56% more job openings, 3x more applications, but 8 MORE days to fill roles! CEO of Gem.ai shares data that explains why most recruiting careers are about to hit a wall…In this eye-opening conversation, Boris Epstein sits down with Steven Bartel, CEO of Gem.ai, to explore the shocking transformation happening in recruiting right now. From North Korean actors infiltrating hiring processes to AI-generated deepfake interviews, the recruiting landscape has become a battlefield. Steve reveals how recruiters are drowning under 3x more applications while handling 56% more open roles, yet companies refuse to expand recruiting teams. Steve shares exclusive data on how AI is saving companies up to 90% of their application review time and how Gem is embedding AI deeply into recruiting workflows - from sourcing agents to fraud detection - to help recruiters work smarter, not just harder. Tune in to hear them talk about:The Application Apocalypse: Recruiters are experiencing a 3x increase in applications while handling 56% more open roles.The Fraud Arms Race: Fraud in hiring is escalating, with cases of North Korean actors, deepfake interviews, and AI-generated resumes.The Efficiency Revolution: AI is cutting application review time by up to 90% for leading companies.The Human-AI Partnership: Recruiters who embrace AI will outperform those who resist it; AI augments human judgment.The Data-Context Challenge: The future of recruiting AI is about having complete relationship histories and touchpoint data to enable hyper-personalized outreach.Specifically, don't miss Steve's bold prediction on how he expects AI to reshape recruiting over the next few years!Chapters00:00 Highlights from the episode03:45 When Your Interview Is With AI09:08 North Korea's Recruiting Infiltration12:06 The Deepfake Interview Dilemma19:13 Why Recruiters Are Burning Out23:18 Will AI Kill the Recruiting Industry?27:24 FAANG Engineers vs AI Natives - a Recap33:24 The Recruiter's New Role in an AI-First Future41:40 A Bold Prediction About What Comes Next46:29 Solving The Source of Truth ProblemQuotes:"Each recruiter, on average, is dealing with three times the inbound applicants across our customer base. And more than 20% of our customers are getting thousands of applicants for a single role." - Steve Bartel (02:18)"I think some of these folks are using deepfake videos, which are getting surprisingly sophisticated. I've heard this recommendation where companies are going as far as to say 'Hey, can you put your hand in front of your face?'" - Steve Bartel (12:25)"If you talk to most recruiters in the industry, they are working a lot harder than ever before." - Steve Bartel (25:34)"AI is not going to replace recruiters, but recruiters who embrace AI are going to replace the recruiters who don't." - Steve Bartel (43:50)"The hardest part of AI is no longer like the underlying algorithm. [...] The hard part about AI is what data does the AI have actually access to and what kind of context does it have access to..." - Steve Bartel (46:01)Follow:Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/1st10podcast Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7e8ec9af-f38c-4cd9-8c68-1c1dd4516b 27/1st10-podcastApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1st10-podcast/id1760411207 Podcast: https://www.1st10.com/podcast RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/f951319c/podcast/rss YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Links:Gem: https://www.gem.comSteve Bartel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-bartel/Gem’s Benchmarks Report 2025: https://www.gem.com/resource/recruiting-benchmarksMusic by Roman Senyk from PixabayProducer: Shrikant Joshi
On this episode of the 1st10 Podcast, Boris Epstein, founder of 1st10 and former FAANG-level recruiter, reveals a shocking reality behind AI startup hiring practices and why the most talented engineers in tech might be getting left behind. Drawing from his decade of experience recruiting for top tech firms like Robinhood, Instacart, and Stripe, Boris explores why AI founders are wary of FAANG talent, what biases drive this perception, and how engineers can adapt to stay relevant. He contrasts grind culture with lifestyle gigs, zero-to-one building with scale, and passion projects with polished résumés. The episode is a wake-up call for FAANG engineers as well as a cautionary tale for startups dismissing valuable talent too quickly.Tune in to hear Boris explain:The Great Talent Paradox: AI startups systematically avoiding FAANG engineers seems to be creating a disconnect between supply and demand in the hiring market.The Hurdles of Work Culture: The 9-to-5 easy-going lifestyle preferred by FAANG engineers versus the 60-70 hour weeks demanded by AI startups is presenting a major hiring barrier.The HP-Internet Moment: Engineers face a stark choice: be part of the AI future or risk obsolescence if they don't adapt quickly.The Zero-to-One Test: Building something from scratch is the ultimate litmus test for AI startup hiring. Specifically, don't miss the part where Boris reveals how the bias shown by AI startups against FAANG talent could backfire and what FAANG engineers need to do, if (when?) that happens.Chapters00:00 Highlights From The Episode01:23 3 Deadly Biases05:18 A Grand Canyon-Sized Gap12:13 The Power of Passion Projects15:03 HP in 1994, FAANG in 2025?22:05 The Case for FAANG Talent28:21 How to Break Into AI33:27 Startups Don’t Wait, Why Should You?37:52 A Market on Collision Course43:31 Why Both Worlds Must Evolve46:33 Do You Want to Be Part of the Future?Quotes:"The reason [AI Startups] are working very hard is because AI is believed to be by these startups (to be) a completely transformational technology, completely transformational opportunity." - Boris Epstein (07:25)"Get off the FAANG bus, get into the AI startup bus!" - Boris Epstein (17:40)"If I had a dollar and I could only put it into one of the two startups, I’d probably bet on the FAANG startup." - Boris Epstein (23:32)"Your resume isn't showing anybody what you could do for them. Your resume is showing the world what you did in the past." - Boris Epstein (30:53)Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/1st10podcast Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7e8ec9af-f38c-4cd9-8c68-1c1dd4516b 27/1st10-podcastApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1st10-podcast/id1760411207 Podcast: https://www.1st10.com/podcast RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/f951319c/podcast/rss YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Connect with usWebsite: www.1st10.comPodcast: www.1st10.com/podcast Twitter www.x.com/1st10engineersLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/1st10/YouTube: www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Links:FAANG companies (Facebook/Meta, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Google) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_TechLangChain (open-source AI framework) - https://www.langchain.com/Music by Roman Senyk from PixabayProducer: Shrikant Joshi
