The KINN · Fractional Talent

A Better Way to Hire

Bring in trusted fractional operators matched on real ability and culture fit, without upfront recruiting fees or a long term contract commitment.

Curated through The KINN and Whole Collective global talent network.

The Problem

The Backdrop Has Changed

There is less seed money going into startups. Founders are expected to deliver far more with fewer resources, leaning on AI tools to do it. The old playbook of raising and then scaling by hiring full-time staff is dying.

01

Upfront fees hurt

For early-stage companies, upfront recruiting fees of $10–40k don't make sense when that hire could leave the business in six months.

02

Wrong hires cost

Hour-long interviews don't really tell you how someone will operate in a role. Hiring fractionally lets the company and the talent see if the fit is right first, without long-term contracts or risk.

03

It's noisy out there

LinkedIn puts thousands of profiles in front of you and hiring processes are overwhelming. Finding the right people to trust is hard.

The Solution

Experienced Talent, When You Need It

The KINN connects you with trusted operators who can step into your business on a fractional basis, with the option to bring them on full-time later if the fit is right.

Our network spans individual contributors, functional leaders, executives, and advisors, working on-site or remote. We match on real ability, communication style, culture, and what your business actually needs.

Fractional firstConvert to full-time later only if it is right.
On-site or remoteWhatever fits your team and budget.
Junior through C-levelIndividual contributors to executives.
Flexible monthly engagementsAdjust as your needs change.

A trusted network of operators across

MarketingGrowthFinancePeople & HROperationsAI IntegrationProductSalesEngineeringCreative
Pricing & Engagement

Simple, Flexible, and Aligned

  • No upfront recruiting fees, just a 15% recruiting margin added to the monthly talent cost.
  • No long-term commitment, just a monthly rolling agreement.
  • No additional employee overheads, including benefits and tax costs.
  • Support that evolves as your business and needs evolve.
About

Meet Holly Gottlieb

Founder of Whole Collective

The best hires come through trusted relationships, shared values, and people who understand how strong teams get built.

Holly knows this better than anyone. She has spent the last 14 years finding talent for some of the fastest-growing venture-backed companies across the United States and Europe, placing executives, functional leaders, operators, and fractional talent across nearly every part of a business.

With an obsession for how values, purpose, and alignment shape the workforce, she founded Whole Collective to support both founders and individuals navigating this ever-changing economic backdrop.

Holly works closely with founders building purpose-driven companies, pairing deep executive search experience with a trusted global network. Her sweet spot is looking past the résumé to understand how someone thinks, operates, and fits a company's growth trajectory.

Testimonials

What Clients Had to Say

“Holly helped me make my first C-level hire outside of finding my co-founder. She's fun to work with and passionate about what she does, but more importantly, she weaves a bigger why into how she does it. She's a connector with a strong eye for team needs and culture dynamics.”
Shane Heath
Founder, MUD\WTR
Placed · Chief Marketing Officer
“We've worked with Holly several times now and have always had great success finding the perfect person for the role. She takes the time to learn not just about the role but our company, to understand the culture and development we promote. In every situation, the process has gone incredibly smoothly and she sourced numerous candidates that met both our technical requirements and cultural fit. I highly recommend working with Holly across any hire in your organization, regardless of level.”
Eric Adams
EAV Partners
Placed · Fractional CMO & CFO
“I've known Holly for a decade, so when we needed to build out our team at OrkaTV, she was the first call. She placed six people for us within six months, across operational, management, and leadership. Having her embedded as part of the team meant she learned how we operate and what we actually needed in each seat, rather than throwing résumés over the wall. The hires have been strong across the board, and the cost was a fraction of what an agency would have run us. For any founder trying to scale a team without losing the plot on culture, Holly is the person I'd point you to without hesitation.”
Mike Woods
Founder, OrkaTV
Placed · 6 hires across sales, marketing & growth
“Holly came to us via the KINN network, and we found our fractional COO within 10 days of starting to work with her. The fractional monthly model makes so much more sense for our business, and so far the talent Holly has brought us has been great. Would highly recommend for any early-stage business in growth mode.”
Reuben Vollmer
Spout Water
Placed · Fractional COO
“I cannot recommend Holly enough. She gets to know you and the candidates so she can match you with someone whose experience fits the role, who fits your personality, and who is interested in growing with your business long-term. It's rare to find a recruiter who is so easy to chat with and just gets what you are looking for. She is great at following up, sharing progress reports, and being kind to candidates who are not a fit after they have gone through the process. I have worked with her on multiple roles at all levels, from CMO to Senior Associate. She devotes herself to finding you a good match and sticking with you through the process. If you are at all considering Holly, do yourself a favor and speak with her. You will be better for it.”
Danielle Dieringer
Founder, Scrollstop
Placed · Fractional marketing & finance
“Holly has worked with me on several occasions to find and recruit top talent. She takes the time to understand our needs and keeps us informed of her progress every step of the way. Holly has also provided mentorship and coaching to some of our junior team members, helping to shape our People Operations organization and ensure we are aligned with our core values and mission. She is a highly creative individual who excels at networking and is an asset to any organization.”
Guillaume LeLait
CEO, Flixr
Placed · Marketing, operations & account management
Whole Collective

Clients

MUD\WTR
Patreon
Dollar Shave Club
Quibi
M&C Saatchi
Orfium
Spout Water
EAV
Spoon Guru
Theo Water
Orka TV
NOCCO
Size
Tell Us What You Need

Find the Right Person for the Work

Share what you are building, where you need support, and what the right person would help you get done.

We reply personally, usually within two business days.
Thank you.

Your inquiry is on its way to our team. We will be in touch personally to learn more and share a short list of strong fits.

For Professionals

Interested in Fractional Work?

Tell us about your experience, the kind of companies you support, and the work you do best. We are always meeting operators for our trusted network.

Join the Talent Network
We review every submission personally.
Welcome.

Thanks for introducing yourself. We will reach out when there is a strong match for your experience.

Tell Us What You Need