How we sound
STA is the firm companies turn to for high-stakes GTM hires. We place decisive, influential talent in the most critical growth moments — when the clock is ticking, there's everything to lose, and the outcome is non-negotiable. No shortcuts. No generic mass outreach. Just decades of sharpened instinct, industry knowledge, and discipline to land the hires that will change your trajectory.
Earned confidence from experience and knowledge. We speak like we've done this before, because we have — never louder than we need to be.
Poise and control, while staying human. Disciplined writing, never corporate-sterile.
Every word matters. No filler. But never robotic — there's a person behind the sentence.
Tight, intentional phrasing that reflects urgency without panic. We move fast; the writing doesn't have to shout about it.
- Lead with the tension. Name the stakes before the solution.
- Use short declarative sentences. One idea per sentence.
- Use rhetorical questions to surface what the reader already feels.
- Use contrast framing — 'not just X, Y' — to sharpen a point.
- Use 'when X, Y' conditionals to anchor the stakes in a moment.
- Pick the most specific verb available. Cut adverbs on sight.
- When a sentence can end sooner, end it.
- Don't use exclamation points. Confidence doesn't need them.
- Don't hedge with 'just,' 'simply,' 'we believe,' or 'in our experience.'
- Don't use hype adjectives: 'world-class,' 'game-changing,' 'revolutionary,' 'cutting-edge,' 'best-in-class.'
- Don't overexplain the stakes. The reader is already inside the problem — trust them.
- Don't use consultant-speak: 'leverage,' 'utilize,' 'synergy,' 'solutions,' 'space' (as in 'the recruiting space').
- Don't start with 'We're excited to…' — we don't need to be excited, we need to be right.
- Don't write 'industry-leading' when you can name what you actually lead.
We are a leading recruiting firm that specializes in finding top-tier talent for growth-stage companies.
For the hires you can't afford to get wrong.
Our team leverages cutting-edge AI technology combined with decades of industry experience to deliver world-class results.
Human judgment, sharpened by technology. We know when to automate — and when only judgment will do.
We're excited to announce that we've successfully placed another outstanding candidate!
Another seat filled. Another quarter saved.
In our experience, finding executive talent is challenging, but we're here to help you navigate that journey.
The best ones are taken. We place them anyway.
Palette
Click any swatch to copy its hex. Ink and Bone define the brand surface; Signal carries accent weight; Champagne and the five pastel accents are for surface variation and secondary framing.
Type system
Crimson Pro is the default. It's the voice on the page — headings, prose, everything that isn't chrome. Always weight 400. Inter is the UI typeface, reserved for navigation, buttons, labels, metadata. Body text is 14px / line-height 1.4.
The dominant typeface across the live site. All headings and most body text. Always weight 400 — avoid heavier weights; Crimson Pro at 400 is the STA voice on the page.
Navigation, buttons, labels, metadata, small captions, footer chrome. Reserved for UI surfaces — not prose. Weights 500–700 for buttons and labels.
Illustrative style
Two distinct illustration styles, chosen by context.
Brand-level — bird and small-character compositions used for identity moments: LinkedIn banners, hero surfaces, major collateral. Hand-drawn linework with flat color fills, quiet detail, restrained palette.
Content-level — simple iconographic marks (compass, key, arrow, hourglass, pen) used to support blog articles and ongoing content. Lighter weight, more utilitarian, designed to appear often without overwhelming.
Placeholder copy — Amit to refine.
- Use brand-level illustrations (birds, figures) for identity moments — LinkedIn banners, website hero surfaces, major collateral.
- Use content-level illustrations (objects, icons) for blog posts and supporting content where text is the primary carrier.
- Keep illustrations on Bone background — never place on photographic backgrounds.
- Don't mix brand-level and content-level illustration within a single composition.
- Don't recolor illustrations outside of the STA palette.
- Don't apply drop shadows, 3D effects, or gradients to line illustrations.
Compositional references
Not templates — references. Direction, not recipes.
LinkedIn — Asad (approved)
The approved LinkedIn banner for Asad Zaman. A key identity moment — pairs a brand-level bird illustration against the Bone surface with Ink type.
LinkedIn — Team
One of 10 approved banner options for the broader STA team. Each option uses a different brand-level illustration; pick the one that best matches the team member's role or moment.
Business card
Cream surface, Ink type, Signal accent — shows how the palette applies to print collateral. Placeholder from the STA item mockup set.
Downloadable files
Copy the URL, download the file, or copy as markdown to paste into an AI. Illustration source files are Adobe Illustrator (.ai) — preview unavailable in the browser.
Logo · 10 files
Illustration — brand-level · 7 files
Used for identity moments. Adobe Illustrator source (.ai) — download to open in Illustrator.
LinkedIn banners · 11 files
Asad's is approved and final. The ten team options are approved for any STA team member — pick the composition that fits.
Blog illustrations — content-level · 5 files
Lightweight iconographic marks for supporting blog content. Distinct from brand-level bird illustrations.