Meagan Strout

Employee terminations: they're a topic no one wants to discuss but that every company has to navigate. Thankfully, Melanie Naranjo and wonderful Ethena advisor (& Gusto's former People Leader) Jess Yuen are tackling this tricky topic for the next Ethena webinar. Register if you want to learn more about these topics: How to pressure test whether or not termination is the right course of action Best practices for communicating termination decisions How to minimize risk and choose the best course of action when things get tricky Critical pitfalls to avoid

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When You’re Starting, Just Sell. What do Google, Salesforce, the U.S. Department of State, and the Athena Grill in Santa Clara (California) have in common? They were all clients of e-Nor, the firm that I cofounded in 2003. It’s probably not hard to guess which of these came first. When you’re starting out in business, just sell. Don’t worry too much about pricing or about the stature of the companies that are willing to work with you. Even if you’re positioning yourself as a premium service provider and your hourly rate target is high, it’s OK to offer deep discounts to the first clients. Until you’re established, you basically need to do whatever it takes to close those first deals and get those first “logos” onto your website and into your marketing materials. If you can get the clients to provide testimonials after the discounted deals, all the better. Each logo and testimonial should be a stepping stone to the next. As you build a client base, you can feature the higher-profile logos. And you can gradually climb to the hourly rate that you were originally targeting. Working for free In these two instances, it could be strategic to even work for free: - to impress a prospect who could become a large client - to enter a new market For free work, limit the scope. You could offer a sample audit or another micro-sized service that would allow you to demonstrate your expertise while avoiding a big time commitment. And run away from anyone who directly asks you to work for free. They’re not your kind of client, and they’re not going to help your business. Giving back Since we’re discussing pricing, I’m compelled to point out a case in which I do unequivocally advocate providing your services for free. If you know me at all, you know I’m a big fan of giving back. Even if cash flow is slow and your budget is tight, you can always offer your services, expertise, and insights for free to causes and projects you find meaningful. Whether it’s a local nonprofit or a national advocacy group, countless organizations could greatly benefit from your expertise but may not have the means to afford it or even seek it out. The benefits are the rewarding feelings you’ll receive from contributing. Always give expecting nothing in return; it always amazes me how much comes back when you give freely.

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Was able to catch Will Guidara live and in-person today thanks to the team at Visit Salt Lake. As I wrote last year, his book "Unreasonable Hospitality" is one of the most impactful business books I've read, and should be required reading for all leaders (I wrote more on that here: https://lnkd.in/eZYHZ6za). Today, Will espoused a lot more wisdom on the room, including these terrific thoughts to bring #UnreasonableHospitality to your own workplace and way of thinking: 1) People at the top have the authority. People at the bottom have the information. If you want greatness, you need to engage and listen to both ends. (For Guidera, this included closed door dinners with his restaurant staff, from dishwashers to ownership, to review every consumer touchpoint) 2) If you’re in the business of making people happy, your job is really to make as many little things more awesome as you possibly can. 3) When things go poorly, we watch the tape to see how we get better. When things go great, we need to learn to watch the tapes to make those accidental moments of brilliance more regular. 4) Be more present - slow down to speed up 5) Take what you do seriously but stop taking yourself so seriously 6) Find your own hacks and continue to redefine hospitality - it is about making other people seen. Don’t treat them as a commodity but as a unique group of individuals. #hospitality #leadership

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One small scheduling slip can spiral into a six-figure fine faster than you'd think—especially in California, where labor laws are among the strictest in the nation.   To help operators navigate these high-stakes waters, we’re thrilled to introduce The Restaurant Operator's Survival Guide to California Compliance—your ultimate playbook for safeguarding profits while cutting through the complexity of everything from PAGA reforms to minor labor laws. https://bit.ly/4fcy7yw Even better, join us tomorrow at 12 p.m. PT as McDonald's and Fox Rothschild leaders share their blueprint to California compliance: https://hubs.la/Q02Z5mPw0 #california #compliance #hr #humanresources #lawandlegislation

