Defining Talent: Startup Superheroes with Hustle Hunters

Welcome to Episode 14 of Defining Talent: Startup Superheros! This week feedback expert, Mel Miller, introduces us to innovative AI tools designed to enhance HR capabilities. Mel gives us invaluable advice on integrating feedback into daily routines and leadership practices, ensuring that constructive feedback becomes second nature. Join us as we uncover how to revolutionize feedback culture to foster high-performing teams and thriving workplace environments.1:06: E14 Intro1:43: When did you first start thinking about talent and team building as part of your career?3:46: Mel’s background as a “career feedback professional.”5:39: What Tandem does06:45 AI notices behavior tied to company values, trends.9:44: “People management isn’t complex but it is hard.”11:05: The Three E’s15:25 Clear expectations are crucial in fast-paced environments.17:07: “That which gets measured gets done.”19:57: “Continuous feedback is a lifestyle.”22:41: Peer-to-peer and IC-to-manager feedback as big organization unlocks.27:10: What makes Mel a great teammate.Links/ References: 8:48: Radical Candor by Kim Scott10:29: Five pieces of positive to one piece of constructive feedback Harvard study. 14:40: Mel’s free one-on-one templates. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nikkiadamson.substack.com

I'm excited to have a very special guest with us – Tiffany Bassford, a seasoned expert in team building and talent acquisition within the startup ecosystem. Together, we'll delve deep into the art of assembling a rockstar team for your company and discuss the associated challenges, like the crucial missteps to avoid in hiring. Tiffany brings strategies for maintaining a company's North Star while building a lean, effective team. She advocates for a culture where vulnerability, failure, and learning are not just accepted but celebrated. This is an episode packed with takeaways for anyone involved in startup growth and culture, and we can't wait for you to join us. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nikkiadamson.substack.com

Host: Nikki Adamson (me! she/her), Founder + CEO @ Hustle Hunters (recruiting and team building partner for startups making high stakes hires)Guest: Justin Reesor (he/him), Director of Customer Success @ Polly (transforming the mortgage industry with modern, efficient technology)As a leadership and support superstar, Justin shares his insights and experiences on hiring and nurturing dynamic teams. From discussing the importance of trust in leadership to the value of taking calculated "bets" on new team members, Justin offers valuable perspectives that are both insightful and practical in this episode of Defining Talent: Startup Superheroes.0:56: E12 Intro1:45: When did you first start thinking of team-building/talent?3:04: Justin’s career background/ how he got started in leadership.3:50: “Sure-things” vs. “bets”4:55: Finding balance in hiring7:00: Aptitude vs. experience; entry-point vs. entry level8:38: Justin’s “anti” model of leadership9:15: Qualities of a great “bet”11:41: “Trust starts at leadership.”13:50: The importance of onboarding15:13: Onboarding milestones Justin looks for18:49: What makes Justin a great teammate This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nikkiadamson.substack.com

Host: Nikki Adamson (me!), Founder + CEO @ Hustle Hunters (recruiting and team building partner for startups making high stakes hires)Guest: Sydney Thomas, Founding General Partner @ Symphonic Capital (which focuses on closing access gaps around health and wealth for overlooked communities). You can follow her amazing Substack “Firm Building Chronicles” here Sydney Paige Thomas Nikki and Sydney delve into the indispensable role community plays for founders, why it's vital to focus on doers over talkers, and discuss the importance of backing not just any entrepreneurs, but those with a personal connection to the problems they're solving. You'll hear Sydney's unique takes on the pre-seed stage of company development, how she brings her sensitive nature to create deep connections in the workspace, and what she dubs the “passion economy.”0:03: Defining Talent Intro2:03: When did you start thinking of talent and team-building as part of your career?3:34: “Passion economy”4:12: How Sydney got into venture capital and how she launched Symphonic Capital.6:40: The magic of the pre-seed segment of the ecosystem and what pre-seed exactly is.7:39: The impact of low -code no-code tools.8:12: Founders who are builders (who happen to be underrepresented).9:30: Diversity not as a pat-on-the-back but because it strengthens your portfolio.10:35: The importance of serving communities that founders have experience being in vs being an “MBA class project”.11:50: “The most successful entrepreneurs are actually over 40.”15:07: Company traction + founders ability to succeed15:40: Personal investment is why underrepresented founders, or founders who are part of the community they’re serving, have longevity.17:10: The vulnerability needed of a founder to admit what they don’t know and who they need to bring on.18:06: What have you been surprised by?18:34: Being perfect vs being good-enough.22:16: The first-time founder learning-curve.23:49: What advice do you have for early-stage founders?25:49: To be a successful founder you need community.26:44: Sydney’s hot takes on pre-seed funding.27:18:  What makes you a great team-mate?Books mentioned:“We Should All Be Millionaires: A Woman’s Guide to Earning More, Building Wealth, and Gaining Economic Power” by Rachel Rogers This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nikkiadamson.substack.com