In this episode of the 1st10 Podcast, Boris Epstein sits down with Sara Ali, Senior Director of Corporate Development & Strategy at Yahoo, to dissect the frenzy around AI-driven M&A. From Meta's $14.3 billion partial acquisition of Scale AI to Google's talent-grab deals with Character.AI, Sara breaks down the creative deal structures that are bypassing regulatory scrutiny while commanding unprecedented valuations. With her engineering background and 12+ years in M&A across companies like Robinhood, Google, and Microsoft's M12 venture arm, Sara reveals why traditional revenue multiples no longer apply in AI, how "scarcity multiples" are driving billion-dollar talent acquisitions, and what this means for engineers and founders navigating this chaotic landscape.Tune in to hear them talk about:The Regulatory Loophole Era: Creative deal structures, like non-voting stakes and licensing agreements, are allowing tech giants to acquire AI talent and assets while sidestepping regulatory reviews.Talent Is the New Gold: AI deals today aren't about revenue multiples - they're about "scarcity multiples" i.e., locking in talent and know-how before competitors do.M&A Budget vs HR Budget: Corporate development and HR departments operate with completely different compensation constraints, enabling acquired talent to earn 10-20x what traditionally-hired engineers make.Equity Is NOT Important: Being deemed "key talent" during an acquisition can be more lucrative than initial startup equity. Specifically, don't miss the part where Sara boldly predicts how GPU access might be used as a bargaining chip in future M&A deals.Chapters00:00 Highlights from the episode02:07 Sara's Journey05:15 Yahoo's Quiet Renaissance08:10 Decoding Corporate Development Secrets11:18 Why AI Is Too Big to Miss14:25 The Meta-Scale Play: "Have Your Cake, Eat It Too!"18:18 How Big Tech Skips the Regulators23:30 Winners, Losers, and Others28:25 Scarcity Multiples and Startup Shells31:09 The $100 Million Question38:43 Meta Brakes But M&A Won't Stop41:07 The Early Engineer's Survival Guide47:04 A Playbook For Founder's Playbook50:27 Sara's Bold Prediction about GPUsQuotes:"Meta gets all the benefits of owning Scale.AI but none of the regulatory headache." - Sara Ali (17:25)"No one really knows how the market is going to settle, but everyone knows that they can't just sit around and wait for it. Otherwise, they're going to miss." - Sara Ali (31:31)"While we may have to pay equity for base salary, you could end up getting millions of dollars of an equity grant and an acquired-engineer maybe making 10x, 20x what a regularly-hired engineer might make." - Sara Ali (33:55)"In AI specifically, more than any other space right now, the caliber of your team is crucial." - Sara Ali (48:01)Follow:Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/1st10podcast Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7e8ec9af-f38c-4cd9-8c68-1c1dd4516b 27/1st10-podcastApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1st10-podcast/id1760411207 Podcast: https://www.1st10.com/podcast RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/f951319c/podcast/rss YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Links:Music by Roman Senyk from PixabayProducer: Shrikant Joshi
On this episode of the 1st10 Podcast, Boris Epstein sits down with Daniel Rock - economist, professor at Wharton, and co-founder of Workhelix - to decode the messy reality of AI's impact on jobs, productivity, and enterprise transformation. Daniel brings a unique perspective as both an academic economist studying digital technologies and an entrepreneur building AI solutions for enterprises. The conversation explores why AI adoption might take longer than tech enthusiasts expect, how companies can strategically deploy AI tools, and why the "entry-level jobs apocalypse" might not happen as predicted. Daniel also shares his insights on teaching in the AI era, the challenges of building an AI startup, and his measured predictions for the technology's future impact.Daniel is refreshingly clear-eyed about where we actually are and where we're likely going. Below are some of the standout lessons I took away from our conversation.An entry-level job-pocalypse? Well, no. AI could just as likely augment junior talent as replace it, and in some cases, even increase demand for skilled oversight.A job isn't a task. It's a bundle of interdependent skills, roles, and context - making full automation much harder than people think.Generative AI = the new Excel. Used poorly, it's lazy. Used well, it supercharges creativity, productivity, and learning - especially among students.An Educational Revolution Is Underway. AI is quietly transforming classroom dynamics and assessment criteria in ways that mirror future workplace changes.Real transformation takes time. Like electricity and the internet, AI as a general-purpose tech will only reshape enterprise when paired with new systems, workflows, and retraining.AI Has A Real Risk No One's Talking About. It’s not superintelligence - it's bad actors with superpowers. And it matters a lot more in the near term than you think.Chapters00:00 Key Ideas From the Episode05:32 Confessions of a Multi-Disciplinary Economist08:31 How Students Actually Use AI11:24 Redefining Originality in the GPT Era16:21 A Startup That's Betting Against the Wait-and-See Crowd19:30 Inside the Enterprise AI Mess24:22 Jobs Are Systems, Not Widgets28:12 Reviewers, Not Doers: The Software Engineering Shift32:00 Workhelix: Building in the Eye of the Storm38:42 Predictions from the Pragmatist45:26 Careers @ WorkhelixQuotes"I tend to make everyone a little bit upset when I talk about Artificial Intelligence." - Daniel Rock (02:28)"I'm a little skeptical that the entry-level jobs apocalypse is even going to happen. A job is not, like, an easy thing to just take out." - Daniel Rock (00:00)"My friends, Gene Kim and Steve Yegge, call that 'The Potential Closet of Eldritch Horrors.' I do not envy the talent wars that Meta and OpenAI and Anthropic have to fight in." - Daniel Rock (00:00)"You don't get an A if you're correct anymore! You have to be correct AND original! You'll get a B if you're correct." - Daniel Rock (11:56)"AI will pay off your credit card debt on the technical debt side. So if you start racking up a lot of technical debt, that can be okay because AI will wipe it out to some extent later on!" - Daniel Rock (35:06)Follow:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/13UwWOSV1KrJBJgIdt8bJ7Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7e8ec9af-f38c-4cd9-8c68-1c1dd4516b 27/1st10-podcastApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1st10-podcast/id1760411207 Podcast: https://www.1st10.com/podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Links:Daniel Rock’s website: https://www.danielianrock.com Daniel Rock (Operations, Information and Decisions Department, Wharton School, UPenn): https://oid.wharton.upenn.edu/profile/rockdi/Daniel’s startup, Workhelix: https://www.workhelix.com/ Music by Roman Senyk from PixabayProducer: Shrikant Joshi
