About Us
"What's in a Name?"
Our mission is to make the ethos and quality of a robust, in-house talent acquisition team available to startups as a flexible, trusted partner. Why? Read on.
We founded Sandpiper Talent in December of 2020. The pandemic had catalyzed a collective step back, inspiring us and perhaps you, too, to reassess ...well, pretty much everything. While The Great Reshuffle had yet to be named, the seeds were planted.
We're lemonade people (i.e. "when life send you lemons," you know the drill). So during that time, we left our lives as millennial urban transplants to spend time with family. That choice brought us to Florida's Emerald Coast. We knew the change of scenery would bring opportunities to reflect and invest in important relationships. Little did we know how much it would change our perspectives.
It nurtured our strong desires to be forces of significant and positive impact. Few things inspire blank-slate, big-picture thinking like the ocean. But how? We wrapped up our commitments and jumped into the fray to find out. A few iterations and countless beach walks later, Sandpiper was born.
Innovation moves the world forward, and no one acts alone. For every product or idea that makes it over the hill, there is a team of uniquely skilled individuals who gathered around and committed to it. By helping founders build their teams, we help launch ideas, products, and communities that make the world a better place; we are multipliers.
Sandpipers are beach birds that time their hunting with the waves. They're precise, opportunistic, and they stick together. Taking a note from nature, we've resolved to partner with others who see here and now as the right place, right time.
Decades ago, Rachel's grandad also ran a company called Sandpiper. He built and repaired seawalls—structures that fortified homes and businesses, weathered storms, and stood the test of time. Our company is both a tribute to and a student of that legacy.
Paying it forward
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) acknowledges the give, take, and synergy between companies and their ecosystems. The goal is not just to exchange, but to contribute.
At Sandpiper, we strive to enhance the ecosystems in which we operate. For us, that's people and planet.
Each year, we support causes we believe in via Pledge 1%. We also provide coaching and resume review to individuals aiming to maximize their impact in the tech and startup communities.
Pledge 1%
Pledge 1% is a partnership of startups that leverage 1% of their equity, time, product, or profit for causes and non-profits they value.
Coaching
If you're new to tech or working to level up, we offer pro-bono (free) resume review and job search consulting.
Our Backstories
(For the detail people)
Caitlin Mahoney
Co-founder | Tech Talent Advisor
"What would the world be like if more people loved their jobs?"
This question is what led me to talent. I was a college senior, trying to imagine and plan life after graduation, and I was learning the hard lesson that there are a lot of so-so jobs out there with so-so results (to put it kindly). Through TED talks, blogs, and books, I discovered leaders in People Ops who advocated for optimizing work by honoring the two-way street between employer and employee. At the same time, I became aware of the tech industry's power to transform.
From that point forward, I was set on a people ops career in tech. I started with an assistant job at a local staffing agency. After graduation, I moved to Atlanta as an agency recruiter and encountered its bubbling startup community. A year later, I landed a dream job recruiting in-house for Slalom, a top-awarded and much-loved workplace. Another year later, and we reach the beginning of the Sandpiper story.
I've spent the past few years in hardcore learning mode—testing the waters within and outside of my field so I could learn and grow faster. I’ve hired for Fortune 500's and been immersed in a top consulting company. I've led onboarding programs both in-person and remotely. I've designed an HR strategy for small business owners. I've become a community organizer, joined advisory boards, helped facilitate conferences, and contributed to open source.
Along the way, I've spoken with thousands of people about what they do, why, and the pivotal experiences or practices that got them there. The more I learn, the more I'm fired up to make powerful introductions and set the stage for game-changing collaboration.
I love what I do. I'm thankful to say that, and I take great joy in supporting others along their journey to create effective, fulfilled, power-house teams.
Rachel Lewis
Co-founder | Ops & CSR Lead
All my life, I've loved creating experiences for people. After completing a B.F.A. at the University of West Florida, I apprenticed and worked as a full time actor in NYC and Portland. Theatre people wear many hats, so in addition to acting I pitched in on any and everything else, too. Production management? Check! Payroll? You got it. De facto Marketer? Every day. Call it "Theatre Ops."
Enter.... Covid. The arts were "postponed until further notice" and in-person-anything ground to a halt. In this period of reinvention we all had to adapt fast—luckily, that's always been my nature.
Like most actors, my time in theatre was accompanied by a parallel path of side hustles: hospitality and tourism, healthcare, customer service, inventory management, you name it. As a visitor, I compared experiences across different jobs, bosses, and team dynamics. The difference between great and just-okay is actually night and day. My interest in how and why that is laid the foundation for my work with Sandpiper.
Co-founding Sandpiper precipitated a shift from observer to influencer. Now, my efforts directly contribute to the evolution and growth of awesome teams—which in turn support great workplace and customer experiences.
I handle all things ops, or in other words, backstage. That means contracts, accounting, marketing, and a host of other magics behind the scenes. I also spearhead our CSR initiatives and commitment to the 1% Pledge.
At Sandpiper, calculation meets storytelling. The dots "will somehow connect in your future." Let's start plotting.