Kyle Thomas

Early

We have built a proven system and community that has helped hundreds of ambitious job seekers land their dream roles at world-changing startup companies and make their career visions a reality without the anxiety, uncertainty, and loneliness of the job search.

Early's job seekers have landed their next role in an average of just 3 months.

And these compensation increase numbers are for just the last 12 months...

Average % Change in Salary: 24% or $24,475

Average % Change in Equity: 994% (9x the Equity) or $100,828

Average % Change in Total Compensation: 66% or $125,303

Total Salary Increases: $420,800

Total Equity Increases: $1,218,874

Total Compensation Increases: $1,639,674!!!

And we're just getting started.

We have helped people land roles as...
Chief Operating Officer
Head of New Products
Head of Product Marketing
Head of Brokerage & Expansion
Director of Platform
Director of Operations
Director of Global Sales
Senior Project Manager
Sales Operations Manager
Marketplace Growth Manager
Program Manager
Technical Sourcer
Growth Manager
Go To Market Finance & Strategy Manager

The list goes on and on because the method works no matter your area of expertise or desired startup stage.

You don't need an upskill program or a certificate to land your next role.

You need the systems and processes that work and a well-connected startup community.

That's what we have built.

It's my mission to eliminate the anxiety, uncertainty, and loneliness of the job search and to help millions of others have the same career-accelerating dream job startup experience I had as an early Uber employee... 

and maybe make some millionaires and even billionaires along the way!

These methods took me from cubicle data entry to a job as Uber employee 250 and from unemployed to startup executive.

It's everything I wish I had when I was looking for my next startup role.

I'm not special. 

I can teach you to do the same.

Come join us and make your startup dream a reality!

Founder

On Deck

A community of senior startup operations leaders sharing best practices from the trenches.

Strategy and Operations Fellow

Kyle C Thomas Consulting LLC

I leverage my past experience growing and managing the Uber and JUMP businesses to advise and consult start-up companies, primarily focused on launching and scaling two and three sided marketplaces, overall business strategy, business growth, operational best practices, and best techniques for scaling processes, teams, and organizations

Consultant / Advisor - Business Operations & Strategy

• Scaled and matured the operations organization from $2M annual run rate to over $15M in a little over a year while growing a mostly in-person team from 10 to 170+ during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Expanded service operations from one market into three (NYC, CHI, HOU) and from one product line to five.

• Managed HR, recruiting, finance, data reporting, merchandising, and procurement from Series A ($29.6M) through Series B ($45.0M).

• Assisted with fundraising efforts, including pitch decks and presentations to investors like Kleiner Perkins and Insight Partners.

• Created operational SOP’s, HR guidelines, employee onboarding, employee experience and growth programs, review process, and data reporting structure including operational KPI’s and financial metrics.

• Worked cross-functionally with teams across the business (sales, account management, growth, customer service, product, data, finance, legal, etc.) to build products and processes to address the company’s operational needs.

• Worked directly with the founding team on overall company strategy and operationalization of their vision.

• Drove the operations organization’s efforts to achieve perfect product/experience quality through monitoring and improving the “defect rate” while aggressively pursuing profitability targets.

Vice President Operations

Uber

• Led JUMP launch in New York City and oversaw all business management and operations resulting in the completion of hundreds of thousands of trips within the first year
• Managed a team of over 100 across two warehouse locations (Bronx & Staten Island)
• Fostered positive relationships with community organizations and local elected officials

Senior Operations Manager - JUMP New York City

• Led the launch of Uber Rides in New York State resulting in the fastest growing US launch in the history of the company with over 1MM trips and $300MM in bookings in the first year
• Created and implemented an analysis framework to account for seasonal changes resulting in healthier business metrics, increased growth, and hundreds of thousands of dollars saved
• Monitored key marketplace metrics (growth, P&L, competition) for New York City (the largest Uber market in the US) and executed recommendations to resolve market issues and boost growth

Senior Operations & Logistics Manager - New York City Territory Management

• Successfully passed a ridesharing bill through the Connecticut state legislature
• Managed driver growth and recognition
• Built the first remotely operated driver support network at Uber consisting of 1 permanent and 3 remote locations
• Created strong ties in the community through partnerships with the NAACP, MADD, local colleges & universities, Connecticut state legislators, and other local organizations

Operations & Logistics Manager - Connecticut

•  Launched Uber operations in New Jersey and Connecticut and oversaw all efforts until annual run rate reached $24M in Connecticut and $137M in New Jersey.
•  Created expansion and launch operations strategy and execution including rider and driver growth, rider and driver support, marketplace efficiency, and incentives.

Operations & Logistics Manager - Launcher (Connecticut & New Jersey)

• Organized first ever NYC driver insurance event providing over 700 partners with access to affordable coverage
• Managed all payments for Uber the Tri-State including weekly payments, incentives, guarantees, and payment issues
• Responsible for driver supply growth

Operations & Logistics Manager - New York City

Expeditors International

• Account manager and consultant for imports from large national and multi-national companies
• Analyzed data and processes to inform clients of product functions, industry information, and best practices
• Specializations in customs brokerage and customer relations

Customs Brokerage Representative - National Accounts

United States Senate

Office of Senator Dick Lugar and Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Kotis Design

I smiled and dialed selling t-shirts and other swag to fraternities, sororities, and college groups across the country.

College Sales Specialist

Went from cubicle data entry to Uber Employee 250 & Startup Exec | Helping you land your career-accelerating role in less than 90 days | Founder & CEO of UpEmployment Accelerator

When it comes to startup job seeking everyone wants to be an early employee at a unicorn 🦄 & earn millions 💸.

But what's the secret to landing those opportunities? 

Here's a hint...

They don't come from the "traditional job search".

When I was job seeking I had no idea what I was doing, but with experience and research, I found ways to stack the deck in your favor.

That's what led me to land a job as Uber's 250th employee. 

After Uber, it's what led me to a VP role with a $100k salary increase at a Y-Combinator startup.

That's why I built Early.

Do you have amazing experience & want to take the next step to accelerate your career in a startup, but not sure where to start?

I wished that someone had a playbook for how to do that. 

It didn't exist, so I created it.

The Early Accelerator gives highly talented job seekers a complete playbook for how to land your next dream role plus accountability & a community to guide you along the way.

The program is designed to allow you to:
- 10x your job hunt efficiency
- Know where you want to go
- Build your personal brand
- Know the salary and equity you command
- Create a system to generate connections & opportunities
- Generate 100x more warm network connections
- Leverage repeatable frameworks
- Get in a peak performance state
- Create unwavering confidence
- Get to your dream role

Despite the challenging job market, we have seen incredible results.
↳ Average job searches lasting ~3 months (90 days vs US avg of 5 months).
↳ >$200k in salary increases.
↳ >$800k in equity increases.
↳ Total compensation increases of over $1M.
↳ Advancements from Manager to Department Head.
↳ Major career jumps from VP to the C-Suite.

