The Tech Leader's Playbook

For more thoughts, clips, and updates, follow Avetis Antaplyan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avetisantaplyanIn this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan sits down with Vijay Rajendran, investor and venture builder at gAI Ventures, UC Berkeley instructor, and author of the bestselling book The Funding Framework. Vijay brings a deeply grounded perspective on how the next generation of AI companies will actually be built, not through hype or speed alone, but through domain expertise, thoughtful leadership, and disciplined execution.The conversation explores why domain experts now have a growing advantage over pure technologists, how venture studios are evolving in an AI-first world, and what truly separates fundable AI startups from products that will be replaced by the next model release. Vijay shares insights from working with hundreds of founders, including why verticalized AI, workflow integration, and right-sized markets matter more than ever.They also dive into leadership transitions founders must make, common early-stage execution mistakes, and why fundraising is far more about listening than pitching. Drawing from his own journey as a founder and investor, Vijay emphasizes customer empathy, coachability, and falling in love with the problem rather than the solution. This episode is a must-listen for founders, operators, and tech leaders building durable companies in the age of AI.TakeawaysFounders are often poor predictors of which startups will succeed, even within their own cohorts.Exceptional companies start with a “secret” insight about how an industry truly works.Domain expertise is becoming more valuable than pure technical skill as AI commoditizes development.The strongest AI startups are verticalized and embedded directly into existing workflows.Markets should be big enough to matter, but small enough that Big Tech won’t prioritize them.AI creates leverage by removing tedious work and amplifying human judgment and relationships.“Rip and replace” products face long sales cycles; bolt-on tools win faster adoption.Early traction can be misleading. Durable demand matters more than initial excitement.Founders must shift from doing everything to enabling others as the company grows.Fundraising success comes from dialogue and listening, not perfect pitch decks.Coachability and customer empathy are long-term founder advantages.The best founders fall in love with the problem, not their first solution.Chapters00:00 The Future of AI Startups02:00 What Predicts Founder Success04:30 Domain Experts vs. Technologists07:00 Where AI Is Creating Real Value10:30 Using AI to Free Humans13:00 What Makes an AI Idea Defensible17:00 How Modern Venture Studios Operate22:00 Choosing the Right Technical Partner27:30 Founder Mindset Shifts29:30 Common Early-Stage Mistakes33:00 Rethinking Fundraising41:00 Underrated AI Opportunities45:00 One Message for FoundersVijay Rajendran’s Social Media Links:https://www.linkedin.com/in/vijayarajendran/The Funding Framework: Secure Startup Funding With Confidencehttps://a.co/d/jlwaiNvResources and Links:https://www.hireclout.comhttps://www.podcast.hireclout.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/hirefasthireright

For more thoughts, clips, and updates, follow Avetis Antaplyan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avetisantaplyanIn this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan sits down with Allison Shapira, a Harvard faculty member, global keynote speaker, former opera singer turned communication expert, and author of AI for the Authentic Leader. Together, they explore what it truly means to lead with authenticity, clarity, and energy in an era shaped by artificial intelligence and constant uncertainty.Allison shares her journey from the world of opera to advising executives, founders, and government leaders under intense pressure. She breaks down why perfection is the enemy of progress, how clarity now matters more than certainty, and why leaders must shift from having all the answers to guiding through uncertainty with confidence.The conversation dives deep into the role AI plays in leadership communication. Rather than replacing authenticity, Allison argues AI can actually strengthen it when used in alignment with personal values. She also issues a powerful warning about the rise of “superhuman persuasion” and why transparency and ethical boundaries are essential.From creating psychological safety in high-stakes environments to navigating vulnerability at the executive level, this episode delivers a masterclass in modern leadership communication. It is an essential listen for tech leaders, founders, and executives navigating the future of work.TakeawaysThe future of leadership will reward clarity over