What if the AI revolution doesn't take all jobs but *just* enough to crash society?On this first episode of the latest season of the 1st10 Podcast, host Boris Epstein is joined by ex-Microsoft, ex-Meta, and ex-OpenAI engineer and founder of the AI-powered podcast app Superphonic, Philip Su for a conversation about AI, jobs, and the future of humanity. Philip lays out why he's building small while the rest of the world races toward scale. He opens up about career pivots, the myth of vibecoding, and the sobering risks that even a 5% disruption from AI could cause. From building Facebook Video Calling to solo-coding his dream podcast app, this is a rare look at tech from someone who's seen every stage of the game but is now sounding the alarm…Tune in to hear them talk about a variety of topics, such as:*Career Pivots Require Self-Awareness: Philip's leap from Microsoft to Facebook (when it was still risky) underscores the importance of recognizing when your skills need reinvention.*Small Teams, Big Impact: With AI tools, a solo developer can now build what once required a team!*Shipping is the real grind: The hardest part of software? Not coding. It's the “business of software”—App Store approvals, signing certs, compliance, etc.Podcasts Are Ripe for Disruption: Superphonic's innovations (like topic-based subscriptions) reveal how overlooked niches can be goldmines for builders.AI is beating us at being human: It does art, music, and writing better than the average person!*The "Faster Faster" Problem: AI's self-improving nature means societal disruptions could happen at an accelerating pace.Specifically, don't miss the part where Philip explains how specialization won't necessarily save you from losing your job to AI but something else will. Listen to the episode to know what that might be!Chapters00:00 Introduction05:23 A Risky Leap: From Microsoft to Facebook13:47 Building a Podcast Player (in 2025!)19:36 Coding Now vs Then (Spoiler: It's Wild!)23:02 Can A Solo Dev Compete With The Big Guys?30:11 Vibe Coding - It's What You've Been Waiting For!32:46 Inside OpenAI: A Glimpse Behind the Curtain38:09 AI Is Not Like Social Media; It's MUCH Bigger!43:30 Why This Time Might Actually Be Different46:02 Winter is Coming -- For ALL White-Collar Workers!Quotes:"Most of software development is not the coding of Tetris. That is hardly the hard part of the problem." - Philip Su (30:11)"We used to think with the Jetsons that the robots would clean our houses while we did art and music and all this stuff. And it turns out that the robots first came for the art and the music, and we're still cleaning our own houses." - Philip Su (39:54)"Winter is coming. That is my warning." - Philip Su (49:03)Connect with usWebsite: www.1st10.comPodcast: www.1st10.com/podcast Twitter www.x.com/1st10engineersLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/1st10/YouTube: www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Links:Music by Roman Senyk from PixabayProducer: Shrikant Joshi
On this episode of the 1st10 Podcast, hosts Boris Epstein and Alexis Munger sit down with Steve Bartel, founder and CEO of Gem. Steve was employee no. 25 at Dropbox and went on to found Gem, a leading all-in-one recruiting platform. He offers valuable insights into building early-engineering teams - first at Dropbox and now at Gem. Steve also shares how he translated these experiences into creating the powerful recruiting platform, Gem. Whether you're a startup founder or a seasoned recruiter, this episode has valuable insights on the challenges of hiring top talent, the evolution of recruiting tools, and the future of AI in recruiting.Some key takeaways from the episode: Make Recruiting a Core Company Value: Steve carried over the culture of treating recruiting as a top priority from Dropbox to Gem, where hiring the right people was seen as the key to scaling the company. Work Trials Are Powerful: Work trials are not just for evaluating candidates but for allowing candidates to evaluate the company. This approach ensures a good fit on both sides. Build a Product-Focused Engineering Team: At Gem, Steve focused on hiring engineers who were excited about building products that recruiters would love, rather than just solving hard technical problems. Recruiting is a Grind, Not a Silver Bullet: Whether at Dropbox or Gem, there's no shortcut to building a great team. Especially for startups without a strong brand, it takes consistent effort, relationship-building, and a deep understanding of what candidates are looking for in a role. Specifically, don't miss the part where Steve reveals a cool sourcing trick that can help you convert cold second-degree connections into warm first-degree-ish leads!Chapters00:00 Introductions & catch-up05:45 Being employee no. 25 at Dropbox10:14 Recruiting Philosophy At Dropbox15:27 The Birth of Gem: Solving Recruiting Pain Points22:45 How to Build a 1st10 Team That Loves Building Recruiting Software26:04 Attracting Talent in the Absence of a Brand29:56 Looking to Lure Great Talent to Your Small Startup?38:48 The Future of Recruiting: AI and End-to-End Platforms43:34 Gem Careers, Freebie, and Contact DetailsQuotes: "The single most important thing that any of us could do to have an impact was to bring on more great people." – Steve Bartel (11:23) "A big part of the Gem promise was, ‘Come on board, we're gonna give you a ton of exposure into how startups work.'" - Steve Bartel (23:23) "I wish 1st10 was around back then because it was, it was really hard!" - Steve Bartel (26:25) "The challenging part [about AI] is no longer the algorithm; the challenging part is actually the data!" – Steve Bartel (42:06) Connect with us:Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/1st10podcast Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7e8ec9af-f38c-4cd9-8c68-1c1dd4516b 27/1st10-podcastApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1st10-podcast/id1760411207 Podcast: https://www.1st10.com/podcast RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/f951319c/podcast/rss YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Webpage: https://www.1st10.com/podcastLinks:Gem: https://www.gem.com/Gem for Startups: https://www.gem.com/startupsSteve on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-bartel/Music by Roman Senyk from PixabayProducer: Shrikant Joshi