I formalized the proven system into an easy-to-execute framework that anyone can use to land their dream job.

My mission is to help millions live extraordinary lives by accessing opportunities that change their careers forever.

You deserve to work in a job that lights you up, pays you what you are worth, and accelerates you toward your vision of your dream future.

Let's go get you that job!

So, D.M 📩 me here or email me at kyle@BeEarly.com today so we can accelerate your startup career the right way.

Stop wasting time applying to every company where you meet the minimum qualifications and learn our proven way to land your dream job!

P.S if you would like to learn how startup job seekers can cut their job search by 50%, beat over 95% of all other candidates, and land a job at a top startup check out my newsletter in my Featured Section!

I take groups of people from A to Z in their job search so they can land their dream job without applying online.

These methods took me from cubicle data entry to a job as Uber employee 250 and from unemployed to startup executive. I'm not special, I can teach you to do the same!

If I lost my job tomorrow, here’s how I’d spend the first 7 days to land a new startup role. 

First step: leave your resume alone. And I know that sounds backwards. 

But this method is exactly how I landed my last two startup roles - including Uber - without ever applying. 

Here's exactly what I'd do instead:

Days 1-2: Map my network

I’d identify 10 people doing work I admire at companies I 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 want to work for. 

Not recruiters, or job posts. Actual people who are close to the problems I want to solve. 

Then I’d reach out with intent: 

“Hey [name], I love the work you and the team are doing at [company]. I see you're workingon [XYZ]. Would you be open to a 15-30 min call? I'd love to ask about [specific topic] and how you [specific topic].”

Here’s an example of what that might look like: 

𝘏𝘦𝘺 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦, 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘵 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵. 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘵𝘩. 𝘞𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 15-30 𝘮𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭? 𝘐'𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 + 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘺. 𝘐 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘜𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘕𝘠, 𝘕𝘑, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘛.

You're not asking to pick their brain. You're coming to them with a specific ask to conduct targeted research.

Days 3-4: Publish something that proves how I think 

I’d then work on publishing something on LinkedIn to show where I can add value, like: 

- A teardown of a product issue
- Insights that I found in my previous role
- A GTM idea

Nothing fancy or new - things that I already live and breathe. 

Posting some updated thoughts will mean that when people check my profile, they immediately see signals that I know what I’m talking about. 

Days 5-6: Go where the operators are

I’d plan to show up at two events where people in my target roles actually spend their time.

Not to hand out resumes. To ask smart questions and get into real conversations.

Being memorable beats blending in with everyone applying through job boards.

Day 7: Make a targeted offer of value

I’d pick my top two companies and create something useful for them.

A competitor breakdown. A user journey map. A simple 30-60-90 hypothesis. A problem I think they’re underestimating.

Then I’d send it:
“I’ve been digging into X problem and put some thoughts together on how I’d approach it. Here’s the breakdown.”

This creates pull instead of hoping an application gets seen.

This approach helped me launch new markets at Uber, work with founders raising millions, and build a career without competing against hundreds of applicants.

The uncomfortable truth: your resume makes you one of many. Your work makes you the obvious one.

If you want to land a startup role in the next 90 days, follow me, Kyle Thomas, for strategies that actually work.

I Teach Ambitious Startup Job Seekers How To Land Career-Accelerating Roles at World-Changing Startups | “De-Risk” the Search w/ Proven Methods & Investor-Grade Data | Apply to our Startup Job Search Accelerator Below

NYC is consistently #2 in startup funding behind SF. Curious who's hiring fast? Check out this list👇

The companies below all have:
💰 Investment from a top VC
🗽 HQ or an office in New York
👫 Headcount btwn 25 and 250 employees
📈 90D headcount growth btwn 15% to >166%
✅ Current open roles on their careers page

These are 30 of the fastest-growing startups not just in NYC but worldwide.

Join them and have fun building a rapidly growing startup with some of the smartest, driven people around.

I'll shut up now and just give you the list...

 1. Polymarket - Decentralized prediction markets
 2. Tabs - AI-driven revenue automation
 3. Profound - AI search analytics
 4. Norm Ai - AI-driven compliance automation
 5. Savvy Wealth - AI-enhanced wealth management
 6. FLORA - AI content creation platform
 7. Adaptive Security - AI cybersecurity training
 8. Finch - AI legal case automation
 9. Allara - Women’s hormonal health platform
10. Taktile - Credit decision automation
11. Garden - AI patent automation
12. Basis - AI accounting automation
13. Eight Sleep - Intelligent sleep optimization
14. Hungryroot - Personalized grocery delivery
15. Reflection AI - AI code automation
16. Twill - Referral-based recruiting platform
17. Eon.io - Automated cloud backups
18. Oasis Security - Machine identity management
19. Rilla - AI sales coaching platform
20. incident.io - AI-powered incident management
21. Rain - Crypto payment card platform
22. Starbridge - Public sector sales intelligence
23. Diana Health - Tech-enabled women’s healthcare
24. Graphite - Automated code review
25. Sesame - Voice-assisted smart glasses
26. Phia - AI resale shopping assistant
27. HERE - Secure enterprise browser
28. Assured - AI healthcare credentialing automation
29. Inspiren - AI senior care monitoring
30. NetBox Labs - Open-source network management

Go get that job and build something awesome 💪

____________________________________
For more lists of who's hiring, follow me, Kyle Thomas.

We create unlimited lists like these for the startup job seekers in the Early Accelerator, tailored to the exact size, stage, industry, growth, and success metrics they're looking for.

If you want to land your next startup role in the new year, use the link in my profile to apply to our Startup Job Search Accelerator, and we can jump on a free strategy call.

♻ Share this to help startup job seekers find a new role.

#startups #startupjobs #hiring #NYC #NewYorkCity

Microsoft and Amazon made Seattle a tech powerhouse. Now there’s a next generation of startups looking to follow in their footsteps. Here’s who’s hiring...

No Seattle startup with top VC investors has grown headcount faster over the last 90 days than these companies.

Chainguard - Trusted container security & supply chain
L90D Hires: 72
Current Openings: 46
Careers Page: https://lnkd.in/eYyNyu8x

Temporal Technologies - Durable workflow execution platform
L90D Hires: 54
Current Openings: 30
Careers Page: https://lnkd.in/ehCEepDv

TerraPower - Nuclear innovation company developing advanced reactors
L90D Hires: 51
Current Openings: 68
Careers Page: https://lnkd.in/eRHwhWaS

XBOW - Autonomous pentesting platform
L90D Hires: 31
Current Openings: 7
Careers Page: https://xbow.com/careers

Zenoti - AI-powered unified platform for medspa management
L90D Hires: 31
Current Openings: 99
Careers Page: https://zenoti.com/careers

Helion - Building the world's first fusion power plant
L90D Hires: 26
Current Openings: 97
Careers Page: https://lnkd.in/ea5bSKT7

Qumulo - Modern file data platform for edge & cloud
L90D Hires: 24
Current Openings: 31
Careers Page: https://qumulo.com/careers

