Startup Recruitment Failures

This episode discusses the critical importance of shaping roles before hiring. Our guest, Daryn Edgar - CEO & Mentor for ScaleUps - shares insights from her experiences, highlighting the challenges faced when hiring individuals with varying experience levels and the stress that can arise in new leadership roles. The conversation also touches on the differences between hiring from startups vers...

In this episode of Startup Recruitment Failures, the host discusses with Vykintas Maknickas - CEO of Saily - about his journey of transitioning from a Product Owner at NordVPN - the second Lithuanian unicorn - to a CEO of the Spinoff - Saily. Vykintas shares the challenges of building a new product and the importance of hiring strategies in early-stage startups. The conversation delves into cultur...

In this episode, host Indre Kaikare engages with Laura Galdikene, a Principal Economist at ConnectPay, to discuss the evolving landscape of recruitment and the significant challenges posed by an aging workforce, the role of AI, and the importance of lifelong learning. They explore how societal changes, technological advancements, and shifting employee expectations are reshaping the recruitment pro...

In this episode, Indre Kaikare interviews Marijus Andrijauskas, a seasoned entrepreneur and Partner at FIRSTPICK VC fund. They discuss the complexities of startup dynamics, including the founder-investor relationship, the challenges of fundraising, and the importance of co-founding teams. Marijus shares insights from his extensive experience in both entrepreneurship and venture capital, emphasizin...

In this conversation, Ben Fletcher, Co-Founder and CEO of The Mothership, discusses the evolution of recruitment, emphasizing the importance of hiring processes that prioritize mindset over traditional metrics like CVs and years of experience. He shares insights on the impact of AI in recruitment, the challenges of bias, and the unique anti-bias hiring process implemented at The Mothership. Ben al...

Imagine reaching $30M in turnover in 3 years and the board asks you to leave your startup. This happened to Christophe Garnier - CEO & Co-Founder at Upflex. They had an $80M offer on the table from Groupon - to sell the company. But they got into a disagreement. Solo Founders don't face such situations. But does it mean working alone is better than having co-founders? In this episode, the diff...

In this conversation, Indre Kaikare interviews Juozas Sargunas, Co-Founder of MELP - an HR tech startup. They discuss the challenges faced in startup recruitment and sales strategies, particularly focusing on the lessons learned from failures in cold outreach and the importance of building relationships in B2B sales. Juozas shares insights on adapting sales approaches, and the significance of empa...

In this conversation, Alex, the founder and CTO of Joiner App, shares his experiences and insights on startup recruitment, the challenges of hiring in a tech environment, and the importance of learning from failures. He discusses the innovative approach of the Joiner App, which focuses on future events rather than past activities, and emphasizes the need for quick decision-making in hiring and pro...

In this conversation, Indre Kaikare interviews Luis Valente, CEO and Co-Founder of iLoF, a deep-tech health company focused on personalized medicine. They discuss the challenges of recruitment in deep tech, emphasizing the importance of cultural fit over technical skills, the need for compassion in handling relocations and terminations, and the significance of aligning incentives within the team....

In this episode, host Indre Kaikare interviews Andrius Bogdanovicius, the founder of CTO2B. With over 20 years of experience in the financial technology sector, Andrius shares his journey and insights on recruitment challenges faced while building his startup. He recounts a notable experience of scaling a company to 300 employees in just seven months, highlighting the importance of evaluating cand...

What separates the great leaders from the rest?  For Margaret Sherer, my guest on this week’s episode of Startup Recruitment Failures, it comes down to having a growth mindset instead of a fixed one. Margaret is a fractional CMO and entrepreneur and formerly worked at both Google and Microsoft. She has so much wisdom to offer when it comes to building out a great early team and scaling it successf...

In this week’s episode of Startup Recruitment Failures, I’m joined by Ana Jakimovska , former CEO of Culture Trip to discuss the challenges of leadership and entrepreneurship. We covered a lot of ground, including:  ↳ What it’s like to lead a company after a management buyout ↳ The importance of taking calculated risks, no matter your career ↳ The devastating reality of having to scale down a team...

It was a pleasure to interview Nicolas Buteau , former Head of Recruiting for @Uber (EMEA), for the first episode of the new season of Startup Recruitment Failures.   We discussed:  ↳ Why hiring managers want to hire people ‘like them’ ↳ The problems this can cause ↳ (and how AI can potentially help avoid it) As well as some practical tips for testing the culture fit of prospective employees, and...

In this episode, get ready to gain invaluable insights on overcoming the challenges of EU bureaucracy and making the most of your startup's EU funding. Drawing from his extensive experience, Bruno Miguel Pires dives into the critical factors startups must consider when applying for EU funding.

In this episode, we interview Miguel Morgado, the CEO of Hunter. We delve into the fascinating world of hiring strategies and the challenges faced in securing investors in the US. Discover the untold stories of hiring failures and the determined efforts of Hunter to attract investment opportunities.

With an astounding track record of personally hiring over 700 individuals, Kunal Gupta is a true luminary in the world of talent acquisition. In this captivating conversation, Kunal Gupta delves deep into the realm of hiring, shedding light on the paramount importance of agility in today's fast-paced business landscape.

SheerME is a revolutionary platform that has disrupted the beauty and wellness industry and has recently launched in Brazil. During our conversation with Miguel, we explored the intricacies of hiring and recruitment in the startup ecosystem, particularly in contrast to corporate environments. Miguel provided valuable insights on the significance of cultural fit and how it can significantly impact...

In our latest podcast episode, we had the pleasure of featuring Edmundas Balčikonis, the co-CEO at TripAdd, a leading digital marketplace for all travel-related needs. During the episode, Edmundas shared his expertise on a wide range of topics, including the unstoppable impact of AI and the importance of building a strong professional network. He also highlighted the value of hackathons in fosteri...

In this podcast episode, we talk with Bernardo Tavares, CTO and Co-Founder at Lever.tax and mentor at Startup Lisboa. He shares his insights on avoiding burnout, building tech teams, hiring entrepreneurs, and the importance of connecting with candidates during the interview process. With a focus on growth and mentorship, Bernardo's experience both as a mentor and founder provides valuable less...

In this episode, Steven shares valuable insights on overhiring, leaving a lasting impression on candidates, and the importance of grit in individuals working for small early-stage startups. He also emphasizes the power of clear and transparent communication to make hiring processes more efficient. So if you want to level up your hiring game and build a strong team for your business, give this epis...

Whether you are looking to improve your career, relationships, or overall well-being, this episode provides valuable insights on how to unlock your full potential through personal growth. We had a conversation with Briony McKenzie, the Founder of Untapped. Briony shared her personal story of transitioning from corporate law into coaching and entrepreneurship.

In this episode, we talk about how important it is for candidates to be honest about whether they would be happy and prosperous working in a small company. Small companies often require employees to be flexible, wear multiple hats, and work closely with a tight-knit team. Ultimately, both the candidate and the company should be invested in ensuring a good fit before making a hiring decision.

For the 28th episode of the Startup Recruitment Failures podcast, we sat down with João de Sousa Aroso, Founder and CEO at Leadzai. He talked about the differences between generations with regard to how they perceive their career development and specifically about Portuguese societal dynamics.

It's critical to work at the same pace when you're in a tiny, early-stage startup. Speed delivery and collaboration are the keys to success in this stage. In this episode, we discussed it with Pavel Racu, Co-Founder at Flair - a powerful AI tool for analyzing people's engagement in video calls.