Recruitment is the Cornerstone of Startup Success

In the rapidly evolving world of climate tech, few individuals have the vantage point of Cherry Swayne. As the founder of Above and Beyond Recruitment, Swayne sits at the intersection of people and purpose, helping early-stage climate startups build the teams they need to scale. 

Her path from a 2008 recession-era graduate to a respected climate recruiter and angel investor has given her the experience to take on a consultative role in helping businesses build the right teams.

In the latest episode of Profit Meets Purpose, Swayne sat down with Sustainable Times to discuss how founders can build the right teams and shared practical advice for those looking to enter the climate tech industry. She’s finding that there is no shortage of candidates, but nevertheless advises founders to think twice before hiring. 

Listen to the full episode here.

Falling into recruitment

Swayne’s entry into recruitment wasn’t premeditated. With a degree in French and Spanish and little clarity on what came next, she stumbled into the field in 2008, just as the global financial crisis hit.

"It was a baptism of fire," she laughs, recalling her early days at Hayes, an international recruitment firm, where she was placed in the construction and property division. Despite the challenges of the time, Swayne quickly developed a passion for the job: “It was one of those roles that touched every part of business: sales, marketing, negotiation. I thought I’d do it for a year, figure out what I liked, and move on. But I never left.”

After four years, she pivoted into tech recruitment, helping build a boutique agency’s presence in Cambridge. Over the next decade, she worked across sectors from fintech to cybersecurity. The common thread across all of these roles was their early-stage focus, which Swayne came to recognise as the work she found most rewarding.

“I loved it when there were ten people in a shed with a cool idea,” she says. “Watching that team grow and being a contributor to that process was what I became very passionate about.”

A pandemic, A baby, A business

The pandemic was the catalyst for Swayne’s next big step. On maternity leave with her second child, she began reflecting on her purpose. Her climate anxiety, rooted as far back as a childhood lesson about the ozone layer, collided with her professional expertise in building teams.

“I discovered the Japanese concept of Ikigai, finding the intersection of what you love, what you’re good at, and what the world needs,” she explains. “That’s where Above and Beyond was born.”

Launched in 2021, the agency helps climate tech startups to scale by recruiting mission-aligned talent. The first six months were built around nap schedules, breastfeeding, and school runs. “I did one small thing every day to move the business forward. That’s how it started.”

Now Swayne’s work is more than just placing candidates. For many founders, particularly in the early days, she’s a strategic partner.

“Startups often come to me not knowing exactly what they need. I help them figure out the gaps in their team, sometimes even before they realise them,” she says. Her advice? Hire slower than you think you need to. “Founders can feel pressure to hire in anticipation of contracts or funding. But if that doesn’t come through, it can lead to tough decisions.”

The rise of the climate career changer

When it comes to candidates, Swayne looks for three things: skillset, adaptability, and mission alignment. “Most candidates don’t need a background in climate. But they do need to be resilient, proactive, and passionate,” she notes.

Swayne’s seen a surge in mid-career professionals wanting to pivot into climate. “It’s often people 15 years into their careers, asking themselves not what they’re doing, but why. Some are parents thinking about the world they’re leaving behind.”

Many take pay cuts, a reality Swayne finds frustrating. “We can’t rely on people’s altruism to drive this space. If you need AI talent, you need to pay AI salaries even if your company is ‘climate-first’. Climate is a horizontal, not a vertical.”

Angel investing for impact

In the past year, Swayne has added another role to her resume: angel investor. But not in the traditional mold. “I used to think you needed to be rich and grown-up to be an angel investor,” she admits. “Then I realised you can start with £5,000 if you’re in a syndicate.”

She’s since invested in three female-founded climate startups and advocates fiercely for more women to do the same. “Only 2% of venture capital funding goes to female founders. That won’t change unless more women are writing the cheques.”

For Swayne, it’s about impact and learning. “Every pitch I sit in on, I learn something new. I understand startups better now how they raise, how they scale, where they fail. It’s the kind of knowledge I never got from just being a recruiter.”

Podcasting pioneer

Another outlet for Swayne’s insight is The Climate Pioneers podcast, now nine series in. She launched it to share stories from founders, particularly those in the messy, early stages. “Most podcasts celebrate the success stories. I wanted to create something that celebrated the scrappy stories,” she says.

Each series has a theme - recent episodes have focused on angel investing and resilience - often aligning with topics she’s curious about herself. “It’s founder therapy,” she jokes. “And I’ve passed on so much advice from guests to other startups. It’s a virtuous circle.”

No grand plan

Today, Above and Beyond is a small but mighty team of three. Swayne doesn’t have a grand five-year plan; she just wants to keep getting better at what she is doing. “My goal is to be the first person a climate startup thinks of when they need to hire. I just want to be useful, every day. That’s how I’ve built everything.”

Listen to the full episode here.