BRINC Drones - AI-powered drones for public safety
L90D Hires: 21
Current Openings: 15
Careers Page: https://lnkd.in/eaQejW6S

Stoke Space - Unlocking the space economy with reusable rockets
L90D Hires: 15
Current Openings: 49
Careers Page: https://lnkd.in/ekGKKwmX

Supio - AI platform for law firms
L90D Hires: 15
Current Openings: 8
Careers Page: https://supio.ai/careers

Common Room - AI-driven customer intelligence for GTM teams
L90D Hires: 14
Current Openings: 5
Careers Page: https://lnkd.in/e_pVwnQ3

Porch Group - Vertical software & insurance platform for homebuyers
L90D Hires: 12
Current Openings: 38
Careers Page: https://lnkd.in/eZbp-tTP

Dropzone AI - Autonomous AI SOC analyst platform
L90D Hires: 11
Current Openings: 3
Careers Page: https://lnkd.in/eYWnpKu9

Rippl - On-demand dementia care platform
L90D Hires: 11
Current Openings: 11
Careers Page: https://rippl.com/careers

Gradial - Agentic marketing platform using AI
L90D Hires: 10
Current Openings: 22
Careers Page: https://lnkd.in/eJqrPsEC

Orchard - AI farming company building an AI farmer
L90D Hires: 8
Current Openings: 14
Careers Page: https://orchard.ai/careers

More companies in comments 👇

I live in New Jersey now, but Washington State will always have a massive part of my heart.

Go get that job and build something awesome in the Emerald City! 💪☔

And Go Hawks!

---------------------------------

P.S. Want more lists like these? 

We share personalized target company lists with the members of the Early Accelerator so you can find the hiring companies that match your dream job description.

If you’re looking for your next startup role, apply using the link in my profile.

Last week, 𝟮𝟯𝟳 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 w/ US offices closed $𝟱.𝟵𝟴𝗕 𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴. Here are 23 of the top ones hiring 👇

Together, the 𝟮𝟯 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄 closed $𝟯.𝟭𝟰 𝗕 of the $5.98B in funding last week and all have investment from top VC firms.

Use this list to…
↳ Identify interesting companies
↳ Check for open roles in your function
↳ Reach out to people on the team
↳ Land your next startup role at a growing company

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲:
• Company Name
• 🦄 = Valuation > $1 B
• ⭐ = Top VC Investors
• 🏆 = > 90 % PitchBook success probability
• Round stage, round size
• Position locations

Kalshi 🦄⭐🏆
Event-based trading
Series E, $1B
NY, Remote

Eon.io 🦄⭐🏆
Cloud backup management
Series D, $300M
TLV, NY, SF, DC, TX, Remote

Black Forest Labs 🦄⭐
AI visual media
Series B, $300M
Freiburg, SF, LDN

ICEYE 🦄⭐🏆
Radar satellite imaging
Later Stage VC, $232M
ATH, Espoo, WAW, VLC, KYIV, AUH, DXB, LDN, Remote

Harvey 🦄⭐
AI legal platform
Series F, $185M
DE, LDN, MX, NY, SF, ES, SE, SYD, TOR, Remote

Angle Health ⭐
AI health insurance
Series B, $134M
NY, IN, MI, OH, Remote

Protego Bio ⭐🏆
Protein-folding therapeutics
Series B, $130M
SD

7AI ⭐
Agentic security automation
Series A, $130M
BOS, Remote

TRIANA Biomedicines ⭐🏆
Molecular glue therapeutics
Series B, $120M
BOS

Antithesis ⭐🏆
Autonomous QA software
Series A, $105M
SF, VA, LDN, Remote

Excelsior Sciences ⭐
AI-enhanced small-molecule discovery
Series A, $95M
NY

Paradigm Health ⭐
Clinical research technology
Series B, $78M
Remote

Zafran Security ⭐🏆
Cybersecurity risk assessment
Series C, $60M
TLV, NY, Remote

PermitFlow ⭐🏆
Permit application platform
Series B, $54M
NY, US, CAN, Remote

Vinci4D.ai ⭐
AI hardware design
Series A, $36M
Palo Alto

Tutor ⭐
Industrial AI cobots
Series A, $34M
BOS

Ostium ⭐
On-chain commodity markets
Series A, $24M
NY, Remote

Raindrop ⭐
AI product analytics
Seed, $15M
SF

Quanta ⭐
Automated accounting
Series A, $15M
SF

Circulate ⭐
Therapeutic plasma exchange
Seed, $12M
SEA, US (multiple)

Phind ⭐
AI search engine
Early Stage VC, $10.4M
SF, NY

Reditus Space | YC W25 ⭐
Reusable orbital spacecraft
Seed, $7.35M
ATL, LA

RMFG ⭐
SMB manufacturing robotics
Seed, $4.5M
DFW

Go get that job and build something awesome 💪 

♻ Share this to help startup job seekers find a new role.

____________________________________
For more lists of who's hiring, follow me, Kyle Thomas.

We create unlimited lists like these for the startup job seekers in the Early Accelerator, tailored to the exact size, stage, industry, growth, and success metrics they're looking for.

If you want to land your next startup role in the new year, use the link in my profile to apply to our Startup Job Search Accelerator, and we can jump on a free strategy call.

After facing rejection, you don’t need to “think positive.”

You need to rebuild your self-belief, one step at a time.

This is called the Belief Ladder, and it’s how you climb back from doubt to confidence without relying on fake affirmations or blind optimism.

Most people try to jump from “I can’t” straight to “I believe I can.”

But that’s not how belief actually works.

Belief is built through evidence, small, credible actions that rebuild self-trust.

Each step you take, no matter how small, becomes a rung in your ladder.

𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴:

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭: “𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻’𝘁.”

This is where most people start after rejection. You feel defeated. You question your ability, your direction, maybe even your worth.

That’s okay, it’s honest. Awareness is the first rung.

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮: “𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼.”

You begin to want change more than you want comfort. The desire to try again starts flickering, even if you’re not ready to act yet.

Shifting from "I should do this" to "I want to do this" is a major step.

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟯: “𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻.”

You start noticing proof around you, people who’ve succeeded after setbacks. Instead of feeling envy, you start feeling curiosity.

If they did it, maybe it’s not impossible.

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟰: “𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗲 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻.”

You take a small, believable action, apply for one role you actually want, send one message, redo one section of your portfolio.

You don’t need proof yet - you’re just gathering data.

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟱: “𝗜’𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻.”

You start seeing signs of progress, better replies, smoother interviews, a clearer story.

Your confidence grows because your effort is producing evidence.

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟲: “𝗜 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻.”

This isn’t some empty mantra. You've earned this confidence.

You’ve proven to yourself that you can follow through, adapt, and recover.

The Belief Ladder is a reminder that you can't create brute force positivity and confidence through brute force. 

Confidence is built and rebuilt through small, repeatable proof.

So if you’re in that post-rejection fog right now, don’t pressure yourself to “bounce back.”

