Moderator

Carrie Schochet

Carrie Schochet is the Founder and CEO of Purple Squirrel Advisors, a boutique executive search firm based in Troy, Michigan. With a passion for helping companies grow by creating exceptional leadership teams, Carrie has spent the past 13 years connecting C-level and senior executives with leadership positions in finance, accounting, human resources, operations, sales, and marketing. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame in 2001, Carrie moved to Chicago and spent over a decade climbing the ranks at one of the nation’s leading recruitment and staffing firms.  In 2012, after the birth of her sons Nicholas and Brendan, she moved back to Rochester Hills to be closer to family.  As a passionate Michigander, she wanted to focus her philanthropic and recruitment efforts on helping the economic growth in this great state.  Influenced by Bob Burg’s philosophy of “net-giving” versus “networking,” Carrie quickly gained a vast network of industry connections throughout the Midwest. On January 1, 2015, Carrie launched Purple Squirrel Advisors with the mission of designing a consultative, “white glove” recruitment process customized to each client. Her team’s expansive and loyal network, combined with their direct sourcing activities, helps to connect companies with unique candidates and fulfill even the most difficult searches. With an in-depth understanding of her client’s needs, Carrie brings strategic advice, onboarding expertise, and objectivity throughout the hiring process. The team is dedicated to “Recruiting Leaders Who Have It All.”. Carrie is also the founder of CFO Next, a group she launched in early 2013 when she discovered a lack of resources and networking opportunities for transitioning or unemployed senior financial executives. With help from the group and Purple Squirrel Advisor’s pro-bono guidance, 60 members landed new career opportunities in its first two years.   To date, the group has over 60 Alumni members and is supporting over 20 “in transition” executives find their next career opportunity.  Carrie also uses her network and resources as Co-Chair of the Career Services Committee for Financial Executives International (FEI), a non-profit organization with the mission to support senior finance executives through professional development and networking. Through this position, she works to bring valuable content and career management education to the organization’s members. Carrie is a passionate philanthropist who has raised money for ALS research, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Power Company Kids Club and 100 Women Who Care – Greater Rochester Area, a group focused on steering funds to locally based non-profit organizations. In 2016, Carrie co-founded 100 Businesses Who Care to connect executives who want to make a philanthropic impact on the Metro-Detroit community. By combining each company’s 500 donation at a two-hour meeting twice a year, the group is set to give a 50,000 donation to a local non-profit twice a year starting on February 15, 2017.