On this episode of the 1st10 Podcast, Boris and Alexis sit down with Eddie Siegel, the brilliant mind behind Fractional AI, to explore the realities of AI beyond the hype. Eddie shares his unique perspective on how AI is transforming industries, the importance of building strong engineering teams, and the future of AI tools for engineers. From automating mundane tasks to enabling entirely new workflows, Eddie provides a grounded look at the substance behind the buzz. On today's episode, Eddie explains why he thinks…AI is More Than Hype: Real progress is happening in industries that aren’t typically seen as cutting-edge. Companies are using AI to automate manual processes, freeing up employees to focus on higher-value tasks. AI is a Transformational Shift: AI is enabling computers to read, write, and make decisions in ways that were previously impossible, unlocking new workflows and opportunities. Building the Right Team is Critical: At Fractional AI, the interview process simulates real-world challenges, and the team looks for engineers who can thrive in ambiguous, high-pressure environments. AI Tools are Game-Changers for Engineers:Embracing these tools can significantly boost productivity, and engineers who adapt quickly will have a competitive edge. The Future of AI is Verticalized:The real value will come from verticalized solutions that solve specific industry problems, rather than generic AI tools. AI Won’t Replace Jobs, But It Will Transform Them: The goal of Fractional AI’s projects is to help teams achieve 10x more output without increasing headcount. Whether you're an engineer, founder, or just curious about AI, this episode is packed with actionable insights and thought-provoking ideas!Chapters00:00 Introductions & ice-breakers06:03 Is AI Hype or Not-Hype?07:36 Eddie’s Journey From Intern at LiveRamp to AI Visionary at Fractional13:45 "AI Won’t Take Your Job But It WILL Replace The Job Itself!" 18:26 How to Hire New Talent at an AI Company26:32 A Fractional Lens of the Overall AI Market36:44 AI Tools Are Your New Superpower - Adopt Them ASAP!43:45 Eddie’s Contact DetailsConnect with usWebsite:www.1st10.comPodcast:www.1st10.com/podcast Twitterwww.x.com/1st10engineersLinkedIn:www.linkedin.com/company/1st10/YouTube:www.youtube.com/@1st10podcastMusic byRoman Senyk fromPixabayProducer:Shrikant Joshi
On this episode of the 1st10 podcast, hosts Boris Epstein and Alexis Munger share 5 predictions for the future of startups and technology as we begin 2025. They discuss the possibility of a financial boom, the transformative role of artificial intelligence, and the concept of American dynamism, which emphasizes innovation and building great things in America. Tune in to hear them talk about: 5 Predictions for 2025: Particularly, the impact of American dynamism and how it’s set to fuel a fresh wave of innovation in the tech industry. With a renewed optimism in the air, this year will bring incredible advancements in manufacturing, robotics, AI, and more. M&A Opportunities: Mergers and acquisitions present compelling business opportunities for early startups. Whether it’s about creating liquidity or amplifying your mission, understanding M&As can be a game-changer for your business. The Future of AI: The evolving landscape of AI jobs and the increasing demand for full-stack and AI engineers could mean a radical shift the nature and the future of work! Specifically, don't miss the part where Boris & Alexis discuss a possible future where companies might hire AI-agent engineers! Chapters 00:00 Introductions 02:36 Prediction no. 5 - Boris Makes A Bold Prediction! 05:47 Prediction no. 4 - SaaS is Dead! Long Live SaaS? 10:32 Prediction no. 3 - Do You Wanna Build an AI Agent? 14:04 Prediction no. 2 - More Money, More… Hiring! 20:02 Prediction no. 1 - American Dynamism FTW! 25:25 Alexis and Boris Take Bets Quotes: "There's a lot of excitement around where Bitcoin can go with the sentiment of our administration, the sentiment of global powers that be with regards to its capability." - Boris Epstein (05:21) "2025 is going to be the year of productivity, I think, for everybody! Like, build an agent to do everything for you!" - Alexis Munger (11:51) "I think that we're gonna see a lot more teams spring up in Europe, South America, Canada." - Alexis Munger (14:46) Follow: Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/1st10podcast Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7e8ec9af-f38c-4cd9-8c68-1c1dd4516b 27/1st10-podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1st10-podcast/id1760411207 Podcast: https://www.1st10.com/podcast RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/f951319c/podcast/rss YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Links: Music by Roman Senyk from Pixabay Producer: Shrikant Joshi
On the first episode of the second season of the 1st10 podcast, hosts Boris Epstein and Alexis Munger share valuable insights on the critical lessons they learned during the past year helping early-stage startups build early engineering teams. They discuss the challenges of attracting talent, the importance of recruiting skills for founders, and the realities of hiring full stack engineers. Boris and Alexis explore a diverse array of topics such as the need for passion in candidates and the evolving landscape of startup hiring, providing valuable insights for founders and hiring managers alike. On today's episode, Boris and Alexis discuss: Why Attracting Talent is So Challenging - Founders often underestimate the complexities involved in attracting top talent, which goes beyond just posting job descriptions. How Much The Recruiting Ability of Founders Matters - It is essential for founders to invest in improving these abilities. The Myth of the Full Stack Engineer - Startups might - just might - be better off hiring specialists… Good Talent is NOT on LinkedIn - The world has changed and so have the social media habits of young talented engineers… The Ultimate Matchmaker - As important as technical skills are for the right hire, there is something equally important a candidate MUST have to be the perfect hire! Don't miss the part where Boris talks about why candidates shouldn't be reluctant to leave big companies! Chapters 00:00 - Introductions 02:11 - Lesson no. 6 - The Hardest Thing You Will Do as a Founder… 07:09 - Lesson no. 5 - How Good is the Founder?! 09:45 - Lesson no. 4 - What Does “Full Stack Engineer” Even Mean?! 17:15 - Lesson no. 3 - Where DO You Look for Good Talent? 19:50 - Lesson no. 2 - “Can I please, uh, NOT?” 25:06 - Lesson no. 1 - The MOST Important Thing Needed For The PERFECT Hire! 32:05 - Recap and conclusion
