or visit missionone.io/contact-us.

Episode Resources:

Mission One: The Executive Edge is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.

Mission One: The Executive Edge is brought to you by Mission One. They ensure founders and senior leaders make the most important hires they’ll ever make across consumer tech, AI, gaming, and entertainment.

If you’re building your leadership team or considering your next move to the C-suite, connect with Gerard Miles or Dan Hampton on LinkedIn, or visit missionone.io/contact-us.

Episode Resources:

Mission One: The Executive Edge is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Mission One: The Executive Edge is brought to you by Mission One. They ensure founders and senior leaders make the most important hires they’ll ever make across consumer tech, AI, gaming, and entertainment.

If you’re building your leadership team or considering your next move to the C-suite, connect with Gerard Miles or Dan Hampton on LinkedIn, or visit missionone.io/contact-us.

Episode Resources:

Mission One: The Executive Edge is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.

Mission One: The Executive Edge is brought to you by Mission One. They ensure founders and senior leaders make the most important hires they’ll ever make across consumer tech, AI, gaming, and entertainment.

If you’re building your leadership team or considering your next move to the C-suite, connect with Gerard Miles or Dan Hampton on LinkedIn, or visit missionone.io/contact-us.

Episode Resources:

Mission One: The Executive Edge is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Whether you’re an ambitious leader plotting your next breakthrough or a decision-maker refining your hiring process, this is your Executive Edge.

About the Hosts

Gerard Miles and Dan Hampton are executive recruiters and co-founders of Mission One, an international executive search firm. Gerard has spent more than a decade advising global organizations at the highest levels,  he is also an angel investor backing some of the world’s most exciting growth stories such as multi-unicorn AI startup, ElevenLabs. Dan brings over 15 years of executive recruiting experience guiding transformational executive hires for early stage to public companies. Together they have helped organizations across the Entertainment and Consumer sectors,I place senior leaders and guide ambitious professionals into breakthrough roles. Having advised organizations and candidates across industries, they know what it takes to both land and fill senior leadership positions.

With Mission One: The Executive Edge, Gerard and Dan bring their insider knowledge to a wider audience, sharing candid conversations, practical advice, and stories from leaders who’ve made it to the top. Their mission? To demystify how executive careers are built and how companies can attract and retain world-class talent. If you’re looking to get noticed for your next breakthrough role or refine your hiring process to secure the very best leaders, Gerard and Dan are your guides into the unfiltered truth of senior leadership hiring.

👉 Make sure to subscribe to Mission One: The Executive Edge on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube so you don’t miss an edge. And once you’ve listened, don’t forget to rate and review the show.

Mission One: The Executive Edge is brought to you by Mission One. They ensure founders and senior leaders make the most important hires they’ll ever make across consumer tech, AI, gaming, and entertainment.

If you’re building your leadership team or considering your next move to the C-suite, connect with Gerard Miles or Dan Hampton on LinkedIn, or visit missionone.io/contact-us.

Mission One: The Executive Edge is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so