Startups don’t get the luxury of slow hiring. Every gap in the team delays progress. Every wrong hire sets you back months. And when you're working in mental health—a space where empathy, security, and tech all have to move together—finding the right person isn’t just important. It’s critical.
That was the case for a seed-stage AI mental health company based in the Bay Area. They were building something new. And they were stuck.
THE ROLE: PRODUCT MEETS ENGINEERING, ALL IN ONE
They needed someone rare: a product leader who could own the roadmap and write the code. Someone who could shape the vision, get into the technical weeds, and move fast with a small, driven team.
The search had been dragging on for over six months.
They had met a few PMs. Talked to some engineers. But no one hit the mark. Some lacked the technical depth. Others didn’t have the product instinct. And few had real motivation for working in mental health.
That’s when Bamboo X took it on.
HOW WE APPROACHED IT
We didn’t just search for another PM or another engineer. We searched for the intersection: the kind of hybrid profile that doesn’t show up with a standard job post.
Here’s what made the difference:
-
Built a tight target list of former startup engineers turned product leads, and PMs who had built features hands-on in fast-paced environments. These were people who didn’t need to be told what to do—they could shape and ship.
-
Filtered for founder-mindset: We prioritized candidates who had worn multiple hats before, ideally in high-stakes settings where user needs evolve fast and priorities shift weekly.
-
Looked for purpose-fit, not just skill-fit: Mental health is a personal space. We focused on candidates who were excited about the mission, not just the tech.
THE RESULT: FROM SEARCH TO SIGNED OFFER IN 5 WEEKS
After months of slow traction, things moved fast. We surfaced a hybrid PM/Engineer with experience leading early product at a healthtech startup, and a strong track record of writing and shipping code. They connected immediately with the mission.
The final offer? $160K base + $5K sign-on + equity.
The total timeline from kickoff call to signed offer: just five weeks.
Now, they’re leading the product from both sides: shaping the roadmap, writing production code, and working shoulder-to-shoulder with the founders to bring an ambitious AI platform to life.
NEED HELP HIRING FOR A ROLE THAT DOESN'T FIT THE USUAL BOX? fill out the form below
If you're scaling your AI, mental health, or early-stage tech team, and you need talent that can do more than just tick boxes, we can help.
If you're stuck on a hybrid role, or struggling to find someone who can do "a bit of everything," let's talk. We specialize in finding designers, engineers, and product minds who thrive in the messy, fast, high-stakes world of innovation. Fill out the form below and let's find your next game-changing hire.
Let’s find your next hire. Talk to Bamboo X