Mark Zuckerberg dropping $100 million each on SIXTEEN engineers (and counting) might be a wild strategy that could hand Meta the AI crown.On this episode of the 1st10 Podcast, host Boris Epstein dives into Meta's jaw-dropping AI talent acquisition spree that's sending shockwaves through Silicon Valley. From $100 million sign-on bonuses to billion-dollar offers, Meta is rewriting the rules of tech recruiting. From the $14B Scale AI buy to $100M+ offers for individual engineers, Boris unpacks the strategic genius - and controversy - behind Zuckerberg's pivot to building a "Superintelligence Lab." He explains why this isn't reckless spending but a calculated blend of corporate development and recruiting tactics, designed to leapfrog competition in the AI arms race. Along the way, he dissects the ripple effects across compensation norms, startup hiring, and the tech industry's status quo.Tune in to hear Boris explain how (and why):Meta isn't "just hiring" - it's merging a long-standing "corporate development" strategy with individual recruiting.Zuck's pivot pattern is clear. Mobile-first, Metaverse, and now AI - with "lockdown" focus and willingness to spend massively to catch up or lead.The hires weren't just motivated by massive paychecks. Mark Zuckerberg's compelling vision of "superintelligence for every human in the world" was a solid hook.Meta has forced an industry-wide compensation reset. Meta's strategy is forcing competitors like OpenAI and Anthropic to dramatically increase their own compensation packages to retain talent. Ripple effects will be seen beyond 'Big AI labs' - every competitor is now rethinking pay, retention, and how to raid rivals' best people.Discover why Meta is betting billions on superintelligence, how they're rewriting the rules of recruiting, and what this means for startups, engineers, and the future of AI.Chapters00:00 Key Ideas From The Episode01:19 Why Meta is Dropping $100M Like Pocket Change03:19 When Acquisitions Hit a Wall07:49 Zuck's Lockdown 2.0 Was Worth $14 Billion?13:20 The Math That Makes "Insane" Offers Make Sense17:04 The Hiring Model That Breaks ALL Industry Rules!21:10 Speed Was the Point, Not the Problem.26:53 What Kind of a Smart Guy Rejects a $1B Offer?!32:25 Will The Riches Trickle Down To... You?37:26 AI for Everyone - Or a Dystopian Nightmare?Quotes:"What Meta did in this case - which is, in my opinion, brilliant and landscape-changing - is they brought in individual people after their initial acquisition but for the same acquisition-level proceeds!" - Boris Epstein (16:44)"If Meta is willing to offer $100+ million, they’re equally allowed to ask for any timeline they want." - Boris Epstein (23:28)"I do believe that we'll see quite a meaningful trickle effect... Every single company CEO is taking notice. Every single company Corp Dev group, every single engineer, is taking notice." - Boris Epstein (32:25)Follow:Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/1st10podcast Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7e8ec9af-f38c-4cd9-8c68-1c1dd4516b 27/1st10-podcastApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1st10-podcast/id1760411207 Podcast: https://www.1st10.com/podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Connect with usWebsite: www.1st10.comPodcast: www.1st10.com/podcast Twitter www.x.com/1st10engineersLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/1st10/YouTube: www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Links:“Blink”, by Malcolm Gladwell - https://www.gladwell.com/blink/Open AI’s Head of Recruiting posts about Meta’s “exploding” offers: https://x.com/jquinonero/status/1940926946705395943The Developer Who Got A $1B+ Offer: https://www.business-standard.com/world-news/mark-zuckerberg-mira-murati-meta-thinking-machines-lab-andrew-tulloch-offer-125080601247_1.htmlMusic by Roman Senyk from PixabayProducer: Shrikant Joshi
On this milestone tenth episode of the 1st10 Podcast, hosts Boris Epstein and Alexis Munger interview the founder and CEO of CodeSignal, Tigran Sloyan. They discuss Tigran's journey from Armenia, to MIT, to founding CodeSignal. Tigran also shares some incredible insights on identifying great early engineers for startups, and his perspectives on the recruiting industry. On today's episode, XYZ talks about: Helping Kids To Learn Better - "The current funnel, the way it's designed, it doesn't cater to the different learning-styles. And it just sort of fails everybody involved because you try to cater to everyone while in the process failing everyone." - Tigran Sloyan (11:12) Personality Is Not A Type - "I think most people misunderstand personality as a type, especially since things like Myers-Briggs popularized typing people, which makes it easy for us to think about, but it's always (A) it depends and it's a spectrum." - Tigran Sloyan (20:48) Be Aware of your Own Biases - "We're biased about many, many, many things because we try to create the shortcuts! And it's part of everyone's growth to be aware of their biases and try to keep them in check in places where it's going to hurt them and their business." - Tigran Sloyan (29:44) Recruitment is a ‘Matching Problem’ - "You've got to remember that it's a matching problem, right? Not a one-way street. I see so many people show up to interviews and think like, 'If I can only like represent myself in the best light...' And they forget that it's a matching problem, as in you're interviewing them as much as they're interviewing you!" - Tigran Sloyan (33:03) Do not miss Tigran's advice on recruitment -- for both founders hiring engineers and engineers looking to join -- early stage startups! Chapters 00:00 - Introduction & Teaser 04:30 - Tigran Sloyan's Journey from Armenia to CodeSignal 11:42 - Attributes of Great Early Engineers 15:46 - Building CodeSignal - Mistakes, Corrections, and Luck 19:15 - Spotting Good Signal in Resumes 23:13 - About CodeSignal and Its Mission 27:18 - Early Stage Hiring - Bias, Weak Signals, and Advice 35:54 - Recruiting & The Importance of Psychology 38:38 - Conclusion Connect with us Website: www.1st10.com Podcast: www.1st10.com/podcast Twitter www.x.com/1st10engineers LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/1st10/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Links: Tigran Sloyan's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tigransloyan CodeSignal: https://codesignal.com/ Music by Roman Senyk from PixabayProducer: Shrikant Joshi