Host: Nikki Adamson (me!), Founder + CEO @ Hustle Hunters (recruiting and team building partner for startups making high stakes hires)Guest: Sehreen Noor Ali, VC-backed Founder of Sleuth In this episode of Defining Talent, Nikki and Sehreen discuss Sehreen's early career experience managing a team at the State Department, the influence of curiosity and persistence in personal and professional growth, and the importance of accommodating work flexibility for caregivers. Sehreen also shares insights about her approach to team building, her company Sleuth's mission, and the types of talent they are seeking. Join us as we explore the qualities that make for an exceptional teammate and the strategies for creating a thriving, diverse workplace. 00:51 : E10 Welcome1:40: When did you first start thinking of talent and team-building as part of your career?2:28: Soccer team mentality2:49: Why the family analogy doesn’t suit the work place.4:06: How your life priorities change your work relationships. 5:47: Why impact-driven candidates end up in start-ups.6:08: How Sleuth came to be10:09: How do you build a soccer team?10:20: Founders are looking for proactivity.11:26: The juxtaposition between being a good student and being a creative, curious, proactive thinker. 12:26: Failure as a story-telling component. 13:05: Entrepreneurship is failure. 15:09: How do you think about building a team around skills and experiences that maybe aren’t on a resume? 17:05: How do you navigate work/life balance as a mom, founder, teammate, and more?18:08: Embracing the curious side of yourself.19:19: How do we hire parents that also have medical caregiving needs (for themselves or their children), and how do we keep them in the workplace?19:55: The persistance that medical needs parents demonstrate is remarkable and great for the work place.20:49: Work is important for people’s sense of identity and control. 22:14: When someone has an identity shift in their personal life, they may need an identity shift at work too. 24:00: How do we build roles and a company that can encompass all seasons of life?24:41: Your amibiton is an amoeba.25:05: What makes Sehreen a great teammate. Book Recommendations:Masters of Scale: Surprising Truths from the World's Most Successful Entrepreneurs by Reid HoffmanThe Wake Up: Closing the Gap Between Good Intentions and Real Change by Michelle MiJung Kim This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nikkiadamson.substack.com

Defining Talent: Startup Superheroes PodcastHost: Nikki Adamson (me!), Founder + CEO @ Hustle Hunters (recruiting and team building partner for startups making high stakes hires)Guest: KC Crosby, Co-Founder + COO @ Pronto Housing (their innovative technology solution streamlines application processes within public housing)This episode digs into the nitty gritty of what KC looks for in building the team at Pronto, a dynamic startup that’s solving very real problems that anyone who has ever considered public/affordable housing has faced (DYK - the IRS is the largest provider of affordable housing?). KC’s ability to bottom-line big topics makes this one a must-listen!Images: KC + Nikki too the “team building” conversation to a NY Liberty WNBA game at Barclay’s Center in 20230:00: Intro music0:03: Defining Talent intro1:04: E9 Welcome1:45: When did you start thinking about talent and team-building as part of your career?3:07: KC Crosby’s background from hospitality to tech-start ups to real-estate to running a Caribbean resort.4:02: Industry agnostic threads KC has noticed (trainability vs. experience).4:50: When you’re doing something totally new, it’s impossible to hire with experience.5:35: What is Pronto?5:45: The IRS is the largest providor of affordable housing.7:35: Processing problem vs. supply problem for why affordable homes stay vacant.8:10: Most major cities have open, available apartments waiting to be processed.9:00: Hiring outside of the typical tech industry demographics.9:26: Key traits KC looks for when hiring (passionate about problem-solving, willingness to learn and grow).10:25: Why “scrappiness” is a trait of high-performers.11:41: How to identify this scrappiness in an interview.12:42: “Translation test” in interviewing.14:28: The importance of moving with a sense of urgency.15:48: Urgency as empathy.16:37: Time as a business ethic.18:44: Rest is Resistance.19:35: What makes KC a great teammate.21:04: How do the child-care crisis, the housing crisis, and the hiring process all intersect.22:08: Outro music.Thanks for checking out this podcast episode of Defining Talent: Startup Superheroes! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nikkiadamson.substack.com

