Embrace the challenge. Make an impact.
About the Brightleaf CEO Pathways Program
How is the program structured?
What is expected of Pathways Members?
What makes Brightleaf different?
How to apply and start your journey?
Who We’re Looking For
Drive & bias for action
Humility
High EQ
Growth mindset
Resilience
We care more about growth mindset, humility, drive, problem-solving skill, and a strong desire to lead a small business than about specific bullets on your resume.
Pathways Members have come from leading MBA programs and have diverse backgrounds but ultimately share core attributes. Whether you have a track record in strategy, operations, consulting, PE, or military leadership, if you’re passionate about leading teams and thrive when you’re empowered to drive results, you might be a fit.
Pathways Fellows have come from the following schools
Our Pathways Members want to lead high-performing teams and they’re ready to challenge themselves now. There are many paths to leadership and all have advantages and trade-offs. We have designed the CEO Pathways Program to be your ideal bet.
To advance to a CEO role through Pathways, we don’t ask you to raise capital, spend two years searching, spend 15 years climbing a corporate ladder, or spend 8 years working for a private equity fund. Instead, our investment team sources and funds acquisitions of great businesses then we select, train, place, and coach the right operator to successfully lead them as CEO.
The CEO Pathways Program is a structured and supported journey to small business leadership:
Fellow
(MBA Summer)
- Lead high-impact projects across Brightleaf operating companies.
- Learn Brightleaf’s systems, strategic frameworks, and model.
- Prepare to embed in the day-to-day operations of a real business.
Director of Strategy and Operations
(Part-time during MBA Y2)
- Serve as a part-time consultant leading CEO-level projects for Brightleaf companies.
- Gain continued exposure to potential new Brightleaf investments.
- Build deeper relationships with the Brightleaf team.
Chief of Staff
(1-3 years post-MBA)
- Serve as a trusted partner to a Brightleaf CEO.
- Master operational leadership, team management, and cultural stewardship.
- Deliver results and prepare to take the helm of your own business.
CEO
(Long-term)
- Lead a Brightleaf business with full P&L ownership.
- Develop strategy, create systems, and drive growth.
- Build a team and cultivate a high-performing culture where your people thrive.
Leadership is often simple, but hard. For those up to the task, the rewards are exceptional...
Why Join the CEO Pathways Program
Brightleaf offers a rare combination of autonomy, support, and ownership:
Accelerated path to CEO
Take responsibility for operational initiatives early on. Then, transition into a CEO role over 1-3 years post-MBA, without the risk or uncertainty of launching your own search or the ~8 year path with a private equity fund. Exceptional candidates may be placed in a CEO role immediately after graduation.
Supportive team
Small business leadership doesn’t have to be lonely. As part of the Brightleaf community, you’ll have a peer network of Pathways Members and the full support of the Brightleaf team behind you. We are a high-performing and caring team.
High impact role
Pathways Members have an outsized impact. Operating in a small business and team context, both at Brightleaf and an operating company, means your contributions are uniquely consequential for driving business performance and culture.
Compelling economics
The CEO Pathways Program offers comparable probability-weighted economics to a search fund without the risk of search. You’ll have significant incentives to grow Free Cash Flow, including meaningful long-term equity opportunities.
Life design
The CEO Pathways Program will allow you to build the business, team, and life you want. There are many paths, but the autonomy and ownership involved can make small business leadership uniquely fulfilling.
The Commitment
We’re not looking for a two-year tour. This isn’t a pre-PE program or search fund incubator. We’re looking for builders who share our long-term orientation and desire to lead teams to success now.
Pathways Members work remotely until graduation, then are expected to relocate and work closely with their teams onsite. They commit to leading their businesses for five years or more: giving their team’s success and their own sufficient time to compound.
At Brightleaf, we commit to helping talented individuals develop into trusted leaders with real responsibility, real upside, and real impact.
Grant Urken
Pathways Member (Director of Strategy and Operations), Wharton Y2
“Through the CEO Pathways Program, I’ve had both the freedom to lead and the support to grow. From day one, I’ve been trusted to make decisions that matter while gaining the tools and guidance to build a lasting leadership career. Above all, it’s the people and culture that’s made my experience unique, creating an environment rooted in genuine care, trust, and collaboration.”
Ben Verdi
Pathways Alumni (Fellow), HBS alumnus
“The CEO Pathways Program provides an excellent opportunity to co-pilot the management and operations of a small business, with the security and resources of a larger platform. Hard-working and curious individuals will not encounter a ceiling on the amount they can learn.”
Questions, Answered
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Brightleaf CEO Pathways Program?
What makes the Brightleaf model unique?
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Who thrives in the CEO Pathways Program?
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What does a Pathways Member actually do?
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How Brightleaf supports its CEOs.
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What does success look like in the first 90 days after acquiring a new company?
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Where are these companies located?
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Is this a Search Fund?
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Is this a permanent role or a stepping stone?
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Are You Ready?
If you’re ready to begin a journey to the CEO seat with the support, resources, and ownership to succeed, we’d love to hear from you.
You can email us directly: [email protected]