Chris Relth is a seasoned professional with 19 years of experience in the talent industry, recognized as a thought leader and an agent of change. He is the Founder and CEO of Artemis, a specialized staffing and executive search organization, where he brings a tenacious approach to concierge-style permanent search and staffing services. Additionally, Chris is a Managing Partner for Artemis United, a DVBE-certified joint venture that works with the state, fed, and clients to help meet their vendor diversity needs. Artemis United only hires military veterans internally to help with their transition to the civilian workforce.

Chris' leadership philosophy is rooted in the belief that fostering a supportive and collaborative work environment is critical to the success of his team, and ultimately leads to successful outcomes for his clients. His company is dedicated to the satisfaction of its team members and is committed to contributing to positive, long-lasting impact through the promotion of happier, healthier workforces.

A Bay Area native, Chris holds a degree from Chico State University and has been a resident of Orange County for over a decade, where he currently resides in Ladera Ranch, CA. In his free time, Chris channels his energy into philanthropic pursuits as a partner of Miracles for Kids and sits on various boards. He is also a youth football and baseball coach and is heavily involved in fitness.

Chris Relth

I had a bad interview with an internal hire. 
But he'd told me he'd lost 100 pounds. 
He became one of our best hires.


On paper, he wasn't impressive. His answers were average. He stumbled through a few questions. 

If I'd scored him purely on interview performance, he wouldn't have made the cut.

But then, he showed me a photo of himself from a couple of years earlier, and I barely recognized him. He'd lost 100 pounds and completely transformed his body.

That told me everything I needed to know.

Losing that much weight is hard. You need to show up every single day, and twice when you don't feel like it. It takes discipline to work when no one's watching. To refuse to quit when progress feels invisible.

Those are the exact traits that separate good salespeople from great ones.

He's ended up being one of our most successful hires. 

He outworks people who interviewed circles around him and built a strong book of business. 

Proof that grit beats polish every time.

Because of him, I now ask every candidate I interview a simple question: what's the hardest thing you’ve done recently?

If they can give me proof they don't quit when things get difficult, they're in.

That's the stuff you can't teach.

Want to know if you're working with a headhunter? 
Ask the candidate one simple question:
"Why are you looking?"



I've noticed over my years how the words "headhunter," "recruiter," "staffing," "executive search," and "direct hire" all get thrown around like they mean the same thing.

But they don't.

And if you're a hiring manager trying to fill a senior role, 
Understanding the difference is important.

It could save you months of wasted time and dozens of interviews with the wrong people.

If they say:
"I’ve been applying to roles online..." 
Actively looking, browsing job boards, or applying because they're unhappy...
You’re working with a recruiter.

If they say:
"I wasn’t looking, but your opportunity sounded worth a conversation..." 
You’ve hired a headhunter.

That’s the difference.

→ Recruiters work in the active market.
People who are already looking, updating their CVs, and responding to job ads.

→ Headhunters work the hidden market.
People who are not looking, but are good enough to be worth interrupting.

Both have their place.

But if you’re hiring for leadership or niche talent, one approach gets you mediocrity while the other gets you momentum.

When every candidate on your shortlist is unemployed or “exploring,”
You’re competing for availability.
Not necessarily the best candidates.

And the best headhunters don’t wait for candidates to apply.

They call the people every other firm can’t reach and make them interested.

That’s the real difference.

Recruiters fill roles.
Headhunters change companies.=by securing the best talent IN not ON the market

And it all comes down to the quality of talent you eventually bring in.

If a CV says "led initiatives" and "managed projects."
Here's the translation:
"I've done nothing measurable."


OK, every salesperson's resume has BS on it. I get that.

But there's a huge difference between embellishing a story and talking generalized gibberish.

When I'm scanning resumes, I hunt for one thing: Evidence.

Here are some red flags to look out for:

> "Led cross-functional initiatives" - What revenue did this generate?
> "Managed key accounts" - By how much did those accounts grow?
> "Collaborated with stakeholders" - Cool story, but can you close deals?

What I want to see is completely different:

> "Grew territory from zero to $1.5M in 18 months"
> "Increased account penetration by 40% year-over-year"
> "Consistently hit 120% of quota for three consecutive years"

See the difference? 

One talks in generalisations. 
The other talks about results. In numbers. With data, you can check.

The best salespeople don't hide behind vague corporate BS. 

They lead with their wins because they understand that in sales, results are the only currency.

The numbers tell the real story. Everything else is fluff.

“Partnering provides a way for companies to secure needed capabilities fast and effectively while dropping their cost structure... providing access to needed expertise that has already been mastered.”
— W. Chan Kim, Blue Ocean Strategy

I help high-growth companies hire (top 10%) RevOps, GTM, and Business Systems experts the ones who scale revenue functions, modernize CRM stacks (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.), and build scalable cross-department processes without the usual hiring headaches.

As Founder of Blue Ocean Group, I partner directly with CROs, RevOps leaders, BizSys Directors, and hiring managers to source, engage, and place high-impact talent. I focus on passive, proven performers who align with your workflows, culture, and growth stage; delivering lean, fast, high-signal introductions only.

Key roles I specialize in:
• GTM & Sales Leadership: Enterprise/Strategic Account Executives, AE Managers, Sales Directors, GTM Leaders
• Revenue & GTM Systems: Salesforce Admins/Architects, HubSpot/Marketo Ops Specialists
• Strategic Ops: RevOps Managers/Directors, GTM Analysts, Revenue Architects
• Leadership: Business Systems Directors, Salesforce Practice Leads, RevOps Heads/VPs

I work across SaaS, healthcare, manufacturing, finance, and beyond wherever strong operations and scalable systems drive success.

My approach: Hands-on, data-driven, relationship-first. No volume resumes just intentional matches, whether full-time, in-house, or remote.

Actively hiring or building a backup plan? Let's talk confidentially.

📨 Email: James@BlueOcean-Group.com
📞 Phone: 657-294-7816

James Hickey

U.S. RevOps, GTM & Business Systems Headhunter | Salesforce

Salesforce, Cloud & AI Talent Partner | Helping Asset Managers, PE Funds & Investment Banks Build High-Impact Teams

Salesforce Leadership Opportunity ⬇️ 

I’m supporting a senior CRM leadership hire at a U.S. Asset Manager with a global footprint.  

At a high level, the focus is on:
➡️ Owning Salesforce as the core distribution platform. 
➡️ Building and evolving a clear CRM roadmap
➡️ Partnering closely with Sales, Relationship Management, Marketing, Tech, and Finance teams to translating front-office needs into scalable platform enhancements. 

I've you have hands-on Salesforce experience in an Asset Management environment, have a strong product mindset and a track record driving real business impact from enablement tech, you'd make a great fit for this role. 

➡️ NYC-Based
➡️ Hybrid
➡️Salary: $170k - $195k 

No Visa Sponsorship/Third Parties

Please get in touch if you fit the above. 

Smart4 Cloud

☁️Tom Harding☁️ Mitch Grafton

#Salesforce #SalesforceRecruitment #CRM #Hiring #Smart4Cloud

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