Interim Manager Helps Start-up Company Enter the Market
Case
GlycoSpot has gained the commercial competencies needed to develop from a university start-up into a fully operational company.
When Anders Holme Jensen decided to invest in GlycoSpot, he saw great technical potential. The company had a unique product and the expertise to develop it. But, like many other start-ups, it lacked the commercial skills necessary to take the company from development to sales and operations.
That’s why he contacted Nextt & Mason to explore the possibility of a Try & Hire solution:
“”“I contacted Christian from Nextt & Mason when we were ready to go to market, but we lacked some competencies to help mature the company. We agreed to try finding an interim manager who would join a start-up.”
An Obvious Solution for Start-ups
Nextt & Mason reached out to their pre-qualified network, and within just a few days, they had shortlisted qualified candidates who could take on the role of Commercial Director at GlycoSpot.
And although Anders Holme Jensen was impressed by the speed and number of candidates, that wasn’t the main reason for choosing Nextt & Mason and the interim model:
“When you join a start-up, you don’t just become an employee — you become a driving force. That’s why it’s smart to use the Try & Hire option, so we can test the candidate first and then make a permanent agreement afterward. This also allows the ownership group to see whether there’s a foundation for investing more money into the project.”
Anders Holme Jensen didn’t know of any other management firms offering the same Try & Hire possibility. And interim candidates were particularly suitable for start-ups, as they had deliberately chosen to work more independently on projects.
Competitive and Transparent
Anders Holme Jensen had previously used traditional recruitment to find candidates for similar positions. But that process was often slow and, at the same time, could easily become very expensive.
With interim management through Nextt & Mason, he experienced a more trust-based and transparent process:
“Everything was laid out clearly for us. When the process and contract are transparent, it creates trust in the process itself.”
Therefore, Anders Holme Jensen entered into the contract with Nextt & Mason and the interim manager with confidence — and his trust was rewarded:
“”“All the tasks that had been left unresolved have now been taken care of. Primarily the presentation of the product to customers,” he says, and concludes: “But since the manager we got is very experienced, he also takes a broader look at our pricing strategy, product portfolio, and is building the company commercially from the ground up.”