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I work with a recruiting firm that supports founding GTM and EPD hiring for some of the most desirable early-stage startups in SF and NY. One consistent theme we see across nearly every founding GTM search these days? The call for “wildly creative growth hacker types.” I’ve become increasingly intrigued by how this description has evolved across industries with diverse revenue models, especially as shifting titles and scopes blur the lines between sales and marketing, and AI augmentation reshapes growth strategies. To explore the nuances of what it means to be a sought-after "wildly creative growth hacker," I’ve been closely following our searches and also recently had the privilege of connecting with taylor desseyn. Taylor is well-known in tech for his community-focused approach to developer engagement. He generously shared his insights on excelling in a role where creativity and a growth-hacker mindset are not just desirable, but essential. Here are some key takeaways from our conversation that stood out to me: 🌟 Fearless experimentation: He operates without the barrier of fear because he knows some of his approaches will be novel or seen as unconventional. 📊 Data-driven agility: While he’s incredibly data-driven, he prioritizes rapid A/B testing, failing fast, and new learnings over perfect reporting. 💡 Emphasis on providing value: He values deeply valuable content for niche audiences over chasing viral moments. 🤝 Community-first focus: Most importantly, and especially in today’s world, he prioritizes building genuine relationships, supportive communities, and in-person connection over all else. Thank you, Taylor, for sharing your thoughtful perspectives on what it takes to succeed as a growth leader today. You've set the bar high! The last point is a theme I’ve heard echoed time and again. I’m curious — how do others envision the 'creative growth hacker' role evolving, both now and in the months ahead?

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The results are in... Last week, I asked my network about the number one reason why hospitality employees quit. Between employee dissatisfaction with pay, management, career growth, and training, most voted for management. But spoiler alert, there's a twist! Through conducting exit surveys with hospitality employees, we've actually found that there's one simple thing lying at the heart of turnover: Scheduling. An overwhelming 65% of employees who left within the first 90 days on the job reported that they were dissatisfied with their schedules. When you work in hospitality, your schedule is at the core of your employee experience. It impacts everything from your paycheck to your personal life, your free time with loved ones, sleep, and overall well-being. That's why the number one thing you can do to quickly improve employee retention is to align schedules with employee expectations. That starts with listening and we're learning more about sub 90-day turnover than ever before by gathering employee feedback through Harri Engage. Up next: I’ll share my tips on boosting employee scheduling satisfaction - but for now, let me know what’s working for you today.

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With Grit: Our Merch Is Here We’re rolling up our sleeves (literally) and stepping into the swag game. Introducing the Scalrr Shop, where industrial grit meets startup hustle. This isn’t your typical logo-on-a-tee collection; it’s gear designed for the bold and industrious. Think machinist caps, workman shirts, and hoodies that say, "I build the future and know how to fix an electromechanical system." Here’s the deal: we didn’t create this shop because we expect to sell a ton of gear (spoiler alert: we don’t). This started as merch for our team, but we loved it so much, we decided to share it with the world. Plus, all profits are going to support youth STEM programs—because the next generation of inventors deserve a shot to build what’s next. ⚙️ Orders will take 2-3 weeks (plus shipping) because good things take time. This is a labor of love, not mass production. 👷‍♀️👷‍♂️ Gear up, and let’s make the future happen together. Check it out: https://lnkd.in/gnvFNdyA #ScalrrShop #BuildTheFuture #IndustrialStyle #STEM

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🎯Trigger Warning:🎯 This post contains a rant that might piss some people off. Kudos to Brian Niccol, Chipotle Mexican Grill CEO for standing up for his line employees. I agree Brian, videoing 🌶Chipotle🌶employees while they're simply trying to serve patrons IS 100% RUDE! 😠 💡Here's an Idea💡 🎲 I challenge all the ridiculous TikTok complainers to try running a restaurant for just 1/4 of the time it takes to watch one of your narcissistic family dance videos. IMO, TikTokers are just as annoying as the self-proclaimed "foodies" on Yelp and they bring about as much value to the world as an episode of the Kardashians. If you visit a restaurant and: ➡ have issues with portion sizes or price adjustments ➡ the lighting or the ambiance doesn't perfectly suit you ➡ there's a spot on your water glass or your order takes slightly longer than you deem acceptable ➡ want to complain about any of the other 5 gazillion minor things that consumers complain about💡here's ANOTHER idea for you💡 ...stay home & cook for yourself! The restaurant industry is made up people who wake up every. single, day. to serve you! It's OK if they don't get it perfect every. single. time. Cut 'em some slack. And one last thing for anyone b!t@hing about price increases, I must ask: ❓ would you bust your butt working nights, weekends, holidays in hopes of making only $.03 - .04 for every $1 earned (if you're lucky!) ❓ would you give your time, services, products away for free or at a loss? I didn't think so. And neither should restaurants. Rant over.

