Throughout history, organizations ranging from government to military to , business have had special teams. Typically, small, nimble, well-trained, and operating with relative anonymity outside the traditional structure. Their purpose and task is to deal with emergencies, out-of-the-ordinary situations, specialized projects, and sensitive missions that are not easily addressed through conventional means or with average talent. These special teams are effective as a result of their ability to operate unconventionally, discreetly, and without the constraints and limitations of institutional thought processes and procedures. This is the main reason why many of Paragon's clients first come to us — they are a unique collection of retailers spanning the breadth of the industry from the iconic to the startup that are unified by a shared philosophy. Our clients are incredibly selective about whom they permit within their inner circle and pay Paragon a premium to gain exposure to critical high performance talent — those whose presence is felt throughout the organization, and those complimentary to building a cohesive high-performing organization. This type of talent is busy concentrating on their business. They are NOT actively promoting themselves, and are NOT receptive NOR responsive to conventional herd recruiting methods. They are also typically very protective of their own brand. This is part of the reason why exceptional talent is often difficult to recruit. The Paragon Group works discreetly — developing relationships, and building confidences with leading talent with specific career goals and documented records of achievement. If I have piqued your curiosity and you are committed to hiring the strongest available talent over vendor management procedures, contact me to discuss your toughest recruiting and talent challenges.