A First-of-Its-Kind Search Firm Supporting Head Coaches
Athletic Directors trust search firms to hire you, yet once you're in the seat, you're left to navigate one of the most critical factors of your success - hiring your staff - alone.
They clearly value the expertise of outside support in making key decisions. So why wouldn't you do the same?
Raising the Standard in Hiring
We cut your time in the hiring process in half, allowing you to focus on other aspects of the program.
As the spotlight on women's basketball continues to grow, so does the need for elite, high-functioning staffs. The days of hiring based solely on familiarity - whether it's a friend, former teammate, or a casual recommendation - are fading. The most successful head coaches understand that building a championship-caliber program requires intentional hiring, not just convenient connections.
At The Search Firm, we bring integrity and professionalism to the hiring process. By expanding your search beyond the usual networks, you open the door to new ideas, fresh energy, and a higher level of accountability - ensuring your staff challenges you to be your best while elevating the program as a whole.
Are you ready to move beyond hiring out of comfort and start hiring for fit, impact, and long-term success? Let's talk!
Connect with Maren
What We Do
Hiring isn't just about filling a position—it's about finding the right people to elevate your program. We take the time, stress, and guesswork out of the process by managing every step with professionalism and precision.
- Need, Values & Culture Call
- Full-Service Communication Management
- Vetting & Evaluation
- Staff Education (If Desired)
- A Trusted Space for Head Coach Conversations
From start to finish, we keep the process moving so you can focus on leading your team.
Connect with MarenHow We Do It
With a coach's instinct and a strategist's precision, we work with hiring HCs to:
- 1
Define core values and leadership philosophy
- 2
Clarify exact needs for staff success
- 3
Identify blind spots impacting team culture
- 4
Dig deeper - asking the right questions to reveal critical insights
- 5
Final decision Turn the process over to you for the official interviews and final decision.
Our process isn't about simply pushing résumés—it's about finding the right fit. We act as a trusted partner, guiding head coaches to make confident, strategic hiring decisions that position their programs for long-term success.
Our 4-Step Process
Every hire matters. Whether you're stepping into a new head coaching job and building your staff from scratch, or filling a key role to keep your program moving forward, The Search Firm is here to make the process seamless and strategic.
Needs & Culture Call
We start with a deep dive into your program's values, culture, and the skill sets needed to elevate your staff.
Initial List Formation
Using both names you provide and candidates from our extensive database who match your criteria, we begin outreach to gauge initial interest.
Short List Review & Update
We connect with candidates from the initial list, assess their interest, and evaluate their fit based on your program's needs and culture.
Candidate Strategy Discussion
We work closely with you to refine the candidate pool, ensure alignment with your hiring priorities, and coordinate interviews with you and your staff.
Who We Work With
Every hire matters. Whether you're stepping into a new head coaching job and building your staff from scratch or filling a key role to keep your program moving forward, The Search Firm is here to make the process seamless and strategic.
From start to finish, we keep the process moving so you can focus on leading your team.
The Value We Bring
Time is your most valuable asset - and hiring the right staff is one of the most time-sensitive and time-consuming parts of your job. That's where we come in.
- We cut your hiring time in half
- We work FOR you while you run your program
- We expand your candidate pool
- We save your assistants time
- We protect relationships
Your time is too valuable to waste on an exhausting, inefficient hiring process.
Let's get it done right - and quickly.
Maren Walseth
Founder, The Search Firm
Founder, The Search Firm
Maren Walseth
With 15 years of Division I coaching experience across both mid-major and Power 4 conferences, Maren Walseth understands firsthand the high-stakes world of hiring in college basketball. As an assistant and head coach, she played a critical role in hiring over 10 assistant coaches and staff members—decisions that directly shaped team culture and success.
Now, as the founder of The Search Firm, Maren brings a unique blend of coaching insight, strategic vision, and leadership development to the hiring process. Over the past six years, her work as a search firm executive, program strategist, and performance coach has solidified her expertise in helping head coaches build high-performing staffs.
The Search Firm has been instrumental in making introductions and placing assistant coaches, player development coaches, and operations staff at both the mid-major and Power 4 levels.
Mid-major Head Coach
"This is a no-brainer! I told my administrator, 'she is constantly working for me!'"
Cara Consuegra, Marquette
Co-Big East Coach of The Year
"Awesome job! Very impressed! Vetting, follow-up calls, setting things up... You made it so easy for me."
Chaia Meier, Bradley
"Thank you so much for all the help and pep talks. I truly feel I would have never gotten this staff without you."