certainty as change accelerates.Perfection blocks connection; authentic imperfection builds trust.Leaders must move beyond rehearsed talking points and speak from genuine belief.Asking “Why you?” unlocks deeper purpose and more powerful communication.Public speaking is any moment with one or more people, not just stages.Psychological safety starts when leaders model vulnerability first.AI can either outsource your voice or amplify your best self depending on how it is used.True authenticity means acting in alignment with your values, not avoiding tools.Sending AI tools into meetings may create a “Big Brother” effect that limits openness.AI is becoming more persuasive than humans, which raises ethical risks.The ACE Model (Authenticity, Clarity, Energy) is the foundation of effective leadership communication.Pausing between meetings and resetting emotional energy is a leadership skill, not a luxury.Chapters00:00 The Future of Leadership, AI, and Authenticity02:00 From Opera Singer to Leadership Communication Expert04:30 Why Perfection Holds Leaders Back06:50 The “Why You” Framework for Powerful Messaging08:30 Communication Breakdowns in High-Pressure Environments10:20 Clarity Over Certainty in Modern Leadership14:10 Creating Psychological Safety at the Top18:30 Career Epiphany and Walking Away from Prestige24:00 Can AI Make Leaders More Authentic?30:00 Should Leaders Send AI to Meetings?35:00 Why AI Won’t Actually Give You More Free Time38:40 The Rise of Superhuman Persuasion44:00 The ACE Model: Authenticity, Clarity, Energy48:00 Energy, Introverts, and Speaking With Intention51:20 Books, Podcasts, and Where to Find Allison’s Work52:40 Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks Allison Shapira’s Social Media Links:https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonshapirahttps://www.youtube.com/@AllisonShapiraResources and Links:https://www.hireclout.comhttps://www.podcast.hireclout.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/hirefasthireright

For more thoughts, clips, and updates, follow Avetis Antaplyan on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/avetisantaplyan⁠In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan sits down with Tamara Laine, investigative journalist turned two-time tech founder and the CEO and co-founder of MPWR. Tamara brings a rare blend of storytelling, emotional intelligence, and problem-spotting instincts into the world of AI and financial innovation — and in this conversation, she unpacks how those experiences shape the products she builds today.Tamara shares how her investigative background sharpened her ability to dig into root problems, challenge assumptions, and uncover overlooked patterns — skills she now uses to design user-centric, AI-powered solutions for financial inclusion. She opens up about the realities of being a gig worker, the challenges Gen Z faces in accessing credit, and how the traditional banking world is struggling to adapt to a rapidly changing workforce.The episode dives deep into EQ-driven leadership, ethical AI, community as a modern moat, and the rise of low-code tools that are simultaneously empowering founders while making markets noisier than ever. Tamara’s insights on responsible innovation, founder resilience, and building tech that actually solves human problems make this a powerful, thought-provoking conversation for today’s leaders.TakeawaysInvestigative journalism taught Tamara to identify real problems, ask better questions, and challenge assumptions — essential skills for founders.Curiosity is becoming a competitive advantage in tech, not just a personality trait.Emotional intelligence is now a top leadership skill, especially as AI automates more of our operational workload.Storytelling begins with user journeys — not marketing — and should guide product design from day one.Founders must actively seek blunt feedback and treat it as a gift, not a threat.Market gaps aren’t always opportunities — sometimes human behavior simply won’t change.AI can create incredible value, but without ethical leadership and diverse teams, it can also reinforce harmful biases.Financial systems haven’t evolved fast enough for gig workers and Gen Z borrowers — creating a massive unmet need.Empower was built as an end-to-end solution bridging lenders and borrowers through AI-driven financial fluency and credit modeling.The funding landscape now demands MVPs and traction early, making deep-tech innovation harder but still deeply needed.Chapters00:00 Welcome & Introduction01:20 From Investigative Journalism to Tech03:00 Curiosity as a Founder Superpower05:30 Market Fit, Behavior Change & Category Creation07:40 Storytelling as the Foundation of Product Design10:15 User Journeys, “Falling in Love with the Problem”12:20 The Power of Blunt Feedback in