Host: Nikki Adamson, CEO + Founder @ Hustle Hunters (startup recruiting firm focused on making high stakes hires for human-first teams)Esteemed Guest: Lauren Mason Carris, Product + Learning Design @ Codingscape (US based technology consultancy that provides enterprise with custom software services, integrations, and development solutions to transform business)Book Recommendations from this episode:* Radical Candor (12:00)* The Empathy Advantage (13:00)* The Adaptability Challenge (18:20)Segment Topics and Highlights (with chronological time stamps):* The intersection of People and Product (2:10)* growth and performance* The start of “talent and team building” in Lauren’s career (3:20)* How we can think about value and unique talent. asa team (4:45)* High performing basketball teams (6:10)* A proud win for the “dream team” (7:30)* Maintaining a high level of autonomy (10:00)* The “people project” Lauren’s working on right now (10:30)* Productizing an entire strategy to ID skills, roadmaps and pathways for these exceptionally talented individuals, but also building a framework of continued development* Rethinking what “Senior” means (11:50)* Book: Radical Candor and the “rock star” path (12:00)* Book: The Empathy Advantage (and thinking differently about leadership) 13:00)* How many teams and tools think about building out performance management (15:00)* Her current approach to building an internal performance management solution (15:30)* Critical domains that distinguish a business (16:35)* What’s important to our teams (16:40)* uniquely human skills* Adaptability as a core concept (18:20)* Book: The Adaptability Challenge)* Audience Design (18:50)* Allan Bell (Sociolinguist)* Defining and exploring adaptability (22:00)* Measuring Adaptability (23:45)* Self Evaluation Frameworks (24:50)* Open fields (27:00)* Assumptions around SWE’s and craved nuance (28:30)* Activating team members in hiring processes (29:50)* Empowering them (29:50)* What makes Lauren a great teammate (31:55) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nikkiadamson.substack.com

Desiree Morton, CEO + Founder of Aginci joined our host Nikki Adamson to discuss this people business from a lot of angles, especially within the most important lens we can apply: one of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. This episode gets really deep really fast, and is one you won’t want to miss. She shares insights on:* Where she’s seen hiring go wrong* Why she’s building Aginci* Where retention, inclusion and belonging often slip* Activating curiosity to elevate talent teams* How to regulate our bodies and “feels”* Anchoring to company values and metrics* $$, impact, outcomes, metrics* How employees are still discovering what wellness means to them* Building balanced and diverse teams* Hot takes!* “can you fire family?”This episode is especially relevant for folks considering how to weave human-first values across organizations, both theoretically and of course tactically. References from the Episode:Desiree Morton (linkedin) Follow her for concise and insightful #HotTakesAginciKatherine Castro (taught Nikki about healthy tension)Book: Radical Candor by Kim Scott (the “dissentor” in meetings)Nonviolent Communication (NVC) webinar referenced around “self-compassion” Host and Sponsor: Hustle Hunters Startup Recruiting partner) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nikkiadamson.substack.com

Matt Vallone of NextFed Insights joined our host Nikki Adamson to discuss the opportunity he has to build out a new business unit, and how he’s thinking about team building, hiring, and how to manage in a way that fosters growth and collaboration across a variety of perspectives. Matt’s perspective on internal environments and how hiring goes beyond just choosing the right person to join the team is really insightful and we know you’ll enjoy learning from his empathetic leadership style.This episode is especially relevant for folks considering what specific qualities they are looking for in new teammates, and those interested in leveraging folks with consulting backgrounds/skillsets as part of teams that do a lot of problem solving.Topics:* Scaled Problem Solving (~7min mark)* Defining what his teams need (~6:30 mark)* Hiring Processes Tactics to Reduce Bias (~9 min mark)* Empowering leaders internally (~9:30 min mark)* Fostering diversity of perspective (~9:50 min mark)* Ownership of “mishire” (~11 min mark)* Holding Health Tension Internally (~11:15 min mark) * Pathways for internal feedback (~12 min mark)* Building Trust through Action (~12:30 min mark)* Who thrives in their space (~14 min mark)* Working out the “how” themselves (~14:25 min mark)* Upward Management (~15:15 min mark)* Management (~15:50 min mark)* Self awareness + Prioritization (~16:15 min mark)* Ambition (~16:40 min mark)* Shared Goals and Interests (~17:30 min mark)* Solving Tricky Questions (~17:45 min mark)* Identifying “Problem Solvers” (~18:20 min mark)* Transitioning from larger to smaller orgs (~20 min mark)* Wearing many hats and fluidity (~21:30 min mark)* Values for a new team (~22:30 min mark)* Respect as a Baseline (~22:45 min mark)* What makes Matt a good teammate (~23:45 min mark)Connect with Matt Vallone: * NextFed Insight (Nextfederal.com)* NextFed Insight Linkedin Connect with Nikki Adamson: * LinkedIn* Substack (subscribe now!) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nikkiadamson.substack.com

How will this person show up on our team? How would Personality Testing work in hiring? We get asked these questions frequently and brought on Mariela to share through the lens of Personality Testing on this episode.Mariela De La Mora packs a lot into this quick episode - including the types of personality tests she likes to use as part of a hiring process, how to how to build dynamic creative teams, how we're thinking about teammate growth and discomfort, and creating safe working environments.Resources from this Episode:- DISC Assessment (tonyrobbins.com/disc)- EQI 2.0 Leadership Assessment - www.Marieladelamora.com- www.hustlehunters.com- Searchlight Reference tool (searchlight.ai)This episode is esp. great if you’re thinking about what values matter to your organization, how to consistently emphasize them across the business, and are interesting in digging into how to build a team that’s greater than just the sum of it’s individual parts.Topics:- Assessments- Hiring- Emotional IQ- Psychological Safety- Work Environments- Creative Teams- Trust Building This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nikkiadamson.substack.com