Talentfoot and Spencer Stuart sit in different lanes of executive search. Spencer Stuart is a prestigious, retained-only firm best known for CEO succession and board work at the world's largest companies. Spencer Stuart is a retained-only firm concentrated on CEO succession, board services, and leadership advisory for the largest companies. Is Talentfoot more affordable than Spencer Stuart? Spencer Stuart works retained-only, with fees commonly cited at 30% to 35% of first-year compensation and minimums often in the $150,000 to $250,000-plus range.