Early-Stage Building15:00 Parenting, Curiosity & Emotional Intelligence17:45 Why EQ Matters More Than Ever in the Age of AI20:20 Ethical AI, Bias, and Leadership Responsibility24:00 Financial Access, Gig Workers & the Modern Workforce27:10 How Gen Z Borrows Differently30:00 The Lender Perspective & Market Validation31:55 Fundraising Realities: Money vs. Strategic Money34:20 Noise in the AI Era & The Challenge of Differentiation36:00 Moats, LLMs & Building What Can’t Be Easily Copied37:10 Community as a Strategic Advantage38:40 Founder Fears: Funding Markets & Deep Tech41:30 Biggest Founder Aha Moments42:20 Book Recommendation: Outcomes Over Output43:00 Connect with Tamara & Closing ThoughtsTamara Laine’s Social Media Link:https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamaralaine/Resources and Links:https://www.hireclout.comhttps://www.podcast.hireclout.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/hirefasthireright

For more thoughts, clips, and updates, follow Avetis Antaplyan on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/avetisantaplyan⁠In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan sits down with Melanie Nabar, Vice President at Volition Capital, to uncover what truly makes a company fundable—and what silently kills deals. With a background in growth-stage investing, Melanie brings sharp insight into founder dynamics, product-market fit, and the capital efficiency required to scale in today’s AI-driven market.They dive deep into the evolving expectations of Series A investors, the dangers of inflated valuations, and why product obsession without go-to-market focus can quietly drain a startup’s future. Melanie breaks down how founders should assess investor psychology, decode fund structures, and strategically use secondary offerings to de-risk personal financials without sacrificing long-term upside.This episode is packed with insights on revenue quality, building moats in the AI age, and how bootstrapped founders can shift their mindset to deploy capital more effectively. Whether you're preparing to raise capital or already navigating the growth phase, Melanie delivers actionable advice with clarity and candor.TakeawaysFounders often focus too much on historical data when investors are more interested in future growth and market potential.Series A investors prioritize product-market fit, retention, and scalable go-to-market motion—not just ARR.High valuations without the fundamentals to back them can kill deals and erode trust.Revenue quality (repeatability, margin, and retention) plays a bigger role in valuation than founders often realize.Many founders burn too much capital on product without clear customer validation or ROI.Bootstrapped companies often hesitate to spend even when it’s time to scale; this can stall growth.Churn and gross margin are key indicators for distinguishing real AI products from hype.Companies integrated into user workflows and habits are harder to replace and more defensible.Founders should evaluate VC fund structure, vintage, and portfolio psychology—not just the check size.Taking secondary in a raise can de-risk founders personally and improve long-term decision-making.Pattern recognition and experience on the board matter more than niche industry knowledge post-seed.The best outcomes don’t always require billion-dollar exits; responsible growth can still yield generational wealth.Chapters00:00 – The biggest mistake founders make when fundraising01:15 – What makes a company fundable at Series A04:45 – Why overhyping numbers kills trust and credibility09:15 – Understanding revenue quality and valuation11:30 – How 2021 broke capital efficiency—and what’s changed since16:00 – Deal-killers and how unrealistic expectations derail good companies20:00 – Smart capital deployment: where investors want to see money go24:00 – Why founder secondaries are on the rise—and when they make sense27:45 – How bootstrapped founders can shift from hoarding to strategic investment33:10 – AI moats: what’s truly defensible and what’s hype39:20 – Questions founders must ask before taking VC money45:30 – How fund size and check size impact founder support50:40 – The difference between VC, growth equity, and PE—and why it matters Melanie Nabar’s Social Media Link:https://www.linkedin.com/in/melaniejordannabar/Melanie Nabar’s Website Link:https://www.volitioncapital.com/team/melanie-nabar/Resources and Links:https://www.hireclout.comhttps://www.podcast.hireclout.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/hirefasthireright