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I got to interview one of the biggest podcasters in the recruiting space! We could have spent all day talking about podcasting. But I really wanted to know how Robin Choy and his friends built HireSweet I also wanted to know how other tech founders can grow. We dug into that. But then it moved to investing in companies and what to look for when investing. It was a great conversation and you need to check out his podcast The Modern Recruiter Podcast. Here are some of my favorite takeaways: - Small, Consistent Efforts: Robin emphasizes how focusing on manageable, consistent actions can yield more sustainable success compared to aiming for massive, one-off achievements. It’s all about gradual build-up and maintaining momentum. - Investing in Early-Stage Tech Companies: Robin shares his sharp focus on team dynamics, market potential, and business defensibility when investing. He highlights the importance of ensuring founders can collaborate effectively and the scalability of the business model. - AI's Double-Edged Sword in Recruiting: AI enhances efficiencies but can also flood the market with noise. From improving data retrieval to overwhelming recruiters with low-value messages, balancing AI and human interaction is key. Make sure to check out the full episode of The Elite Recruiter Podcast and sign up for Finish The Year Strong This episode was sponsored by Juicebox (YC S22) (https://juicebox.ai/) , the company behind PeopleGPT. AI Sourcing using Generative AI, simply describe who you're searching for in natural language. PeopleGPT creates the search and assess profiles. Trusted by 400+ companies and recruiting agencies. Check it out and get a 20% Discount code using: ELITE20. People GPT smarter sourcing, better hiring!

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A new hack for fixing your company’s recruiting process 👇🏾 Have your CEO apply to a job at your company using a different name so they can experience how insane the process is for a candidate.

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Syelo invests exclusively in early stage companies building recruiting software (not to be confused for HR tooling). Every company we have reviewed is building for internal recruiting teams never external. Why? With respect, the complexities, nuances, strategy, and day-to-day tasks are entirely different from one another. An internal teams core value is to systematize and uphold processes that scale. An external team is focused on filling head count. Recruiting Agencies have a TAM of $47b. Recruiting Software has a TAM of $300m. So why are so many founders hyper fixated on building software for companies? Pain. It is a lot harder to sell to agencies. A recruiting agency needs very little software/tooling to be effective and what currently exists works. They also have really tough margins (at scale) so convincing them that a product will 10x their output needs to be clear and effective. Businesses building recruiting departments have a variety of needs and nuances that complicates standardized processes so niche products/solutions find a fit in an already saturated market. In our humble opinion if you are looking to build a next generation company in the TA space you should be building for external recruiters first and foremost.

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Labor day is past and mid-year reviews are over. There’s 4 months left in 2024 to move the needle. Here’s what that means for HR leaders: Companies put each team member on a bellcurve consisting of 3 buckets: 1) Over-performers (20%) 2) Under-performers (20%) 3) Middle (60%) So, where do you HR / L&D / Ops leaders focus your effort & time? Where’s the 80/20? → Over-performers won’t benefit from much more coaching. They already get it. → Under-performers are less likely to become A-players even with coaching. Research shows the best plan of action is to “coach the middle” (the middle 60%). They’re both receptive to feedback and most prone to improve. My take on how: → Host regular 1-on-1’s → Give extremely* tactical feedback → Be extremely clear and thoughtful with all answers I’ve seen it first-hand: 5 effective 1-on-1 sessions with the right team members could make your Q4. The “right ones” are your middle 60% of performers. PS - this concept + graph came from a fantastic Gong article. I will put it in the comments for you to check out!