Start with one small action you can actually believe in, and let that action rebuild the next rung.

You’ll climb faster than you think.

Tell me about a time you struggled with belief the most, and how you overcame it.

I’ll go first in the comments: a time I completely lost belief, and the one action that started rebuilding it.

Let’s normalize rebuilding confidence without the fake positivity.

📌 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 - you’ll want it when your next interview loop starts.

👋 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗲, Kyle Thomas, for practical startup job-search strategies + weekly curated job lists.

✉️ 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵? DM me to learn how Early can support you.

The right recruiters aren’t ignoring you, they just can’t find you.

Here’s how to fix that with a simple 3-part LinkedIn personal-brand system.

If your profile isn’t getting views, messages, or interviews, it’s usually not because you’re unqualified.

It’s because your brand isn’t clearly communicating who you are and the value you bring.

Recruiters don’t scroll endlessly hoping to stumble onto potential. They search with intent using 𝗸𝗲𝘆𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀, 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀, and 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀 they know lead to success.

𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀: if your profile doesn’t instantly show who you are, what you do, and how you help, you’re invisible to the people looking for someone like you.

And yes, you’ll see founders or execs with minimal profiles still winning great roles. They’re the 1% of the 1%. Assume that’s not you. Give yourself every advantage.

Not sure where to start?

Use this 3-part personal brand playbook to build a clear, credible LinkedIn presence that attracts the right roles without posting every day.

Here’s the system 👇

1️⃣ 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲: 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 + 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴

This is your foundation. When someone lands on your profile, they should instantly understand what you do and what problems you solve.

Your headline should include your role, skills, and niche - the exact terms recruiters search for.

Your About section should communicate your expertise, what drives you, and what you want next.

Your goal: help recruiters decide in 10 seconds that you’re relevant.

Clarity doesn’t limit you - it amplifies you.

2️⃣ 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲: 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳

Once you’re positioned clearly, back it up.

Use your Featured section to highlight 2–3 pieces of work - a project, a post, a case study - that show how you think and what you’ve achieved.

Focus on outcomes. What changed because of your work?

You don’t need to post daily. You just need what’s already on your profile to do the heavy lifting.

Value beats volume every time.

3️⃣ 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲: 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆

Engagement turns a static profile into a living brand. It keeps you visible to your network and the people in your industry.

Comment thoughtfully on relevant posts, connect with people in your target companies, and share insights when you genuinely have something to add.

When you show up consistently, people start recognizing your name. That’s when opportunities start finding you.

Visibility builds trust. Trust builds opportunity.

The right recruiters aren’t overlooking you.

They’re just not seeing you clearly yet.

𝗢𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆.

Before you apply to 100 more jobs, spend an hour optimizing your profile.

It’s the most leveraged hour you’ll spend this week.

Some of you need tough love right now so here it is.

You have to 𝗗𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞 to 𝗦𝗘𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗨𝗟𝗧𝗦.

𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 about the thing is 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧 doing the work.

𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 about the thing 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧 doing the work.

𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 the thing 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧 doing the work.

𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 the thing 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧 doing the work.

𝗗𝗢𝗜𝗡𝗚 other things 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧 doing the work.

𝗗𝗢𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗜𝗦 𝗗𝗢𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞.

𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗛𝗔𝗩𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗗𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞 𝗧𝗢 𝗦𝗘𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗦.

Sounds simple.

But I guarantee that the majority of you reading this right now are avoiding doing the work.

It's natural because the work sucks at the start.

Which is why we avoid it and also precisely why we need to do the work in the first place.

I just see so many smart people who would make much faster progress in whatever they're pursuing if they just looked in the mirror and said, "Am I actually doing the work?"

What is the work you need to be doing?

What is the thing that you've been avoiding?

What is the thing that, if done, will eliminate half of your to-do list or make all the other tasks easier or more effective?

If you're brave enough, write it in the comments below.

If you're not, no sweat, write it on a piece of paper.

Then ask yourself, am I doing the work I need to be doing to see the results I want and expect?

How do you go from 4 months of silence… to a $100k salary increase, triple the equity, and a role created around you?

One member of the Early community just did exactly that, after completely changing the way they approached their job search.

Here’s what the final outcome actually looked like:
✔️ Nearly $100k increase to base
✔️ 3× the equity of the original offer
✔️ Three competing offers in the final round
✔️ A role that was 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 around them

But the offer isn’t the most interesting part.

The real story is the shift that happened after months of zero traction. Let’s break it down so you can copy the process:

𝟏. 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 = 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

When they joined Early, they were applying to 6–7 unrelated job titles because they saw themselves as a “generalist.”

It stalled their entire search.

Early’s coaching narrowed their positioning to:
“𝘚𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘳 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘺 & 𝘖𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵, 𝘖𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 & 𝘛𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵.”

One clear direction.

They even had a day with five interviews across five companies, and performed in all of them - because every conversation aligned to one north star.

𝟐. 𝐀 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡-𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝𝐈𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮

The role they accepted came from a cold recruiter outreach, not an application.

Because they rebuilt their LinkedIn into an outcomes-driven, high-signal profile:
→ Clear positioning
→ Impact-focused experience
→ High-quality content

Their digital presence created authority before they even spoke to anyone.

𝟑. 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞-𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡

Before they joined Early, they spent months:
❌ Sending hundreds of cold applications
❌ Spending weeks in silence
❌ Gaining zero traction

After joining, they stopped sending volume and started sending 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞.

Their outreach focused on insight, commercial understanding, and relevance to what the company cared about right now.

That shift took them from being 1 of 2,000 applicants, to 3 genuine conversations.

𝟒. 𝐍𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚, 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐆𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤

They didn’t “get lucky” in the negotiation stage, they approached it with a plan:
→ Evaluated competing offers
→ Identified misaligned scopes
→ Pushed back multiple times (even when it felt uncomfortable)

The result:
💥 +$100k base
💥 3× equity
💥 A role shaped around their strengths

Negotiation is a hard skill to be good at because you use it so infrequently. Thankfully, a strong negotiation is a system you can learn.

They joined Early discouraged and stuck, but just 66 days later, their:
→ Positioning was clear
→ Confidence rebuilt
→ Momentum had returned
→ Inbox was full of offers

This is what happens when you stop playing the job search game on hard mode and follow a proven process.

𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬?

Apply to join the Early Accelerator at BeEarly.com

Early Wins November Deep Dive

If you think switching roles every two years makes you look unreliable, think again.

In startups, that’s often the mark of experience.

The data tells a clear story: shorter tenures are normal in high-growth companies.

Let me be very clear. I don't advocate for job hopping just for the sake of it. 

What I mean is it’s important to understand that as a startup scales, the role you signed up for often becomes a different job entirely.

Teams evolve, roles shift, founders pivot; and the skill sets needed to take a company from 𝟬→𝟭 are rarely the same ones needed to go 𝟭→𝟭𝟬 or 𝟭𝟬→𝟭𝟬𝟬.