On the ninth episode of the 1st10 Podcast, hosts Boris Epstein and Alexis Munger interview Andrew Munn, who's currently a senior engineering manager at Lindy.ai. Andrew shares some wonderful insights from his decade-long career in tech, spanning major companies like Facebook, Uber, and Nextdoor. He discusses his journey from internships at 3 of the 5 FAANG companies, his experiences with different corporate cultures, and his decision to join and later lead engineering teams at different startups. Here are some of the hidden takeaways from the episode: Product vs Distribution - "The best apps are inherently viral. They have their own distribution mechanism." (13:30) Late-stage vs Early Stage - "Maybe late stage companies are the sweet spot for impact because you're big enough to have a real product and so you're actually impacting people's lives out there. But you're not so big that you're just a tiny little cog in a big machine. You can still make big changes." - Andrew Munn (23:17) Size vs Speed - "Small, high-performing teams will outperform a large mediocre team any day. And that is also the only reason why startups have a chance." - Andrew Munn (32:35) Don't miss the super-fun segment we designed specially for Andrew, called "Andrew, Why Do You Hate This?!" because it resulted in a mind-blowing revelation about selfies and selfie-cameras! Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 04:46 - Early Career, Internship, and First Job at Facebook 08:35 - Transition to Trove, and Early Startup Experience 15:38 - Moving From Trove to Nextdoor 20:12 - Comparison of Late Stage and Early Stage Companies 24:00 - Reasons For Going Back To Early Stage 32:07 - Building High Performing Teams 34:00 - Advice To Founders And Early Engineers 41:05 - A Fun Segment About Andrew's Pet Peeves 46:04 - Conclusion Connect with us Website: www.1st10.com Podcast: www.1st10.com/podcast Twitter www.x.com/1st10engineers LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/1st10/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Links: Andrew's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewmunn/ Lindy Careers: https://www.lindy.ai/careers Andrew's X/Twitter Profile: https://x.com/AndrewMunn Music by Roman Senyk from Pixabay Producer: Shrikant Joshi
On the eighth episode of 1st10 Podcast, hosts Boris Epstein and Alexis Munger explore how Stripe built its early engineering team. Using their combined two decades' worth of experience in recruiting engineers for various tech companies, Boris and Alexis list the key recruitment principles employed by Stripe. Over the course of the episode, they also highlight some innovative recruitment principles used by Stripe, such as their insistence on hiring top talent, focusing on the person rather than the accolades, and various other hiring techniques that resulted in Stripe having one of the most respected engineering teams in Silicon Valley. Here are some key takeaways from the episode that you should keep an ear out for: Referral networks can fail sometimes - "When companies start to scale, (and) they get bigger, I would almost argue that the referral network starts to go down." (8:13) Collaboration and camaraderie in the workplace - "It doesn't matter how like technically good (you are) if you're a jerk and nobody wants to collaborate with you." (18:34) Engineers must remember to flip The Sunday Test - "If you're an engineer evaluating a startup, you want to interview not only to pass but you also want to get to know the startup. You want to get to know the team. Are these people who you would enjoy getting to know?" Importance of trusting instincts - "They're not saying that, you know, this way is better than that way or our way is better than your way. They're saying you as a founder have an instinct around what it takes for you and your team to be successful and trust that instinct." (34:00) Now, this episode is largely focused on what founders need to do to build their early engineering teams. However, if you are an engineer looking to join an early stage startup, you might want to use the recruitment principles detailed in this episode as a yardstick to gauge the startups you apply to! Chapters 00:00 - Introductions 04:38 - The Connection Between 1st10 and Stripe 05:51 - Principle 1: Recruiting is like Marketing 11:55 - Leveraging all 4 recruiting channels 16:08 - Principle 2: Recruiting is circumstantial. 19:26 - The Sunday Test 21:29 - Principle 3: The most important engineer you'll hire 22:30 - Hiring Strategies to Find the Perfect Engineer 33:59 - It's not rocket-science! 35:05 - Summary and conclusion Connect with us Website: www.1st10.com Podcast: www.1st10.com/podcast Twitter www.x.com/1st10engineers LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/1st10/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Links: How Stripe Built One of Silicon Valley’s Best Engineering Teams: (Archived) https://review.firstround.com/how-stripe-built-one-of-silicon-valleys-best-engineering-teams/ Producer: Shrikant Joshi Music by Roman Senyk from Pixabay
On the seventh episode of the 1st10 Podcast, hosts Boris Epstein and Alexis Munger talk to Kurtis Nusbaum of Chronosphere. Kurtis is an experienced software engineer who recently transitioned from Uber to an early-stage startup. He shared some wonderful insights from his recent job search experience, emphasizing the importance of personal connections in career decisions. In this free-wheeling chat with Boris and Alexis, Kurtis discusses his journey from starting UDJ, to joining Facebook, then moving to Uber, and now to Chronosphere, highlighting the significance of personal connections, company culture, and team dynamics in his decision-making process. Here’s a short list of some key takeaways from the episode Importance of Personal connections - "You're gonna be spending a lot of time with them. You better not just like that person. You better really connect and jive with that person." (17:55) Cold outreach is NOT always spam - "Don't just ignore all of that cold outreach. If something does seem interesting, it might be worth at least a 30-minute conversation." (15:57) Building relationships with good people - “You really need to make sure like, ‘Do I like these people?’ [...] It's really, really important to make sure that that box is checked.” (23:48) Take-Home vs Leet-code - I really don't like the, like, leet-code style of interview-questions…(31:56) Don’t miss the rapidfire question segment - it actually ended up being not so rapidfire. Chapters 00:00 Introductions 00:48 Kurtis on College, his startup UDJ, Facebook, and Uber 11:42 Chasing Cool People Instead of Cool Projects 18:14 Identifying Points of Connection With Cool People 22:13 Advice for Founders & Engineers 28:54 Observations on Job-Market and AI Opportunities 31:29 Some Fun Rapidfire Questions! 37:31 Sidetrack: Reflecting on Interview Follow-ups 40:44 Kurtis' Concluding Thoughts Connect with us Website: www.1st10.com Podcast: www.1st10.com/podcast Twitter www.x.com/1st10engineers LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/1st10/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Links: Blog: https://knusbaum.org Blog Post about Job Search: https://www.knusbaum.org/posts/job-search Crane Presentation I mentioned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQPTlrff8iU Music by Roman Senyk from Pixabay Producer: Shrikant Joshi
