WHAT WE DO

We are FORWARD. We know where you stand in our new world. And we know how to help you get to your new destination.

FORWARD U

Through 25 years of corporate experience, our founder's book, "Elephants Before Unicorns: Emotionally Intelligent Strategies To Save Your Company", created high-impact bootcamps for the C-suite to write a new manifesto for our time.
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Search + Selection

We focus on white-glove, executive-level searches for the creative technology solutions and entertainment industries. Our award-winning 100-day coaching accelerates the crucial reality shift necessary to expedite an aligned way forward.

PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT

Everyone needs a coach and a leadership development program. You're not going to get ahead without the support. It's time to accelerate, not catch up. Our typical clients are executives, entrepreneurs, scientists, creative directors, executive producers and psychologists.

You haven’t experienced us until you’ve experienced us.

From CEOs, HR leaders, pioneers and fellow recruiters, we hear time and again how much we stand out with our white-glove service.

Our retained search model ensures alignment with your vision, culture and true needs in order to seek out the leaders you require. Once they’re hired, we start to transition and integrate your new hire with 100 days of executive coaching.

Based on her book Elephants Before Unicorns (Entrepreneur Press, 2019), our founder Caroline Stokes leads international CEO masterminds and other leadership training for HR teams to diagnose unseen challenges impacting hiring, retaining and advancing.

Executive coaching is the cornerstone of our philosophy, offering bespoke corporate and individual coaching services.

About Forward/Our Founder

FORWARD was born with Einstein’s powerful viewpoint: “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” This attitude rings true with every unique and remarkable engagement.

Tomorrow’s talent solutions for innovation leaders require a new way of thinking with every new conversation. That’s where we come in.

Learn More

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1 x TEDx in New York

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Guests interviewed on Get Stoked: Lead Forward – Live!

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Workplace EQ Diagnostics Taken

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Leadership + Development Award from Marshall Goldsmith Thinkers 50

By Caroline Stokes

Elephants Before Unicorns: Emotionally Intelligent HR Strategies To Save Your Company

Published by Entrepreneur Press, Sept 24, 2019

You may believe a unicorn will completely transform your company, product, team, culture, revenue potential, and futureability. (Yes, I made that word up.)

Yet here’s a cold hard truth: unicorns won’t solve the problems that already exist in your business. Before the unicorn can affect change, leadership must confront the company’s elephants…

BUY THE BOOK

TESTIMONIALS

The future workforce is now the current workforce. Elephants Before Unicorns will save your company amidst the changes.

Melissa Smith Remote Hiring Expert

Caroline's unparalleled ability to understand not just your business, but the people and relationships that make it happen, make her an amazing ally for your business. She’s a voice of reason in this crazy world.

Harry Holmwood Technology Founder

Caroline is the ultimate professional and the only one in her league. As a coach she is incredibly effective. She has the ability to deep dive very quickly into the heart of the matter with surgical precision, while being very kind and having a sense of humor about it. As a strategic advisor to HR professionals, her book Elephants Before Unicorns is a must.

Nadia V. Gil Strategic Transformation Senior Executive

Caroline has a sense of urgency driven by passion for the company mission. She is efficient, effective, creative and fun to be around. She treats problems and challenges with the excitement and anticipation of finding a solution.

Chris Deering Advisor to the Board, Cudo Ventures: Ethical Innovation

Caroline is great - generating first-class candidates at short notice with highly efficient communication and management and fully understanding the brief. But beyond that, her executive coaching and EQ background gives an extra dimension to everything she does - from sensitive handling of candidates through to coaching after placement. It is a pleasure to work with her.

James Pycock Director of Product Management, Autodesk

A FEW OF OUR CLIENTS

Let’s Work Together

Our #1 rule: We strive to understand your needs.

We ask a lot of questions. We work well with brains that enjoy a challenge, and are unafraid to go beyond the status quo to find solutions.

Are you ready to move FORWARD?

CONNECT