On a recent podcast, Molly Graham (one of tech's top scaling operators - ex-Google, Meta, & Quip) said the average executive tenure in a startup is about 18 months, and that’s not a failure, it’s the rhythm of growth.

Here’s what this means for you:

1️⃣ 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮. Early-stage roles average around 18-24 months; growth-stage around 2-3 years; corporate often 4+. Anyone familiar with startups knows this indicates a different pace, not a lack of loyalty.

2️⃣ 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁. Shorter tenures often show agility, people moving as the company changes, or doubling down where they’re most effective.

3️⃣ 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲. If your role’s shifting away from what you’re great at or what energizes you, moving on is the oposite of instibility. It’s purely smart career design.

I went through this myself. 

Once Uber hit 33,000 people, the role I loved (building new markets) turned into optimizing spend spreadsheets - not what I was great at, or what I loved doing.

So I joined JUMP, Uber’s startup-within-a-startup, to get back to the 1-10 stage where I thrive.

This is the cycle of startup careers.

Build, grow, pivot, repeat.

Sounds just like a startup, right? Hmm... I wonder why?



Want to understand the real patterns behind startup careers?

📌 Save this post - you’ll want it when you’re planning your next move.

👋 Follow me, Kyle Thomas, for practical startup job search strategies and weekly curated job lists.

Industry Insights

If you’re 6 months into a job search and nothing’s moving…
it’s not your skillset, it’s your mindset.

After months of rejections, ghosting, and “we’ll be in touch”, even the most qualified people will start to lose momentum.

Not because they’re doing anything wrong - but because the experience wears you down in ways you don’t always notice.

And that’s usually when five mindset traps creep in and quietly stall your progress.

There’s enough competition out there. Don’t make your mindset one of them.

Avoid these 5 traps:

𝟭. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗼𝘂𝗯𝘁

You start questioning if you’re even qualified anymore. Each rejection chips away at your confidence, so you stop applying, convincing yourself, “it’s just not the right time.”

𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 → The longer you stay in motion, the luckier you get. Confidence comes from action, not outcomes. Reframe every rejection as feedback.

𝟮. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗽

You scroll LinkedIn and see everyone else landing roles, assuming you’re behind. That mindset kills focus and rewrites your story as a failure.

𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 → Comparison is data, not judgment. Analyze what worked for them (better yet, reach out to them and ask what they did), take notes, and get back to your lane.

𝟯. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝘆𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸

You’re endlessly “updating your résumé,” rewriting cover letters, or researching companies, but avoiding the real, uncomfortable work: outreach, networking, value creation.

𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 → Progress feels uncomfortable. If you’re not slightly nervous and if you don't feel any internal resistance, you’re probably just tidying the edges.

𝟰. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝗜𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻

You rely on AI optimization and “Easy Apply,” hoping sheer volume will save you. But the more you chase the masses, the more invisible you become.

𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 → Depth wins over volume. A thoughtful message to the right person beats 100 blind submissions.

𝟱. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗡𝗼

After months of rejection, you start subconsciously pulling back, applying to safer, smaller roles just to protect your ego.

𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 → A “no” isn’t personal. It’s just proof you’re playing at your next level. Keep aiming high.

Let me be clear: I know it’s a tough job market.

Competition is fierce and the noise is loud.

But every single week inside Early, I see candidates land roles in under 90 days, not because the market changed, but because they did.

They stopped repeating the same strategies. They took accountability.

And they treated their job search like a growth process, not a waiting game.

If any of these hit home, you’re not alone, most job seekers get stuck here before things finally click.

📌 Save this post - you’ll want it when your next interview loop starts.

👋 Follow me, Kyle Thomas, for practical startup job-search strategies + weekly curated job lists.

✉️ Want clarity on your job search? DM me to learn how Early can support you.

Startups are like F1 teams.

And not everyone is built to race at that level.

On LinkedIn, it all sounds sexy.

💥 The glossy branding.

💥 The funding announcements.

💥 The founder selfies at off-sites.

But behind the scenes? It’s pure F1 energy.

Tiny margins.

High pressure.

And the constant feeling that you’re doing 200mph into Turn 1.

Not every team is Red Bull. Some are Williams - racing under the same rules, but with a fraction of the budget, and no room for mistakes. 

Every operator in a scaling startup knows the truth:

One day you’re on pole, the next, a competitor ships a feature, and suddenly you’re fighting from the back of the grid.

To some → the speed is terrifying.

To others → it’s the only way they want to work.

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗳:
• You thrive under pressure
• You love learning faster than feels reasonable
• You’re energized by risk, not paralyzed by it
• You can make smart calls with incomplete data

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗳:
• You want predictable workweeks
• You prefer slow, well-paved career paths
• You need stable systems and zero surprise sprints
• You want big-company rewards without the chaos

Both choices are valid.

But if you choose the startup path, understand the race you’re entering:

It’s high-speed, high-stress, and high-impact.

The wins feel unreal. The losses sting.

And every week feels like qualifying, you’re constantly proving you belong on the grid.

But if the idea of building something from nothing lights you up…

If you want a career where you feel alive, not just employed…

Then startups are where you’ll thrive.

📌 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 - you’ll want it when your next interview loop starts.

👋 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗲, Kyle Thomas, for practical startup job-search strategies + weekly curated job lists.

✉️ 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵? DM me to learn how Early can support you.

“I feel like I’m sending applications into the void.” 

…is something I hear from job seekers all the time, and there’s a reason it keeps happening.

When I speak to people on the job search, they’re usually trying to move 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 from something. 

They can list out everything they don’t want: 

 • Toxic culture
 • Micromanaging bosses
 • Companies without traction
 • Companies without robust funding
 • An employee base where they’re the smartest person in the room

And they apply in volume to applications which feel like the opposite. 

But the issue is rarely tactics. It’s because they’ve skipped the first step of the process. 

Figuring out what their ideal role looks like. 

It’s helpful to know what you’re running from, but there’s a problem with using your ‘don’t wants’ as your only source of motivation. 

The further you get away from those things, the less motivation you feel to keep going.

But the closer you get to the thing you really want, the harder you push because you’re ALMOST there.

So yes, write out all the things that you don’t want in your next role.

But crucially, take the time to put pen to paper and figure out what it is you do want.

 • Where do you want to be in 2-5 years?
 • What are the skills, experiences, network, and teachers you need in your next role to get there?
 • What is the title of the next role?
 • What is the role scope, scale, and responsibilities?
 • What are the industries you want to work in?
 • What are the problems you want to be solving?
 • What are the sizes and stages of companies that will allow you to do your best work?
 • What is it that is really exciting you out in the world today?

Here’s an exercise we walk everyone through in the Early Accelerator to get clear about what they want. 

Follow these steps to a T before sending another application, and I promise you’ll get more traction out of every future action.

📌 Save this post - you’ll want it when you’re planning your next move.

👋 Follow me, Kyle Thomas, for practical startup job search strategies and weekly curated job lists.

If you’re not getting rejected, you’re not aiming high enough. You've got to stop seeing rejection as failure.

