When organizations are looking to hire, they often believe that they need to hire within their own industry. But that’s not always the right answer. Some of the most effective executive placements and the most transformative leaders are those who transfer proven proficiencies from one industry to another, bringing in fresh mindsets.
Hiring for Good Podcast guest Gary Mortensen’s experience scaling a winery is evidence of this. As President of Stoller Wine Group, he implemented something from tech that wasn’t done in the wine industry. “Early on, I called Bill (Stoller) and said it’s time for us to hire business development. In tech, that’s obvious. In the wine industry, it’s like, what’s that?”
Business development made sense in tech, but in the wine industry, it was a new way of thinking. It changed how the company thought about partnerships, brand, and growth.
For executive search, this is an important takeaway: real innovation usually shows up through the people you hire, not just the strategies you design.
Hiring for Capability, Not Category
Mortensen’s next decision reinforced the point. Rather than hiring someone with deep wine experience, he chose a leader whose expertise came from professional sports: “He had spent 10 years as head of season ticket sales for the Portland Trail Blazers…What he knew was people.”
This is a classic example of hiring for a skill set, a common practice in startups but far less common in legacy industries. Selling season tickets and selling wine may seem completely different, but both rely on understanding customer behavior, loyalty, experience, and relationship-building. Mortensen knew the industry knowledge could be learned; human insights couldn’t.
This same approach is used in this case study, Non-Profit CFO Finds Meaning and Mission in the For-Profit World, of a global architecture, engineering, and construction firm looking for a CFO. Rather than narrowing the search to candidates with traditional AEC backgrounds, the company asked Acumen to deliberately look outside the industry for leaders who could bring fresh ideas as it moved into new markets and services. Acumen successfully placed Rachel, who brought experience from global services non-profits, Big 4 accounting, and investments, which allowed her to quickly add value while reframing how the organization approached growth, financial systems, and risk.
Why Cross-Industry Leaders Perform So Well
What ties these examples together is pattern recognition. Leaders who have worked in different environments are often better equipped to:
- Question assumptions that insiders don’t see
- Introduce roles, systems, or frameworks that feel “obvious” elsewhere
- Balance innovation with discipline
- Translate complexity for diverse stakeholders
In the case study, Rachel’s background in professional and financial services allowed her to get up to speed quickly and add value. Within 6 months of her hire, her organization opened a new West Coast office, transitioned to new leadership, and simplified the annual budgeting process. She also put in place systems and processes that allowed the finance team to understand “where the bus is going and where the guard rails are.”
In the same way, Mortensen’s willingness to run a winery like a startup, focusing on adaptability, people, and experimentation, helped scale a legacy business while staying true to its roots.
Implications for Boards and Search Committees
For executive search firms and hiring leaders, the takeaway is clear:
- Industry experience should not be a requirement, rather a filter
- Curiosity, learning velocity, and pattern recognition matter more than credentials
- The right outsider can see opportunities insiders miss
This doesn’t mean industry knowledge doesn’t matter. It simply needs to be weighed against the organization’s real challenge. Is the business focused on preserving what works or transforming? Stabilizing, or scaling?
During times of change, leaders who have worked across different systems, cultures, and growth models often bring the perspective that’s needed most.
Both the winery example and the CFO case study point to the same conclusion; the most impactful hires help organizations see themselves in new ways. That’s where executive search creates the most value, by expanding what’s possible, not by just repeating the past.
Reach out to Acumen if you are ready to hire your next great leader.