The Web Factor

Given the tremendous growth of Internet businesses in Europe, fueled by funding from venture capitalists, we're seeing a significant demand for experienced general managers. In many cases, growth is geographic, which means there is significant demand for managers who have built businesses across borders in Europe.

These managers are leaving traditional companies because they see an opportunity to create tangible value in a smaller organization and, as a result, an opportunity to achieve personal wealth. People also are becoming increasingly worried about being left out; they're seeking a way to participate in the new, exciting Internet economy. Acquiring experience in the Internet today dramatically increases an individual's market value.

How well they make this transition depends on the individual, which is where the "Web Factor" comes in. We believe there are certain attributes or competencies that are important for predicting a person's chances of success in the Internet environment.

This "Web DNA" includes: Being ready to seize the opportunity and radiate vision; being able to get the right things done; being an organizational improviser, and being an obsessed learner. The Web Factor is a diagnostic tool our firm developed to assess an individual's Web DNA. It creates a common language that we can use with our clients and candidates to define a person's suitability for participation in the Internet economy, whether he or she comes from a pure dotcom or a bricks-and-mortar company.