Over the past 24 years, I’ve read thousands of resumes, interviewed hundreds of people, and hired across multiple companies. I thought I had a ton of experience — until I met Cecilia and Victoria. I’m in awe.
Why? Because Cecilia and Victoria are true experts at sourcing new team members. The other day, I did a quick calculation: between them, it’s easily over 40,000 interviews throughout their careers. That’s an incredible amount of experience.
And I’m not saying this because they are part of my team, but because I’ve seen firsthand how much hiring has changed over the past 24 months — more than it did in the previous 24 years. Hiring hasn’t gotten easier. Quite the opposite.
I think this is one of the biggest challenges small companies face today: finding the right people in a sea of opportunities. Getting hiring right determines the success of any business. Get it right, and the business grows. Get it wrong, and it stagnates.
Here are three timeless techniques Cecilia and Victoria use when interviewing candidates after scanning thousands of applications:
1. Details that hurt
Anyone can talk about wins. The real test is whether they can tell the story behind them in vivid detail — what really happened, who was involved, and what the friction was. They even ask small things like what the weather was like during a specific event to test authenticity.
2. Process over polish
They ask candidates to walk through how they did something, step by step. Real experience is a little messy. Made-up experience sounds like bullet points. They look for the small missteps and corrections that prove genuine experience.
3. The pause
Real memory makes people stop and think. Over-rehearsed answers don’t. When on a video interview, do the eyes move slightly as they recall, or do they stay fixed? That’s a subtle but powerful signal.
These are fundamentals in a hiring process that has only gotten more complex in recent months. But they remain the foundation — even in a world of a thousand resumes and AI-polished applications.
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Pause, Zoom Out and Think Bigger
Pause, Zoom Out and Think Bigger
This week in Panama 🇵🇦 was one of those “pause and zoom out” moments.
I attended a LAC event with 140+ entrepreneurs from 50 countries, and I’m leaving with a full heart and a fresh perspective.
I’m grateful for:
✨ the connection
✨ the introspection
✨ the new ideas
✨ getting out of my comfort zone
✨ the inspiration to think bigger — and more globally
✨ the reminder that life can be both ambitious and magicalAnd honestly… I’m also deeply grateful for my team at Staff4Half.
Because the only way I can say yes to experiences like this is by building a business that supports freedom — and creating a model where remote talent can manage my calendar, meetings, and tasks from anywhere in the world.
This is why I do what I do.
Not just to build a company… but to build a life.
If we met in Panama this week, I’d love to stay connected 🤍
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“What must be owned?”
“What must be owned?”
Most hiring mistakes happen before the interview.
Not because the candidate was wrong.
Because the role was.
Founders usually start with:
“Who do I need?”
But the better question is:
“What must be owned?”
If you can’t clearly define:
• The outcome this role controls
• The decisions they can make without you
• The metric they are accountable for
You’re not hiring.
You’re hoping.
And hope is expensive.
Here’s what strong hiring actually looks like:
Step 1: Define the result.
Not the tasks. The result.
Step 2: Assign decision rights.
If they can’t decide, they can’t relieve you.
Step 3: Build a scorecard.
If success isn’t measurable, you’ll default to micromanaging.
Great hiring doesn’t start with resumes.
It starts with clarity.
Because clarity attracts talent.
Vagueness attracts applicants.
If you’re hiring this quarter, design the role before you search for the person.
That’s how you scale without multiplying stress.
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Panic Hiring vs. Strategic Hiring
Panic Hiring vs. Strategic Hiring
Hiring too early can hurt you.
Hiring too late can bury you.
Most founders don’t struggle because they can’t find talent.
They struggle because they hire at the wrong moment — for the wrong reason.
There are two dangerous hiring triggers:
1️⃣ Panic hiring
You’re overwhelmed. Things are slipping. So you hire fast to “fix it.”
But the role isn’t defined. Outcomes aren’t clear. And now you’ve multiplied the chaos.
2️⃣ Ego hiring
Revenue grows. The team expands. It feels like the next logical move.
But the role doesn’t create leverage. It creates complexity.
The right time to hire isn’t when you’re exhausted.
It’s when:
• You can define the outcome clearly
• You can delegate real decision rights
• You know exactly what should leave your plate
Hiring should reduce pressure, not temporarily distract you from it.
The goal isn’t growth for the sake of growth.
It’s building something that scales without breaking you.
If you’re thinking about hiring this quarter, ask yourself:
Is this role designed for leverage — or relief?
Because only one of those scales.
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