In this podcast episode, Boris Epstein and Alexis Munger discuss some recent trends in hiring for early-stage startups. The episode goes into details on a wide-variety of incredibly useful topics such as the rise of AI and how it impacts full-stack roles, interesting changes in interview processes and workplace preferences. Boris and Alexis also touch on some controversial topics such as diversity considerations at early-stage startups. Overall, the episode is a must-listen for founders and early engineers who are heavily invested in the current state of the tech job market. Here’s a handy list of some key takeaways from the episode, timestamped for easy access: Rise Of New Computing Platforms And Paradigms - "You know what's strange? We don't really get that many requests for hiring for mobile anymore." (04:18) More Project-Based And Work-Trial Interviews - "I've probably seen a fair amount of solid engineers that got passed on with, because they just sucked at leet-code" (12:42) Lack Of Emphasis On Diversity - "Our guess is that as these startups get later-stage, it's going to hit them like a ton of bricks" (26:40) Re-Evaluating The Perception Of Career Gaps - "If someone took a two-year break, would that be considered too long?" (32:35) Chapters Don’t miss the part where Alexis explains the revelation that led her to re-evaluate her stance on career-gaps! 00:00 Introductions 02:30 Trend no. 1 - “Is it just a buzzword? Or is it WAY more than that?” 10:31 Trend no. 2 - “Leetcode or take-homes - which is the best way to evaluate candidates?” 18:31 Trend no. 3 - “Who exactly wants to return to office - the employees or the company?” 23:12 Trend no. 4 - “If you are considering a DEI hire, you might want to listen to this…” 27:16 Trend no. 5 - “Resignations or Layoffs - which of the two was greater in 2023-24?” 33:50 Brief recap of trends discussed Connect with us Website: www.1st10.com Podcast: www.1st10.com/podcast Twitter www.x.com/1st10engineers LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/1st10/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Music by Roman Senyk from Pixabay Producer: Shrikant Joshi
On today's episode of the 1st10 Podcast, Boris Epstein and Alexis Munger discuss 7 important tips for engineers considering a move to early-stage startups. Today's episode is full of insights accumulated by Boris and Alexis over their years of experience recruiting engineers for various tech companies. With insights ranging from equity and compensation expectations to what *exactly* to look at different interview stages, to assessing the fit between you and a potential startup - this episode has it all! Here are some important takeaways from the episode: Setting Expectations Early - "Most people go to work for early startups to earn a base to maintain their living, but they want that early equity because that early equity is what's going to create the upside." (03:43) Personal Risk Tolerance - "You can't have the mindset of, I go in, I work from 9-to-5 and I shut my computer." (05:48) Embrace a growth mindset - "Don't worry about which seat you're in, just get on the rocketship," (12:30) How to Attract Founders - "If you're a founder [...] looking to build your founding engineering team, I think you want people around you [...] that have strong opinions on how something should work." (17:08) Focus On The Fit - "You should be interviewing that company as much as they're interviewing you" (19:59) And, if you feel something isn't quite right, well, Alexis reveals a safe-space where you can be utterly candid! Listen to the episode to find out where that is! Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:24 Tip no. 7 - "Do you know how much you are worth?" 05:44 Tip no. 6 - "Are you sure about what you want" 11:04 Tip no. 5 - "Are you worrying about something you shouldn't?" 13:26 Tip no. 4 - "Do you know what you are getting into?" 18:07 Tip no. 3 - "What kind of a chord does this strike?" 20:30 Tip no. 2 - "Are you sure everything is on the up-and-up?" 22:40 Tip no. 1 - "Are you sure you are asking the right questions?" 30:09 Quick recap and conclusion Connect with us Website: www.1st10.com Podcast: www.1st10.com/podcast Twitter www.x.com/1st10engineers LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/1st10/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Links: Producer: Shrikant Joshi Episode Cover Art via Pixlr Music by Roman Senyk from Pixabay
On the fourth episode of the 1st10 Podcast, we are joined by Jono Spiro, the Principal Software Engineer for Fractal Software. Fractal is a unique venture studio that “provides ambitious entrepreneurs with the support, insights, and capital needed to build generational businesses.” Jono joined us on the show to discuss the concept of founding engineers and early engineering teams in startups. He shared insights from his extensive experience advising Fractal’s 145 portfolio companies on engineering, product development, and team building. Listen to the whole episode to hear Jono talk about: Founding engineers - “Find somebody that compliments you as a CTO that's ideally better than you, if possible.” (9:46) Spotting talent through resumes - “"Reading resumes. It's an art. It's also BS." (12:06) Take Days Off Regularly - “if you find yourself (burning the midnight oil) all the time, you're doing it wrong.” (20:05) Consolidating Knowledge - “Pick a place to store your company's knowledge.” (28:56) Advice for Early Engineers - “Make sure that you're ready to join a startup. You're going to make less money. You will not have job security. You're going to meet some scummy people.” (30:58) Chapters 02:45 - Jono's Background & History 03:44 - What’s a Founding Engineer? 07:01 - How to Identifying and Hire Early Engineers 20:35 - Building Early Engineering Teams & Fostering Culture 25:40 - Tools for Remote Work & Knowledge Consolidation 29:27 - Advice for Founders & Early Engineers 36:18 - Additional Thoughts on AI, Take-Home Assignments, and other stuff Connect with us Website: www.1st10.com Podcast: www.1st10.com/podcast Twitter www.x.com/1st10engineers LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/1st10/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Links Fractal Software: www.fractalsoftware.com Jono Spiro's GitHub: www.github.com/jspiro Glitch & Tiny Speck: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glitch_(video_game) Game Neverending and Flickr: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flickr Producer: Shrikant Joshi Music by Roman Senyk from Pixabay