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🤝 The Secret to a Successful Hire? Nailing the Intake Call! 📞 Those first conversations between recruiters and hiring managers can make ALL the difference. It’s about more than just filling a role—it's understanding team dynamics, culture fit, and the must-haves vs. nice-to-haves. 🌟 Investing time in a thorough intake call means better alignment, fewer surprises, and a faster, smoother hiring process. 🙌 #HiringTips #Recruitment #IntakeCalls #TalentAcquisition #HiringManagers https://lnkd.in/euKaH_8U

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[Get paid to exist]: August was a fun month for my family and I. 3 weeks of travel visiting family and exploring some of the best nature this little floating space rock has to offer. One of those weeks was spent in Tahoe. In a beautiful house nestled in the woods. Walk off the back porch and you’re immediately onto hiking and mountain biking trails. Most days after lunch I’d hop on the bike and rip on the trails for an hour or so. Enjoying the fresh mountain air on my face and feeling of blood coursing through my body as I cranked on the pedals. I came home from one ride and fired up my laptop to close out the day. I checked in on my Clients to make sure all is well Then opened my Inbox to find a new Lead asking to become a Client: I sent him my Offer Doc and heard back a few minutes later with “I’m In”: So I pinged over the checkout link, closed my computer and went to find Kels and little man to cook dinner together. Before sitting down to eat, I got the Stripe notification on my phone for a new $8000 payment. Happy, I put my phone on airplane mode and spent the rest of the evening with my family. Collecting $8000 from a complete stranger without DM’s, sales calls, setters, closers or loads of manual follow up isn’t “normal”... But it is in my world. All because my Automatic Client Machine is running 24/7 in the background while I’m out living and enjoying my life. It does the dirty, hard work for me so I don’t have to do anything but send Offer Docs and checkout links to hungry, Ready to Buy Leads. As long as I feed it Leads every day, it churns out Clients every week (without me having to crank the handle myself). The sense of calm, joy and freedom that comes from getting paid to exist and live your life cannot be overstated. This Thursday, I’m showing my Total Man folks how to install The Automatic Client Machine in their biz And I’ve made some tickets available for guests for $100. As a coach, not a tech guy, I know how boring and frustrating all the tech stuff can be. I’ve included all my landing pages, integrations, software and email templates so you don’t have to figure all this stuff out. Just plug-and-play (or give it to a VA) and this stuff could be set up in one sitting. As usual, the replay and resources are included if you can’t make it live. DM me if you want a guest ticket. As usual, the replay and resources are included if you can’t make it live.

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One thing I have understood about the leadership and the team at Genome Quest is that they have cracked the code - they work as closely with you as your internal TA team while bringing the industry expertise and thoroughness of an executive search firm making them as methodical and precise as it comes. DM me or our leaders Kshitij Babbar, Saif Asghar and Kapil Sharma to understand how we can help you fulfill your hiring needs - lightening fast!

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💡 Attention Founders: Are You the Bottleneck in Your Hiring Process? It feels good to interview every single candidate—you're in control, shaping your team. But once your company hits 10-20 employees, this approach starts to backfire. Here’s why: 🛑 You’re the Bottleneck. After a certain point, you need someone dedicated to overseeing recruiting and managing the process you’ve built. Otherwise, every decision slows down, and your team suffers. ✅ Trust Your First 10-20 Hires. If you’ve done your job right, these initial team members embody your culture and mission. Let them help scale your vision by being part of the process. 🚀 Step Back to Scale Up. Empower your team and stop trying to do it all. The best founders aren’t just great leaders—they know when to delegate. What’s your next step to scale your hiring process? Share your thoughts below! 👇 #StartupTips #Recruitment #ScalingUp #FounderMindset

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FOUNDER ASK: Are you a Hiring Manager, Recruiter, or Head of TA? Overwhelmed by hiring? screening? volume of applicants? 👇 Meet your new best friend 👉 Introducing Fairgo.ai Auto-screening candidates with live video interviews. 🤔  Why? 👉 Reduce time to hire by 50% 👉  Identify top talent faster 👉  Gain detailed insights into candidates’ work experience  From job ad to first-round interview in 2 days — not 2 weeks! --- THE ASK:  🔥 If YOU are hiring - comment below “Let me try!” or  🔥  if you know someone hiring - pls tag them  --- Julian Bright is ready to help you surface the best candidates and deliver a seamless hiring experience in record time. And if you are a: - Hiring Manager,  - Internal Talent Acquisition,  - Agency Talent Acquisition, or - HR Director or Chief People Officer There's a 2mins survey in the COMMENTS to hear more about your problems so Julian knows what to build!

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Good habits start early. We believe that founder-led recruiting is critical to the success of any startup. Recruiting is not a task or transactional. The mentality and culture of the strategic role of recruiting is a foundational element that starts or ends with founders. What do you think? 👍 / 👎 #founderledrecruiting #startups #recruitingstrategies #founders Shannon Anderson Madrona

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