As cliché as it sounds, rejection is feedback, not failure.

But, that's only the case if you know how to learn from it.

So, gather around and let's explore how you can make the most of every “no” 👇

1️⃣ 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝘁

Don’t turn rejection into a story about your worth.

“They said no, I guess I suck” - this attitude is neither true, nor helpful.

The best operators ask: “Isn’t that interesting? I wonder why that happened.”

Approach it with curiosity instead of criticism.

2️⃣ 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗶𝘁

Pull what you can from the experience.

Take the time to evaluate your performance, and give yourself feedback on where you could’ve shown up better.

Often, we can pinpoint areas where we didn’t feel 100% confident.

Notice these things to best prepare yourself for the next one.

The goal isn’t to win every role; it’s to improve each time.

(I'm going to assume you're ambitious and want to win, so that's a given, but you can only control your inputs, not the outcome.)

3️⃣ 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸

Always ask, but expect silence.

Most companies are legally advised not to give detailed feedback.

But, you should still ask, as some will be open to sharing this with you.

If you do get a few insights, treat them as a gift and learn from them.

(P.S. Don't expect feedback after a rejection to feel good. Typically, it sucks. But that's how we grow.)

4️⃣ 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗶𝘁

Don’t spiral.

Sometimes a “no” has nothing to do with you.

The startup world moves fast, and you have no idea what's going on behind the scenes.

This is not you being rejected by the market.

Detach your emotions from the rejection and move on to the next.

(P.S. Salespeople are great at this. They don't crumble after a prospect says "no". They hang up the phone and dial the next number with a smile.)

5️⃣ 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁

A “no” today doesn’t mean “never.”

Keep the lead warm, comment on their posts, share thoughtful replies, and stay visible.

We just saw this inside the Early community:

Amr applied for a role and got rejected.

Two weeks later, the same company reached out about a new opening, and just last week, he completed his final-round interview.

Don’t burn the connection because of a “no”.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿:

People call it "luck" when preparedness meets opportunity.

You cannot get prepared without rejection.

So rejection isn't a dead end. It's the necessary next step for you to land your next role.

The candidates who learn fastest from rejection are the ones who land great jobs the fastest.


📌 Save this post - you’ll want it during your next interview loop.

👋 Follow me, Kyle Thomas, for practical startup job search strategies + weekly curated job lists.

✉️ To learn how Early helps you pick the right company, DM me.

Committing to the wrong startup can set your career back years. 

But most people only realize this 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 they join. 

The team might look exciting. The mission may be inspiring. 

But if the fundamentals aren’t there, you’ll spend your best energy trying to fix what should’ve been vetted before you joined. 

And you won’t gain the experience you need to drive forward your career. 

Here’s how to set yourself up for success - a method that’s been tried and tested with hundreds of startup candidates through the Early Accelerator: 

𝘛𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳. 

Investors make dozens of bets, and they only really need one to pay off. 

Here’s how you evaluate the role before you jump in. This 12-question framework from Initialized Capital breaks a startup into three parts: 

𝟭. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁: does it solve a real problem?

𝟮. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁: is there demand and room to grow?

𝟯. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺: can they actually pull it off?

Your job isn’t to predict the future.

Your job is to evaluate the 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘴 that increase your odds of success.

I’ve broken the full 12 questions down in the carousel - with examples, context, and how to find the answers for any startup you’re evaluating.



📌 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 - you’ll want it when your next interview loop starts.

👋 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗲, Kyle Thomas, for practical startup job-search strategies + weekly curated job lists.

✉️ 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵? DM me to learn how Early can support you.

The Wrong Startup Can Set You Back Years

You don’t need to apply to more jobs. You need better clarity. 

Here’s how to get it. 

Most job seekers assume the secret is speed - applying faster, saying yes to more interviews, chasing every opportunity that pops up.

But speed isn’t what lands your dream role.

Inside Early, I tell people this all the time: 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱.

Think of it like this:

A lot of people approach their search like a Ferrari - 0 to 100, firing out applications, trying to cover as much ground as possible as fast as possible.

It 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴 productive (and sounds sexy)… but Ferraris burn the most fuel, need constant maintenance, and only look fast in short bursts.

They need to stop and refuel every 3-7 days. Just like how, if you take this approach, you burn out and need days or a week to recover while losing all momentum.

But what if you approached your job search like a Prius? On the other hand.

It’s slower and definitely not as sexy. But every move is intentional. Every mile is efficient.

It gets to the exact same destination in a little bit longer time but with far less energy. 

Prius owners only need to refuel every 10-20 days (3x more efficient than the Ferrari).

And in the job search, 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀 - not doing more, but doing what matters.

Your goal is to approach it in a way where you're tired at the end of the day, but excited to get back after it tomorrow.

Here are four reflection prompts to help you slow down and find your compass again 👇

1️⃣ 𝗔𝗺 𝗜 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆?

Have you drifted into chasing what’s available instead of what’s aligned?

2️⃣ 𝗗𝗼 𝗜 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝘇𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸?

You can only sustain momentum if the work fuels you.

3️⃣ 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗼 𝗜 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗜’𝗺 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝘆 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲?

Growth comes from tension. Comfort can be a major constraint.

4️⃣ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 “𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀” 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄?

Not five years ago. Not for someone else. For 𝘠𝘖𝘜... TODAY.

If you take ten quiet minutes to reflect on these, you’ll notice your energy start to shift, because clarity creates direction.

𝘎𝘰𝘵 𝘢 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘫𝘰𝘣 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺? 𝘈𝘴𝘬 𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘰𝘳 𝘋𝘔 𝘮𝘦. 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘔 𝘐 𝘨𝘦𝘵! 



📌 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 - you’ll want it when your next interview loop starts.

👋 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗲, Kyle Thomas, for practical startup job-search strategies + weekly curated job lists.

✉️ 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵? DM me to learn how Early can support you.

If you want your work to make real impact on the environment - these 23 climate-tech startups are scaling fast and hiring right now.

All of the startups below have:
• Hired the most new employees in the last 90 days
• At least one top VC investor
• Are actively hiring today

Across these companies, there are 𝟴𝟲𝟮 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝟭𝟳 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀* 
• Engineering 409
• Operations 147
• Sales 52
• Product 27
• Finance 28
• Manufacturing 53
• Customer Success 22
• Supply Chain 38
• IT 18
• Marketing 17
• Hardware 20
• Legal 7
• People/HR 6
• Data/AI 6
• Design 5
• Security 3
• Support 1

📁 I also included a report I created using NotebookLM using the data I pulled and attached it below.

