Building the teams that power the world's most ambitious companies — from dealership floors to global EV startups to AI-integrated platforms. Born into the automotive industry. Built for the frontier.
Born into the automotive industry and built a career from the dealership floor up — starting in sales, finance, business development, and marketing before discovering that recruiting was the calling. Founded a national automotive recruiting consultancy in 2012, then spent the next decade scaling teams at the intersection of EV, AI, autonomy, and high-growth technology at the highest level.
That career arc runs from building Gurley Leep's entire recruiting function from scratch across 36 franchises, to supporting Fisker's global workforce growth from 300 to 1,700+ employees, to serving as sole recruiter for the U.S. launch of Sony Honda Mobility of America's AFEELA platform — delivering 48 hires and $1.5M+ in agency cost savings in 15 months.
Known for eliminating agency dependency, building direct sourcing pipelines that consistently outperform search firms, and designing hiring strategies tied directly to business outcomes.
Built the entire recruiting function from scratch as sole recruiter during the U.S. launch of the AFEELA next-generation AI-integrated electric vehicle platform. Delivered 48 strategic hires across nine functional categories in 15 months with a 42-day average time to fill, 98% offer acceptance rate, and $1.5M+ in agency cost savings.
Supported global workforce scaling from under 300 to 1,700+ employees across North America, Europe, and China. Averaged 17 hires per month with peak months of 50+ placements. Tapped by C-suite to own the most mission-critical roles, including VP-level recruitment from Hyundai, Volkswagen, and Land Rover.
Recruited directly by Gurley Leep after delivering exceptional results as their outside recruiting consultant. Built the entire corporate recruiting function from scratch as sole recruiter. Delivered 782 hires in 28 months at an average cost-per-hire of $243 with a 90% personal retention rate.
Left a successful career as a top-performing automotive Business Development Director to found a national recruiting consultancy. Grew the firm almost exclusively through repeat and referral business, achieving 30% client retention growth and 25% year-over-year business growth.
Every letter below was written independently. Not one person was coached on what to say. Yet every single one arrives at the same conclusion — remote or onsite, Larry Sherwood delivers results that no unknown recruiter can match.
"If I were given the choice in the future between working with Larry remotely to build my next team or starting over with an onsite recruiter I did not know, I would choose Larry without hesitation."
"Compared to previous experiences, including recruiters located onsite, his level of engagement, visibility, and accountability was significantly stronger."
"If building another engineering team in the future, I would absolutely choose Larry working remotely over an onsite recruiter I did not know. His judgment, execution speed, and ability to identify top tier technical talent are far more important than physical location."
"I have worked with Larry across two separate organizations, Fisker and Sony Honda Mobility of America, where he built out my team on both occasions. Larry delivered superstars both times."
"Larry would be someone I would recommend without hesitation for critical roles requiring strong judgment, attention to detail, and an understanding of how talent decisions affect risk, performance, and long-term organizational health."
"In practice, working with Larry remotely was indistinguishable from having him onsite. Proven results, trust, and execution matter far more than physical proximity — and Larry delivers on all three."
"To put it plainly: If I were given the choice between working with Larry remotely to build a mission-critical team or an unknown recruiter working onsite, I would choose Larry every single time."
"His proven track record, reliability, and ability to deliver results far outweigh any perceived benefit of physical presence. I strongly recommend Larry and am confident he will be a valuable asset to any organization."
Full reference letters available upon request
From candidates placed at entry level to VPs who hired entire teams, the verdict is consistent across 15+ years, two major startups, and hundreds of placements.
"Truly the best recruiter I have worked with in my 20+ years in the automotive industry. Larry does an awesome job keeping the hiring manager updated on every step of the process."
"Larry is by far the best recruiter I have ever worked with. His enthusiasm for the company sold me. His passion for what the company is working on in the EV space is contagious."
"THE. BEST. RECRUITER. HANDS DOWN. I haven't met another person who can source candidates as efficiently, get them pumped to work for a company, and close them like Larry."
"A 5-star recruitment experience! Larry is the best recruiter I have known in my 30+ years career managing more than 100 high performing team members."
"He is a strong and trusted partner to have in the growth of one's team. He builds rapport with candidates and identifies the small details not always found on paper."
"Larry is a rare recruiting professional who combines strong operational instincts, genuine relationship-building ability, and the energy needed to attract exceptional talent."
"Each candidate always lets me know that Larry was a pleasure to work with and one of the primary reasons they took the job."
"Larry is more than just a recruiter; he is a true career partner who invests deeply in his candidates' success. He is an invaluable asset in every sense of the word."
"Truly the best recruiter I have worked with in my 20+ years in the automotive industry. Larry does an awesome job keeping the hiring manager updated on every step of the process."
"Larry is by far the best recruiter I have ever worked with. His enthusiasm for the company sold me. His passion for what the company is working on in the EV space is contagious."
"THE. BEST. RECRUITER. HANDS DOWN. I haven't met another person who can source candidates as efficiently, get them pumped to work for a company, and close them like Larry."
"A 5-star recruitment experience! Larry is the best recruiter I have known in my 30+ years career managing more than 100 high performing team members."
"Larry does not give up on you! He saw the potential in my skill set and worked hard to get me into SHMA. He reached out and secured my position in record time!"
"Working with Larry felt less like dealing with a recruiter and more like having a trusted advisor in your corner. Genuinely gifted at understanding people."
"Larry is the definition of what a true recruiter should look like. Professional yet truly personable. Exceptional communication and follow through."
"Larry is the best recruiter I have ever worked with. His friendliness put me at ease. His genuine positive personality makes him a great recruiter for any company."
"His tenacious competitiveness along with his hunger for more undoubtedly makes him an asset to any organization. He exemplified what it means to be a recruiter."
"Coming from a recruiting background, I have always been aware of what great recruiters are. Larry exceeded every expectation. He made me feel as though I was the only person he was working with."
"I can't speak highly enough of Larry. Changing jobs after 10 years was extremely stressful. Larry was the friend I needed to make this transition easy."
"Larry's energy and passion for his work shines through in all that he does. A true professional that sincerely enjoys what he does day in and day out."
"Larry does not give up on you! He saw the potential in my skill set and worked hard to get me into SHMA. He reached out and secured my position in record time!"
"Working with Larry felt less like dealing with a recruiter and more like having a trusted advisor in your corner. Genuinely gifted at understanding people."
"Larry is the definition of what a true recruiter should look like. Professional yet truly personable. Exceptional communication and follow through."
"Larry is the best recruiter I have ever worked with. His friendliness put me at ease. His genuine positive personality makes him a great recruiter for any company."
Open to senior talent acquisition leadership opportunities across EV, AI, autonomy, aerospace, robotics, cybersecurity, and high-growth technology. If you are building something ambitious and need a recruiter who builds functions from scratch and delivers in high-stakes environments, let's talk.