What We Do

Silverado Ventures Inc is a boutique search firm that finds the most talented and accomplished executives for our clients. We handle both retained and contingent searches and have developed a reputation for rapidly completing complex searches with exceptionally qualified candidates for the most demanding of clients.

Who Are Our Clients

Our clients range from large NYSE companies like IBM and CA, medium sized public firms like F-Secure and FAST Search and early stage and start-up companies such as CacheLogic, Sxip Identity and UDEX. In a number of cases, our clients engaged us after larger search firms were unable to present any appropriately qualified candidates.

The Positions We Focus On

Recent job searches include Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, Division President, Executive Vice President of Professional Services, Vice President of North American Sales, VP of Business Development, Director - US Sales, Territory Managers and Sales Engineers.

What Makes Us Different

Unlike large executive search firms that rely primarily on stale resume databases to locate talent, Silverado undertakes original research utilizing a substantial network of executives, investors and industry experts who are connected to many of the most accomplished people within a particular market segment.

Often the best potential candidates are not actively seeking a new position, so developing a trusted personal relationship early on is a key factor in convincing reluctant individuals to review a new opportunity that might in fact lead to an excellent strategic career move.

All searches are handled personally by our founder John McAughtry; not by an inexperienced junior associate. From time to time we partner with similar profile boutique search firms that have unique capabilities in specific skill sets or geographies.

Having personally established operating companies in all the leading international markets, John has a deep, hands-on knowledge of the cultural factors that influence business across the globe and is particularly adept at cross border searches.

Why Clients Selected Us

During his 25 year career, John McAughtry has frequently been in the exact same role that his clients are now seeking to fill. Clients find that his industry knowledge and his insights into how critical the interpersonal chemistry between clients and candidates can be, find that he brings a unique set of skills to the executive search process.   

During his 10 years at IBM, he was recognized as the #1 sales performer nationwide and was sponsored to complete a full time MBA.  John then joined a leading Chicago based enterprise software company. Over the next eight years John was responsible for ramping revenues from an initial $1 million to $100,000,000. After moving to the San Francisco Bay area in 1993, John was VP of Sales at a leading application development and database software company, then Executive VP of Global Operations at FTP Software and was appointed Chief Operating Officer at Software911. His last position prior to founding Silverado Ventures was CEO at XML Global, a publicly held integration software company.       

Our Goal

Our philosophy at Silverado Ventures is very simple – delighted clients and enthusiastic candidates. As a boutique search firm, our focus is quality, not quantity. Our typical client initially contracts with us for a single search and then, based on the results we generate, engages us in a series of multiple follow-on searches.

We look to become a long term trusted partner with our clients and be a confidential resource for our candidates, operating under the highest standards of professional ethics and integrity. For example we never forward a resume to a client until the candidate gives us permission to do so and only after an in-depth review of the opportunity and the individual’s credentials. Similarly we do not waste client’s valuable time by presenting under qualified or unscreened candidates.