For more thoughts, clips, and updates, follow Avetis Antaplyan on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/avetisantaplyan⁠In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan welcomes back bestselling author and communication expert Chris Fenning, whose latest book Effective Meetings offers leaders a refreshingly simple framework to cut meeting time by 30% or more. Chris unpacks the hidden cost of poorly-run meetings—billions in wasted dollars, lost morale, and decision fatigue—and explains why the real issue is a lack of training, not bad intentions. Together, Avetis and Chris break down the deceptively powerful TPO method (Topic, Purpose, Output), showing leaders how to transform recurring time drains into high-impact, action-oriented conversations.From the pitfalls of daily stand-ups to the myth of the “must-attend” calendar invite, Chris shares real-world stories, practical examples, and organizational case studies (like Shopify’s Chaos Monkey) that show how eliminating unnecessary meetings isn’t just possible—it’s urgent. Whether you’re a startup founder drowning in back-to-back Zooms or a Fortune 30 exec looking to sharpen your team’s focus, this episode is packed with actionable advice you can apply today.TakeawaysTPO (Topic, Purpose, Output) is the foundational framework for running effective meetings.A meeting invite with no context is like a court summons—rude and unproductive.The #1 reason meetings fail? Lack of a clear purpose—not missing agendas.“No agenda, no attendance" is a viable policy to filter out low-value invites.Recurring meetings often lose relevance over time—reevaluate them regularly.Many meetings should be emails—ask if the meeting requires real-time, multi-person input.Decision-making meetings must include actual decision-makers or become planning sessions.Multitasking in meetings is usually a sign people shouldn’t be there or are disengaged.The “Inverse Time Rule”: if a topic only affects a few people, it should take minimal time.Leaders should experiment: cut one-hour weeklies to bi-weeklies and watch productivity rise.Post-meeting follow-ups are faster and clearer when the output is clearly defined.Clarity is leadership—clear asks beat backstories and long-winded explanations.Chapters00:00 – Intro: The Meeting Problem01:30 – Why Most Meetings Fail03:15 – Topic, Purpose, Output (TPO) Framework06:00 – Writing Better Meeting Invites08:00 – The Power of Saying No to Bad Meetings10:00 – Recurring Meetings: Fix or Kill Them11:45 – When a Meeting Shouldn’t Be a Meeting17:00 – How to Restructure Recurring Meetings21:00 – Real Case Study: Cutting Meetings at Scale25:00 – The Truth About Daily Stand-Ups27:00 – TPO in Action: Before, During, and After31:00 – AI’s Role in Meeting Efficiency33:00 – Why Clarity is the Cornerstone of Leadership35:00 – Helping Others Get to the Point Faster42:00 – Goal, Problem, Solution: The Efficient Ask45:00 – Why Experts Often Over-Explain48:00 – What’s Changed Since Chris’s First Book49:30 – Favorite Book Recommendation: The Culture Map51:00 – Final Thoughts & Call to ActionChris Fenning’s Social Media Link:https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-fenning/Chris Fenning’s Website Link:https://chrisfenning.com/Resources and Links:https://www.hireclout.comhttps://www.podcast.hireclout.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/hirefasthireright

For more thoughts, clips, and updates, follow Avetis Antaplyan on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/avetisantaplyan⁠In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan sits down with Valerie Jackson — Harvard College and Georgetown Law alum, former securities lawyer turned C-suite people leader — to explore what it really takes to scale companies without breaking leaders or culture. Valerie traces her journey from advising public companies and serving at the U.S. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board to building one of the first law-firm diversity departments and leading people operations across VC-backed rockets, public SaaS, and PE-owned businesses. Together they unpack human-centered leadership, the mechanics of burnout (as recognized by the WHO), and why self-work is often the hardest part of scaling. Valerie shares practical tools — from 360s, “powerful partnerships,” and time audits to managing brain chemistry — and makes a compelling case that AI should elevate people, not erase them, because nothing can replace a leader’s “energetic signature.” The conversation closes with hard-won lessons on IPO vs. going private, PE vs. VC risk appetites, and Valerie’s mantra: “Know your ripple.”TakeawaysGreat leadership starts with self-awareness. Learn yourself to lead others.Build “powerful partnerships”: pair visionary thinkers with linear operators.Align culture: what we say (cognitive) with how we behave (emotional).Use 360 feedback to surface blind spots with curiosity and humility.Burnout = exhaustion + inefficacy + cynicism. Address all three to recover.Run time audits to find your “golden ratio” of energizing vs