On the third episode of 1st10 Podcast, hosts Boris Epstein and Alexis Munger draw from their experiences working with startups to come up with SEVEN simple tips for founders looking to build early-engineering teams. These tips cover a wide gamut of all things startup-related - ranging from recruiting, to culture-building, to crafting compelling company narratives. On today’s episode, Boris and Alexis discuss 7 tips on how to attract and retain top engineering talent for your startup. Here’s a quick glimpse into some of the key takeaways… “Recruiting is all momentum-based” - Interviewing multiple candidates in a single day (rather than over several days)allows you to compare and contrast candidates better. (6:15) “Leverage your network” - Your network is a goldmine for finding top talent. If you can effectively tap into your connections, you will be able to build a strong early-engineering team. (9:36) “Hire for aptitude” - Problem-solving skills and adaptability are crucial for early-stage success. (13:07) “Define your culture early” - Culture isn't just a document on the wall. It's the essence of your company. (20:17) “Craft a compelling story about your company and your product and what your mission is.” - Your startup's story is your secret weapon in attracting top talent. (25:31) Oh, and you’re gonna LOVE tips 2 and 1 - make sure you listen all the way to the end of the episode! Chapters Introduction (00:00 - 03:28) Tip #7: This is what all your hires will ultimately focus on. (03:32 - 05:42) Tip #6: Gaining an advantage in THIS aspect is critical for startups. (05:42 - 9:41) Tip #5: Sometimes the right candidates are really, REALLY close. (9:41 - 13:07) Tip #4: If you find someone good that you don’t particularly need… (13:07 - 20:23) Tip #3: Know what you are all about. (20:23 - 25:31) Tip #2: How to be a superhero from the get-go. (25:31 - 31:33) Tip #1: The most-obvious truth is also the most-easily-missed... (31:33 - 43:26) Follow: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/13UwWOSV1KrJBJgIdt8bJ7Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7e8ec9af-f38c-4cd9-8c68-1c1dd4516b 27/1st10-podcastApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1st10-podcast/id1760411207 Podcast: https://www.1st10.com/podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Connect with us Website: www.1st10.com Podcast: www.1st10.com/podcast Twitter www.x.com/1st10engineers LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/1st10/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Links:Episode Cover Art via Pixlr Music by Roman Senyk from Pixabay Producer: Shrikant Joshi
On the first-ever episode of The 1st10 Podcast, Boris Epstein and Alexis Munger interview Prakash Janakiraman, co-founder and former CTO of NextDoor. Prakash shares his experiences in the tech industry, focusing on the founding and growth of Nextdoor, the significance of building a strong and collaborative team, and the challenges of scaling a startup. Prakash emphasizes hiring engineers who align with the company's mission and are willing to learn and adapt. He stresses the importance of communication and collaboration within the team and how the NextDoor interview process focused on technical proficiency, collaboration, and cultural fit. Don’t miss the valuable advice from Prakash for early founders and engineers at early startups! On today's episode, Prakash talks about: The importance of Cultural Fit - Building a successful team starts with prioritizing cultural fit and alignment to the company's mission over purely technical skills. (04:18) Hiring generalist vs. specialists - In the early stages, generalists who can handle diverse tasks are invaluable, while scaling requires more specialized roles. (09:25) Iterative Development - Quick iteration cycles and a tight circle of trust during early development stages lead to higher productivity and innovation. (10:49) Collective Code Ownership - Encouraging collective code ownership ensures flexibility and reduces dependencies, fostering a sense of responsibility across the team. (16:57) Continuous Learning - Continuous learning and adaptability are key to personal and professional growth in the tech industry. (25:18) Chapters 00:00 Introductions 02:15 Prakash's Background and Experience 04:27 Essential Ingredients to Building Nextdoor's Early Team 10:16 Challenges and Inflection Points in Team Building 13:58 Specialization and Mentorship in Team Building 17:55 Interview and Evaluation Methods 28:18 Recruiting Strategies & Transition to Management 36:01 Building a High Trust Environment 38:41 In-Person vs. Remote Work Cultures 42:36 Advice for Early Founders and Engineers
SummaryOn this final episode of Season 2 of the 1st10 Podcast, Boris Epstein and Alexis Munger outline a comprehensive Hiring Playbook for founders building early-stage startups. They list seven critical steps to attract and hire top talent, emphasizing the importance of storytelling, leveraging networks, and the founder's active role in recruiting. Through anecdotes, examples, and actionable advice, they explore how founders can craft compelling narratives, identify red flags, and sell their vision to potential hires.Some key takeaways from this episode:Storytelling is King: Without a compelling narrative, even the best opportunities can fall flat. Founders Must Recruit: Founders need to be deeply involved in outreach, even if it means facing a high rejection rate. Sell the Vision: Top candidates are drawn to the mission and the team, not just the salary.Go Beyond Technical Skills: Cultural fit, conflict resolution, and collaboration skills are just as important as technical abilities. Specifically, don't miss the part where Boris and Alexis compare recruiting to getting married! That one will definitely unlock a whole new perspective about startup recruiting for sure!Chapters00:00 Introductions02:55 Hiring With Stories: Why Narrative Matters07:32 Hidden Networks: Talent You Already Know12:07 Founder's Grind: Don't Outsource Recruiting15:08 Filter for Fit: Know Your Deal-Breakers and Red Flags23:00 Beyond the Code: Interview for Culture and Conflict27:22 Sell the Dream: How to Win Over Top Talent35:44 Art of the Offer: Make It Personal39:25 Final Thoughts: What Really Moves the Needle?Quotes"I feel like some of the best hires I've ever made where I can see that that person stuck around the company a long time probably didn't look obvious on paper." - Alexis Munger (16:01)"If your story sucks but your deal-breakers are high, you're going to be doing a lot of evening-crying." - Boris Epstein (22:05) "Founders and startups do a very poor job of infusing a sense of conflict and tension into the interview process." - Boris Epstein (23:49) "Don't underestimate the emotional aspect of changing jobs and how that plays into a candidate's decision. It's not just money-based!" - Alexis Munger (30:35) "At that point, you're basically asking the candidate to marry you!" - Boris Epstein (35:55)Follow UsSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/1st10podcast Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7e8ec9af-f38c-4cd9-8c68-1c1dd4516b 27/1st10-podcastApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1st10-podcast/id1760411207 Podcast: https://www.1st10.com/podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Website: www.1st10.comTwitter www.x.com/1st10engineersLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/1st10/LinksMusic by Roman Senyk from PixabayProducer: Shrikant Joshi