Axonify - Martyn Bassett Associates

Following investment, Axonify made the decision to drive business growth by leveraging a product innovation mode and were looking for a VP Product Innovation.

The Search Statistics

Number of days to the first round of resumes: 10
Number of candidates considered: 6
Number of candidates interviewed: 6
Number of business days to complete the search: 38

The Search

Following investment by Luminate Capital Partners, Axonify made the decision to drive business growth by leveraging a product innovation model. As a result of this decision, the SVP Product Management became the champion for a net-new hire, a VP Product Innovation.

This newly created role would be responsible for standing up an innovation lab and leading the transformation of Axonify’s business from a single product experience to a broader set of capabilities across the platform.

The Client

Axonify is the proven frontline enablement solution that gives employees everything they need to learn, connect and get things done to drive to next-level CX, higher sales, improved workplace safety and lower turnover.

With an industry-leading 83% engagement rate, Axonify enables over 3.5 million frontline workers in 160-plus countries, in over 250 companies including Lowe’s, Kroger, Walmart and Citizens Bank.

Founded in 2011, Axonify is headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario Canada. For more information, visit axonify.com.

Search Requirements

The persona of product leader we were engaged to find was someone with an “Innovation DNA.” This included:

Experience leading a product management organization focused on new product introductions
A leader who thrives in nascent and undefined situations, approaching work with a high degree of personal drive, curiosity, and creativity
Able to identify and qualify product opportunities and evaluate concepts from the PoV of the larger product strategy and commercial viability

Additionally, we were seeking:

A product leader whose experiences were rooted in delivering value of B2B SaaS solutions for large enterprise and mid-market customers
Previous experience as a product org leader and a member of an ELT working with a Board and stakeholders
A product leader who could mentor others and embrace a culture of learning and development

The Hire

An experienced product leader whose persona combined innovation product management, standing up a 0-1 line of business, P&L responsibility, and reporting to a Board
Considered a subject matter expert in education and learning product experiences
20+ years of experience in the education and learning category, including content, publishing, B2C & B2B SaaS platforms, marketplace products, and mobile apps
10 years of product management experience with a focus on standing up net-new products
Leadership of teams as large as 24 while reporting to Board level stakeholders or a CEO
A champion of the product craft and its best practices
Led innovation frameworks as a model to identify opportunities and growth opportunities

“Partnering with Heidi and the team at Martyn Bassett Associates has been a positive experience because of their commitment to being a partner, understanding our business, and sourcing high caliber talent. Truly a collaborative team who knows the tech space!”

–– Andrea Vrbanac, VP, People & Culture

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