draining work.Support brain chemistry intentionally: dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, endorphins.Keep AI human-centric. Technology should amplify people, not replace them.Design for tool obsolescence and misuse while protecting the humans.IPOs bring capital and scrutiny; going private can restore flexibility.PE and VC differ on time horizons, risk, and control expectations.Leader’s billboard: “Know your ripple.” Be intentional about your impact.Chapters00:00 Intro and why human-centered leadership matters01:28 Meet Valerie Jackson: law to people leadership across stages03:25 Early diversity work and career inflection points05:10 Patterns across org models: partnership, VC, public, PE06:59 Visionary vs linear strengths and “powerful partnerships”08:51 Self-work as a prerequisite to leading others12:20 Culture alignment: words, behaviors, and trust17:29 Feedback that works: curiosity, humility, and 360s25:00 Burnout explained: exhaustion, inefficacy, cynicism32:31 Time audits and defining your “golden ratio”34:23 Brain chemistry levers for sustainable performance37:03 Delegate to elevate: designing roles around energy40:04 Keeping people at the center of AI43:11 The “energetic signature”: what AI cannot replace52:49 IPO tradeoffs and why some companies go private56:13 PE vs VC: incentives, timelines, and control1:03:09 Tools and books leaders actually use1:05:22 10X vs 2X: optimization vs transformation1:08:52 Billboard for leaders: “Know your ripple”1:11:19 Closing and take-home actionsValerie Jackson’s Social Media Link:https://www.linkedin.com/in/vadjackson/Resources and Links:https://www.hireclout.comhttps://www.podcast.hireclout.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/hirefasthireright

For more thoughts, clips, and updates, follow Avetis Antaplyan on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/avetisantaplyan⁠In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan sits down with Erik Huberman, founder and CEO of Hawke Media, to unpack why the old marketing playbook is broken—and what actually scales in 2025. Erik shares how AI has collapsed the product moat, making distribution, brand, and go-to-market the real advantages. He explains the “vibe” behind breakout brands (think Liquid Death) and why software companies must now win on trust, positioning, and partnerships rather than feature lists. We dig into Hawke Media’s early differentiation—“your outsourced CMO,” month-to-month flexibility, and a la carte services—and how credibility compounds through consistent standards, client communication, and third-party validation (PR as trust, not awareness). Erik also breaks down the myths of ROAS, how to measure what matters across sales cycles, and a pragmatic framework for investing in founders with an unfair advantage. Finally, he offers founder operating principles: build the company you want to run, avoid burnout and bad debt, and let culture be the brand customers experience. If you lead growth, run a services firm, or invest in SaaS, this is a tactical masterclass in cutting through noise and turning credibility into compounding results.TakeawaysAI shrinks product moats; distribution and GTM become the edge.90% should be scalable, repeatable marketing; 10% creative bets to stand out.Brand “vibe” creates defensibility—even for software—by signaling trust and values.Positioning that travels (“your outsourced CMO”) fuels word-of-mouth and referrals.PR is a **trust*asset more than awareness—turn third-party moments into ads.ROAS often lies; anchor to sales cycle, lifetime value, and full-funnel ROI.Think in “half-lives”: run long enough to see conversions, then optimize and wait again.Relationships and communication keep clients through dips; performance alone isn’t enough.Niche vs. breadth: define ICP and messaging; teams can specialize without shrinking TAM.Use the Rule of 40 to balance profit and growth when setting spend.Investors should seek unfair advantages: embedded founders, ecosystem ties, real GTM.Founder principle: build for yourself; avoid debt/burnout—your ambition sets the ceiling.Chapters00:00 Intro and guest setup Erik Huberman and the new moat in an AI world04:20 Distribution, partnerships, and GTM as the unfair advantage08:05 Brand “vibe” and positioning that actually travels11:45 How Hawke Media stood out the outsourced CMO model21:30 The awareness → nurture → trust framework34:40 The ROAS trap and what to measure instead44:05 Spend strategy, Rule of 40, and scaling channels47:00 Sales-cycle “half-lives” and realistic ramp timelines48:45 Make-it-work mindset for leaders and marketers52:50 Investor lens embedded founders and unfair advantages58:21 Final takeaways and closeErik Huberman’s Social Media Links:https://www.instagram.com/erikhubermanhttps://x.com/ErikHubermanhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/erikhuberman/Erik Huberman’s Websites:https://erikhuberman.com/https://hawkemedia.com/Resources and Links:https://www.hireclout.comhttps://www.podcast.hireclout.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/hirefasthireright