Crusoe 🦄 — Low‑carbon digital infrastructure (Denver, San Francisco, Chicago, Remote)

Base Power Company 🦄 — Energy grid optimization (Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Francisco)

Commonwealth Fusion Systems — Compact fusion power plants (Devens, Milpitas, Somerville)

Harbinger — Electric medium‑duty vehicles (Gardena, Los Angeles, Remote)

Upway — Refurbished e‑bike marketplace (Paris, Berlin, Remote)
join.com

Seneca — Autonomous electric seaplanes (Sausalito)

The Modern Milkman — Eco‑friendly grocery delivery (Loughborough, Manchester, London)

X-energy — Advanced modular nuclear reactors (Rockville, Oak Ridge, Lexington Park, Remote)

Emerald AI — AI‑powered climate risk intelligence (Washington D.C., Boston, San Francisco, Remote)

Redwood Materials 🦄 — Battery recycling and materials (San Francisco, Carson City, McCarran)

Torus — Grid‑scale energy storage solutions (South Salt Lake)

Runware — Grid analytics platform (Remote)

Terra One — Renewable energy asset developer (Berlin, Remote)

Daylight — Solar financing & design software (New York City)

Uplight — Utility customer engagement platform (Remote)

Phaidra — Industrial AI optimization (Remote)

Nitricity — Zero‑carbon nitrogen fertilizer (San Francisco, Delhi)

Gridware — Wildfire detection sensors (San Francisco)

PassiveLogic — Autonomous building control (Salt Lake City, Netherlands)

Ridepanda — E‑bike subscription marketplace (New York City, Remote)

Palmetto — Clean energy home platform (Charlotte, Remote)

Exowatt — Thermal battery energy storage (Miami)

TrueMeter — AI energy savings platform (San Francisco)

Go get that job and build something awesome 💪
————————————
For more lists, follow me, Kyle Thomas.

Want personalized lists of startups for your job search? Use the link in my profile to apply to our Startup Job Search Accelerator.

♻ Share this to help startup job seekers find a new role.

INSIGHTS: Climate Startups w/ Top VC $'s & Most 90D Hires

Rushing applications in December is a 𝗯𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮.

It feels like the end of the year should be the final sprint.

It's easy to convince yourself that if you send enough applications, something will land before January.

It's just as easy to convince yourself to take the whole month off because "It'll be wasted effort anyway."

𝗕𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴.

So how should you spend December if you're looking for a new startup job?
It depends on where you are in the process.

𝗣𝗔𝗧𝗛 𝟭: 𝗝𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗥 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗝𝗢𝗕 𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗛

𝘛𝘓𝘋𝘙; 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘵 𝘑𝘢𝘯𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦.

1️⃣ 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝘁 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿.

Spend time determining what you actually want next and why: 
• Role scope/scale/responsibility 
• Company size/stage/industry 
• Title

Turn off the external noise. Connect with the true you.

Tightening your direction now will mean sharper, more confident conversations in January.

2️⃣ 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲.

Update your resume, LinkedIn profile, LinkedIn presence, and how you tell your story using your new clarity.

A well-aligned LinkedIn profile is a magnet that brings opportunities to you.

Your goal = Be unshakeably confident in how you appear to the world and how you tell your story.

If you do both of those before the end of the month, you're in great shape for 2026.

𝗣𝗔𝗧𝗛 𝟮: 𝗠𝗜𝗗-𝗝𝗢𝗕 𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗛

𝘛𝘓𝘋𝘙; 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘵𝘩 1.

𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳, 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴.

1️⃣ 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵.

People think December is a bad month for networking.

It's actually o͟n͟e͟ ͟o͟f͟ ͟t͟h͟e͟ ͟b͟e͟s͟t͟.

Holiday cheer is high, and people are looking to give.

A single introduction now can do more for your job search than 50 cold applications.

2️⃣ 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀

Spend time on highly tailored applications.

Send networking messages to the team (5-10 people).

Create value. Stand out (video is great).

People are still hiring in December but there's diverted focus and this market is full of slop.

So you apply be human, be memorable.

And finally, regardless of your path...

3️⃣ 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘅.

Momentum is important, but so is your mental health.

Going into January, being burnt out is a bigger risk than missing a week of applications.

What do you think? Is December a waste or a time to get ahead in the job search?

I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Did you know, most of Uber’s early hires didn’t have any startup experience?

A while back I pulled a list of the 249 people who joined Uber before me.

They came from corporate, consulting, finance, but what mattered in their application wasn’t where they worked.

It was how they told their story.

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲.

You need to know how to show founders that you can create clarity in chaos (and that you want to work hard).

Here’s how to turn your corporate past into startup potential 👇

1️⃣ Reframe your story for impact, swapping responsibilities for results. 

Founders don’t want to know what you managed, they want to know what you impacted.

2️⃣ Show your entrepreneurial traits, moments you took initiative, solved problems, or pushed through a new idea. 

These examples are proof you’ll thrive without a playbook.

3️⃣ Bridge the gap, connect your structured experience to their speed. 

You’re not too corporate, you’re the person who brings systems to the startup disorder.

Each of these small shifts changes how a founder or hiring manager sees you, from “corporate background” to startup-ready hire.

For those who’ve already made the jump, what’s one skill you didn’t expect to translate so well into startup life? 

Drop it in the comments.


📌 Save this post - you’ll want it when you’re planning your next move.

👋 Follow me, Kyle Thomas, for practical startup job search strategies and weekly curated job lists.

How To Translate Corporate Skills for Startup Newbies

Hey, how’s your job search really going right now?

We talk a lot about strategies and frameworks here, but sometimes the most useful thing is just saying: “This is where I’m stuck.”

If you’re feeling slow, stuck, or stressed about your next move, you’re not the outlier, trust me.

Most ambitious people I work with hit the same bottlenecks.

I’m talking people with multiple unicorns on their resume, top MBA programs, and amazing track records.

None of these job search feelings mean you’re not good enough.

They’re common struggles most operators face, not a you-problem.

Here’s the ask:
Vote in the poll so we can see where people are getting stuck.

Then drop a comment (or a DM!) with either:

[IF YOU’RE JOB SEARCHING] The bottleneck you’re facing, or
[TO PAY IT FORWARD] One concrete tactic that helped you break through (so others can steal it).

There’s a lot of expertise in this audience. Let’s make it visible and help each other move closer to our next dream role.

So cast your vote, then check the comments to see how others are approaching it. If you see someone stuck where you were 6 months ago, help them out.

Which one’s hitting you hardest right now? (DW, your boss won’t see that you voted)

For the past few years, I’ve been obsessed with one question: 

How do smart, ambitious people actually land meaningful roles in startups? 

Not by chance or by grinding through hundreds of applications. 

But by understanding how founders think, how companies grow, and how talent really gets hired. 

I landed my two startup roles - including Uber - by seemingly stumbling my way to success. 

But after reflecting on the processes, patterns began to emerge.

So I started studying others who had landed similar roles.

Lo and behold, the same systems, strategies, mentalities, and processes appeared.

I wanted to codify this process and document it so other people could benefit . 

That obsession is what led me to build UpEmployment in 2022. And it worked. 

People used the system to land roles at startups they were excited about. They negotiated better offers. They stopped feeling invisible in crowded applicant pools. 

And, I know this sounds crazy, but they enjoyed the process.

As that was happening, I realized something about the community. 

A significant number of members already had great jobs but were ambitious and hungry. 

