CXO Development Program
Embrace the challenge. Make an impact.
The Brightleaf Holdings CXO Development Program provides an accelerated path to the CEO seat where you will have a unique level of autonomy, responsibility, and impact.
The Brightleaf Holdings CXO Program recruits high caliber leaders and prepares them to be extraordinary CEOs.
We believe that excellence in the CEO role is achieved quickest when you learn by doing. So CXOs hit the ground running, taking ownership of operational projects at Brightleaf companies starting on Day One.
Over 1-2 years, CXOs quickly progress through two development stages on the path to becoming a CEO. First, CXOs serve as VPs at Brightleaf in Austin, Texas, where they learn the Brightleaf Operating System, own projects working directly with CEOs (including side-by-side during site visits), and contribute to the company’s investment process. Next, CXOs join an operating company in a Chief of Staff role, serving as a trusted partner to the CEO and leading a team.
Finally, CXOs take the helm of their own small business. CEOs are empowered, work autonomously, and have significant incentives to sustainably grow Free Cash Flow. They achieve these goals by developing a strategy, building a team, creating systems, and cultivating a high-performing culture.
As Adm. McRaven says, leadership is often simple, but hard. For those up to the task, the rewards are exceptional.
Accelerated Path to CEO
The CXO Development Program is designed with two preparatory phases over the course of 1-2 years to ensure CXOs are prepared for success.
Vice President
3-12 Months
Join us in Austin, Texas, to develop strong relationships with the team and set a foundation for success. Starting Day One, you will take responsibility for operational initiatives at Brightleaf Holdings operating companies – covering sales, marketing, operations, technology, accounting and finance, personnel, culture. You will spend time on-site with CXOs, shadowing them in their roles. You will also contribute to the investment process: reviewing new opportunities, meeting with management teams, and assisting with investment analysis.
Chief of Staff
6-12 Months
After 3-12 months at HQ, you will transition to an operational leadership role in an operating company. In this role, you will work on-site and serve as a full member of the leadership team, owning a functional area and serving as a trusted partner to the CEO. Your goals in this role will include quickly developing relationships and integrating yourself with the team, continuing to refine your leadership style, and learning the CEO role.
CEO
Long-Term Role
When you’re ready, you will take the helm of your own small business, serving as CEO, owning a P&L, and taking full responsibility for the company’s performance and culture. You will serve as a standard bearer for the company’s values, recruit, coach and grow a strong team. You’ll craft a Value Creation Plan to optimize the company’s Free Cash Flow generation. You will encourage and motivate the team to execute the plan. As the team succeeds, the company will succeed, earning you compelling rewards, in terms of both value creation and personal fulfillment.
Why join the CXO Development Program?
Quick path to CEO role
Take responsibility for operational initiatives on Day One. Then, transition into a CEO role over 1-2 years – without needing to find and close an acquisition.
Team effort
Small business leadership can be solitary. As a member of the same team, your fellow Brightleaf CEOs will be rooting for your success.
Compelling economics
The CXO Program provides a lower risk path to earning an attractive economic outcome that’s competitive with comparable alternatives. Think: search fund economics, without the risk of the search.
Designing your life
There are many paths, but for us, the autonomy we’ve had and the impact we’ve made by building a company and a team has made life exceptionally fulfilling.
Our Mission
At Brightleaf Holdings, we have a dual mission: to ensure both our companies and our teams thrive. In our relationships with CXOs, our goal is to help talented individuals develop into trusted leaders by providing hands-on experience, helpful coaching, a team to cheer them on, and an opportunity to prove their full potential.
The CEO Role
We’re often asked what a small business CEO actually does. Candidates understand that small businesses are different, but want to know how so.
We see the CEO’s mandate covering three areas: (1) Set the Vision and Strategy, (2) Cultivate Talent and Culture, (3) Drive the Value Creation Plan.
Defining the vision and strategy, then communicating it to the team sets the context. Hiring, training, motivating, and coaching the team is essential for executing the plan. Refining a repeatable sales engine, ensuring consistent product quality, and building corporate processes and systems ultimately drives Free Cash Flow. People issues (hiring, coaching, firing) and operational issues are front of mind most days.
The role also changes over time. As small businesses grow, the CEO transitions from manager and backup employee to coaching managers, building systems, and serving as an ambassador for the company.
How We Support CXOs
We entrust our leaders with high-responsibility roles and significant autonomy early in their careers. We set them up for success by providing them with resources including:
Hands-On Experience
- Ownership of operational initiatives from Day One
- Progression through VP, CXO and CEO roles gives CXOs opportunities to shadow their next role as before being handed the keys
Coaching and Team Support
- CEO Mentorship
- One-on-One Executive Coaching
- Strong Team Culture
- Our team of motivated, team-oriented and high integrity individuals gathers to provide support, guidance and camaraderie to each other.
- Brightleaf Holdings gathers this community for annual retreats, monthly peer group calls, and weekly lunches.
Brightleaf Operating Model
- Provides structure, templates and tools for Brightleaf Holdings leaders
- Strategy & Systems: Strategy, operating cadence and reporting tools align the organization
- People & Culture: Recruitment and selection, learning and development, and employee engagement tools help leaders build their teams
- Operational Excellence: Operating Playbooks, our Advisor Network, Vendor Database and Shared Services help you drive exceptional performance
CXO Fellowship
About the Fellowship
Brightleaf Holdings offers a CXO Fellowship for MBA candidates who are interested in considering the CXO Development Program.
CXO Fellows serve as VPs at Brightleaf Holdings, doing the same work a CXO would during their VP role, including both operations and investing activities.
The Fellowship is a paid, remote, part-time role requiring 10-20 hours per week.
Fellowships are offered in three terms throughout the year. The Spring term runs from mid February through mid May. The Summer terms runs from mid June to mid August. The Fall term runs from early September through mid December.
Benefits for CXO Fellows
The CXO Fellowship offers a unique opportunity for candidates to get a preview of the CXO Development Program. CXO Fellowship alumni who are subsequently hired into the full-time CXO Program may be able to skip the VP phase and take a further accelerated path to a CEO role.
Additional benefits for CXO Fellows include:
- Preview the CXO Program
- Explore the differences between career opportunities with holding companies, search funds, and PE-backed portfolio operations
- Make a substantial impact across both investing and operations activities
- Helps prepare for a career in small business leadership, management consulting, or finance roles
- Significant mentorship from the Managing Partner
- Paid, remote role