O.W.L.I.E.

  • Ownership

    We are accountable in all directions to all parties. We don’t let each other down. We claim mistakes without ego, learn from them, and grow from them

  • Wise

    We are knowledgeable and inquisitive, providing sage counsel and guidance. We ask questions, naturally inquisitive, and curious. No assumptions.

  • Leadership

    We coach and provide guidance to help others grow. Their success is our success. We follow Kaizen, “continuous improvement” to sharpen our axe.

  • Intentional

    We are purposeful and organized when approaching all things. Success is not an accident and results from a well-crafted plan

  • Execution

    We produce, we change, we grow. Don’t tell me; Show me. “Vision without execution is hallucination” (Thomas Edison)

TheCoTeam –
How it all Started

Chris Smith, Principal of TheCoTeam, and his fiancé moved in together on Valentine’s Day of 2020. Within six weeks COVID hit New York and it was time to escape. On March 28th they loaded the car, dog in the backseat, and drove 2,000 miles in two days to Aspen.

After working remotely for two months, they rented a 20-foot camper van and embarked on a 28-day, 6,500-mile road trip that went through the Rockies, up the Pacific Coast, over to Montana, and finally, the Dakotas. After a week of non-van-life-recovery in Aspen they returned to New York City. That journey, truly working remotely, and that freedom are the sparks that began TheCoTeam.

  • Professional Experience: 

    With 20 years of industry specific, domain expertise, Chris has held positions at technology integration firms, Advanced Audio + Cloud9 Smart, and manufacturers, Bowers & Wilkins + McIntosh Labs.

    Core Competencies Include: B2B (10 years), B2C (10 years), Growing/Managing Teams (+30), Growing/Managing Revenues ($40M), Marketing, Branding, and Business Development.  

    Titles Held: 

    Founder, CEO, COO, VP Business Development, Director, Regional Sales Manager, Project Manager, Programmer, Installer. 

    Personal: 

    Born and raised in Southern California, Chris grew up in Hermosa Beach and Santa Barbara. After spending a decade in Boston, and seven years in New York City, Chris now lives in the Hamptons, NY with his wife, Catharine.

  • Professional Experience: 

    Chad brings a diverse background to TheCoTeam. After starting his career working for an integrator (World Wide Stereo), Chad spent more than a decade with a Distributor (Tech Source now DOW) as well as an independent Manufacturer’s Rep (NuTech Group). 

    During that time, Chad was involved with two national organizations: PureTech Alliance and the Catalyst Group. 

    Titles Held: 

    Founder, President, Partner, VP of Sales, VP of Operations, Sales & System Design 

    Personal: 

    Born and raised in Philadelphia, Chad went to school at Penn State before moving back to the area where he lives with his wife, Meredith, and two children. 

    When he’s not spending time with his family, Chad enjoys golf, sporting events, and live music. 

  • Professional Experience:

    Kortney brings 20 years of experience in financial services and talent acquisition to TheCoTeam. A graduate of Michigan State University, she got her start in the mortgage industry before moving into banking, where she spent eight years as a Vice President and Branch Manager. That foundation carried into a seven-year transition to recruiting as an Executive Recruiter, including a stint as Director of Recruiting for an SBA division, before shifting to mission-driven work as a recruiter with the American Cancer Society.

    Titles Held:

    Director of Hiring Experience, VP/Branch Manager, Executive Recruiter, Director of Recruiting, Recruiter

    Personal:

    Kortney lives in Northern Michigan with her husband, Ryan, their two daughters, Henley and Dylan, and their golden retriever, Cooper. The family relocated from metro Detroit in 2018 to slow down and settle by a lake, where they spend as much time as possible outside — boating, camping, and hitting the ski slopes together in winter.

  • Professional Experience: 

    Maxi is a Marketing Manager and Freelance Designer with a strong background in branding and creative strategy. With nearly five years of experience, Maxi brings a fresh, creative approach to TheCoTeam.

    Titles Held: 

    Design & Media Coordinator, Social Media Manager, and Marketing Manager.

    Personal: 

    After attending West Chester University, where Maxi studied Graphic & Interactive Design, she moved just outside Philadelphia and began building her career. Outside of work, you’ll find Maxi with her German Shepherd, Connor—traveling, or getting creative with something artsy.

  • Professional Experience:

    Miso brings team morale management, nap scheduling, and snack quality assurance. She is a seasoned professional in greeting visitors on Zoom calls and reminding the team to step away from their desks for much-needed walks.

    Titles Held:

    Junior Crumb Inspector, Chief Energy Optimizer, Head Muppet

    Personal:

    Miso takes her downtime seriously, alternating between power naps and zoomies.

Success Stories

  • “I’ve had the privilege of working with TheCoTeam on numerous hiring projects ranging from technicians to management.

    Chris possesses a remarkable talent for discerning a candidate’s true potential and identifying a proper fit.

    He consistently delivers insightful and exceptionally accurate feedback in a timely manner, equipping us with the necessary tools to make informed hiring decisions. This has been invaluable in our recruitment process.”

    Ryan Coombs, Operations Director
    SAV Digital Environments

  • “Chris at TheCoTeam is a fantastic judge of character and excels at asking insightful questions and providing meaningful feedback.

    He is a strong professional with a trusted and respected point of view.

    Chris is easy to work with and I would recommend him and his services without hesitation.”

    Nathan Hesson,
    Director of Technical Development
    Audio Images

  • “From our first conversation, Chris was incredibly responsive, asked thoughtful and pointed questions to understand what I was looking for, and made the entire process smooth & fast.

    After our initial pre-interview, he connected me with the business owners at Cascade the same day, and things moved quickly from there—I had an interview request and offer in record time. Chris is intentional and sharp, and it made all the difference. Highly recommend working with him if you get the chance.”

    Kevin Schern, Lighting Consultant
    Cascade Integrations

  • “Chris Smith and TheCoTeam have been a game changer for us since engaging with them.

    Not only have they placed a wonderful new team member, but they have saved us time and money by streamlining the way we market new positions, and process new applicants.

    I often refer to them as our hiring manager because they fill a much-needed position in our organization. I could not be more pleased with their service and am thankful to have them as part of the team.”

    Matt Grant, CEO
    Eyehear

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