For more thoughts, clips, and updates, follow Avetis Antaplyan on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/avetisantaplyan⁠In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan sits down with Sam Goodner, the serial entrepreneur and former CEO of Catapult Systems — Microsoft’s top-ranked consulting partner at the time of its acquisition. Sam shares his 30-year journey from starting a small IT consulting firm in 1993 with just $17,000 in the bank to scaling multiple companies to eight- and nine-figure exits, including turning a parking tech startup into a unicorn.Through vivid stories and practical lessons, Sam reveals the disciplines behind operational scalability, decentralized leadership, and what it truly takes to build a company that can run — and grow — without its founder. He discusses his book Like Clockwork: Run Your Business with Swiss Army Precision, the frameworks he used to recession-proof his companies, and how he transformed chaos into predictable growth. From his military lessons in Switzerland to his role as an angel investor mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs, Sam offers a masterclass in clarity, systems, and execution — proving that growth isn’t luck, it’s discipline.TakeawaysGreat businesses scale through clarity, disciplined execution, and time, not luck.Founders often become the bottleneck — true leadership means empowering others to decide and own outcomes.Operational scalability starts when the company can run and grow without the founder.Create rules of empowerment: if a decision is right for the customer, company, ethical, aligned with values, and you’re accountable — act.Codify best practices with playbooks, especially for sales and hiring.Hire people better than you, then get out of their way.Mentorship and coachability accelerate growth more than any funding round.Recession-proofing begins before the downturn — diversify industries, services, and recurring revenue streams.Every company needs to define what it’s best in the world at and its unfair advantage.Founders should spend 95% of their time on the business, not in it.Focus on discipline and systems, not just ideas — execution is where companies win.Success evolves from climbing mountains to helping others climb theirs.Chapters00:00 Intro: Scaling Beyond Chaos01:30 From Developer to Founder: The Birth of Catapult Systems03:20 Bootstrapping to Profitability in the 90s06:00 Why Raising Money Isn’t Always the Answer07:30 Investing in Flash Parking: Spotting a Unicorn in an Unsexy Industry12:00 The Power of Coachability and Mentorship16:50 Breaking Founder Mode and Achieving Operational Scalability21:00 Building Playbooks for Sales and Talent Acquisition26:00 Decentralized Decision-Making and the Rules of Empowerment37:00 The Swiss Army Precision: Inside Sam’s Book “Like Clockwork”43:00 Recession-Proofing Your Business51:00 Balancing Focus and Diversification55:00 Defining Your Unfair Advantage57:00 The Aha Moment: Realizing You’re the Bottleneck59:00 The Third Chapter: Giving Back and Mentoring Entrepreneurs01:01:00 Closing Thoughts: Build Systems, Empower People, Stay DisciplinedSam Goodner’s Social Media Links:https://www.linkedin.com/in/samgoodner/Sam Goodner’s Websites:https://samgoodner.com/

For more thoughts, clips, and updates, follow Avetis Antaplyan on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/avetisantaplyan⁠In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan is joined by Christian Ulstrup, founder of Powerline, to explore how AI is transforming business practices. Christian, with over a decade of experience in applied AI, discusses the evolution of AI technologies and their real-world impact on industries ranging from startups to the U.S. federal government. He shares insights on moving from experimentation to impactful applications of AI, stressing the importance of cultivating a culture of continuous experimentation. Together, Avetis and Christian dive into how leaders can leverage AI for exponential growth, from AI quick wins to deep organizational transformations. The conversation touches on practical applications, such as automating back-office processes, improving customer interactions, and identifying hidden opportunities through AI-driven insights. Christian also discusses his firm’s approach to using AI tools to generate value, drive profitability, and reduce costs while maintaining a human-centered focus. His unique perspective on the role of AI in shaping the future of work is both enlightening and inspiring, offering actionable advice for tech leaders eager to embrace the AI revolution.TakeawaysAI's role is not just about the technology itself but how and where it's applied in business processes.Business leaders must foster a culture of continuous experimentation to maximize the potential of AI.AI quick wins involve improving existing processes to work faster and more efficiently, sometimes 10 times faster.A "10x" approach, rather than incremental changes, can drive larger, more impactful transformations.Engaging with AI tools and experimenting with them helps uncover surprising efficiencies and new opportunities.Effective AI adoption starts with clear executive alignment and a formal mandate for experimentation across the organization.Some AI models like GPT and Claude are revolutionizing business processes that were previously time-consuming or costly.AI tools should be integrated into everyday workflows, from sales to HR, to gain real-time insights and efficiencies.Companies should prioritize AI experimentation, with an eye on both short-term wins and long-term cultural transformation.AI can help businesses of all sizes democratize access to powerful data insights, leveling the playing field for smaller companies.Chapters00:00 Introduction01:26 Christian Ulstrup’s Background03:15 AI’s Role in Business Transformation05:47 The AI Quick Win07:55 Thinking Big for AI Impact09:54 Three Phases of AI Adoption12:18 Tools for AI Adoption14:37 Identifying Power Users16:58 Formalizing AI Use Across the Organization19:15 Analyzing Data with AI Tools23:30 AI for Small Businesses27:48 AI and Profit Impact in PE-backed Firms31:46 Second-Order Effects of AI34:08 Risk Reduction and AI39:56 Opportunity Spotting with AI44:23 Change Management and AI49:42 Biggest Aha Moment in Christian’s AI Journey54:03 The Future of Work with AIChristian Ulstrup’s Social Media Links:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianulstrup/Resources and Links:https://www.hireclout.comhttps://www.podcast.hireclout.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/hirefasthireright

For more thoughts, clips, and updates, follow Avetis Antaplyan on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/avetisantaplyan⁠In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan lays out a wartime CEO playbook for thriving in downturns, drawing on the same strategies his team used to scale HIRECLOUT and help clients grow through multiple recessions. He argues that recessions do not kill companies, timid leadership does, and makes the case for buying market share when others freeze. Avetis explains why momentum dies faster than cash burns, how to reinforce your core and double down on your edge, and where “talent arbitrage” appears when markets are scared. He also breaks down weaponized efficiency, using AI and automation to cut friction instead of people, and how leaders can keep teams aligned by leading with certainty, transparency, and small weekly wins. Along the way, Avetis shares candid stories from COVID, investing in AI startups and real estate, and the tough calls required of a wartime CEO. The result is a concise, practical blueprint for founders and operators who want to play to win rather than “not lose.”TakeawaysRecessions concentrate opportunity in the hands of bold leadersMomentum dies faster than cash burns, so “wait and see” erodes advantageCut distractions, not drivers; double down on your core edgeDownturns are prime time for talent arbitrage and loyalty buildingYou cannot cut your way to greatness; savings alone will not scale a companyUse AI and automation to remove friction so people can drive revenueTurn downtime into build time by rebuilding systems to be 10x-readyKeep outbound and thought leadership consistent while others go quietLead with certainty; your team mirrors your energy and confidenceCreate small weekly wins to sustain morale and momentumPair clarity with optimism; either one alone leads to noise or paralysisThe leaders who act decisively now will own the rebound laterChapters00:00 Why timid leaders lose in recessions02:22 The big lie of “conserve and wait”04:30 You cannot cut your way to greatness06:45 Recessions as the cheapest time to buy market share08:23 Talent arbitrage and loyalty during downturns10:32 Reinforce your core and double down on your edge12:50 Weaponized efficiency: cut friction, not talent15:16 Turn downtime into build time and rebuild systems17:22 Keep marketing; brand compounding when others go silent19:25 Lead with certainty and reassure through transparency21:40 Clarity plus optimism and the cost of overanalysis23:40 No fluff, make it happen: own the reboundResources and Links:https://www.hireclout.comhttps://www.podcast.hireclout.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/hirefasthireright