They were looking for the right opportunity to jump on. They wanted to expand their role scope and responsibility. They wanted to get in early and build the next big thing.

That’s when it became clear that we weren’t just building a job-search program, we were building a process to craft an engaging and exciting career in startups. 

So UpEmployment evolved into Early. 

Early is for builders, operators, and high-agency people who don’t want to line up for roles at yesterday’s companies. They want to help build the industry leaders of tomorrow. 

It takes more than resume tweaks or job-search “best practices”.

It’s about clarity, a compelling narrative, real agency over how you show up in the market, and taking ownership of your career and your life. 

It also about uncovering the inner workings of the startup ecosystem - how companies hire, raise capital, grow teams, and reward impact. 

That’s what Early gives you: 

✅ Proven systems that work in the startup world

✅ Investor-grade context to help you identify companies with real traction and negotiate from strength, not hope

✅ A community of ambitious operators who think like you and raise the bar

We’re building the most useful place on the internet for people who want to shape the future. 

If you care about impact, ownership, and momentum more than climbing a ladder… Early was built for you. 

If you’re new here, welcome.

If you’ve been with us from the start, thank you!

We’ve helped hundreds of people so far, but we’re just getting started.

📌 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 - you’ll want it when your next interview loop starts.

👋 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗲, Kyle Thomas, for practical startup job-search strategies + weekly curated job lists.

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The Early Manifesto

Gorilla - Energy data applications

Imagine a world where selling carbon-free energy is as easy as selling bananas at the farmers market.

Gorilla wants to empower the global shift to carbon-neutral energy. We do it through one of a kind energy data applications.

In order to enable our company vision and mission, the People Team mission is to enable Data Rangers (our employees) to grow individually and as a troop by creating easy to use and elegant people solutions.

VP of People

Jangala

Growth cycles in business are broken.

And leaders and teams are feeling the whiplash from everchanging internal and external headwinds.

The ultimate hack to grow resilient organizations has been under our noses all along. 

Jangala People Solutions is a playground to experiment with how leaders and teams harness 3.8 bn years of nature's blueprints, psychology, and neuroscience to:

► Explore how Regenerative Design principles can shape sustainable organizational practices and foster long-term resilience.

► Cultivate Nature-Inspired Leadership by integrating nature's wisdom into leadership strategies for innovation, resilience, and organizational health.

► Embracing the Adaptive Cycle to navigate scale, change, reorganization within fast moving environments.

Services: Leadership Coaching and Development. Teams Coaching and Development, Workshop Facilitation

People Advisory, Leadership & Teams Facilitator

Offbeat

Offbeat is one of the leading L&D communities where L&D professionals accelerate their career.

Mentor

Philips

HR plays a critical role in ESG and social impact. 

As the corporate landscape shifts towards prioritizing sustainability and social impact, my pivot into a sustainability role at Philips aligns with the evolving expectations of both consumers and employees.

I was committed to leveraging my people and culture expertise to enable Philips businesses and external organizations to set and meet their ESG goals, and foster culture of sustainability within the organization

The skills accrued here have deepened my understanding of ESG and how as HR professional I can further addressing social aspects, such as inclusion, diversity, and equity, and talent processes.

Sustainability Strategist - Philips Innovation Services

Miro

Imagine scaling from 350 to 1000 employees in < 12 months during the pandemic.

I built and scaled the L&D and Culture function at Miro from Series B - C during this crazy hypergrowth to answer these questions:

"How do we scale our company without losing our culture?"
"How do we build a culture as collaborative as our product?
"How do we stay nimble as we expand?"

Leading a team of learning designers and agile coaches, we built people solutions like products to  ensure our culture didn't "break".

...

Head of People Solutions Design  

PwC Australia

The aim is not to be an agile organization. The aim is to achieve your business objectives with agility. 

This was one of the core principles Christopher Webb and I co-founded the Agile Advisory around in 2017 when the applications of agile outside of software development were still in it's infancy. 

Our goal was to help organizations avoid cutting and pasting scrum across all their departments and saying 'ta da' "we're agile".

Instead we grew an inclusive and diverse multi-disciplinary team to work with clients to redesign their operating models and refresh their ways of working.

In doing so we aimed to bring organizations closer to their customers and employees, and to increase speed to value by developing viable and feasible solutions. 

I specifically focussed on leadership agility, and teams development + delivery using agile ways of working and human centred design methods to deliver better outcomes. 

Highlights: 

► Designing and implementing company-wide New Ways of Working simulation training to 30 000K employees using more LEGO than one person would buy in their lifetime.

► Establishing social labs innovation approach and delivering large group facilitation to enable the cross-sector teams to collaborate and prototype solutions to end homelessness in a generation.

Senior Manager - Agile Advisory, Technology Consulting

Deloitte Australia

Think strategically, solve complex problems, format slides fast.

In my interview I said I'm a corporate hippy, they said you're hired, and on Day 1 I was shipped out to a mining and metal company ....

Not quite the regenerative green warrior project I expected, yet to do this day it remains one of the best projects of my life.

Why? I got to work with amazing client leaders and it's where I cut my teeth on:

Buidling and faciltiating strong team dynamics globally, managing global strategic change, global learning and development strategy, the ups and downs of stakeholder engagement and M&A / demergers....

... and it's when I became an accidental technologist.

It's also where I learned consultants' obsession with slides and spreadsheets. 

If you can't beat them join them. So I pivot-tabled, hypothesis treed, and powerpointed my way on several projects for national banks, insurers, and retailers. 

Until I was selected among 20 people nationally to go on a 3 day immersion with the  Design and Visual Storytelling team.

It's here that I unearthed my natural tendency for human-centred design (HCD) and its powerful methods, which evolved into working on agile software development projects, and agile coaching, and  learning and development solutions.

I knew that my future work would always boil down to:

Understand the problem + Build the right things + Build the things right.

...

Human Capital Management Consultant

Croydon Council

Organisational Change & Development - Learning and Development - Product Development 

Croydon Council:
In a post Global Financial Crisis climate, Croydon Council received a mandate form the federal government to cut costs by £200 million by 2018. Subsequently the council commenced a large scale restructure and review of services. To assist the ensuing changes the Chief Executive initiated a 3 year values based culture transformation for the organisation (approx. 2000 employees). As one of four core members in the Change and OD team Vanessa delivered the following high quality services:

Culture Transformation
- Mobilisation of culture change champion network \
- Leadership and project management 
- Development of learning forums and materials to equip and empower staff with change conversation capabilities.  These initiatives increased employees’ change skillset, augmented employees’ sense of work efficacy and opened communication channels between different departments
- Change project evaluation  

Leadership
- Middle Management Leadership Skills Audit 
- Logistics Management for annual senior leadership summit for 300 senior leaders 
- Future leadership capabilities scenario mapping to enable leaders to lead and manage political,    economic, technology and social change reforms

Online Learning
-  Designed, developed and maintained  user centric change  and L&D intranet sites to support staff communications and e-learning

Leap Partnership:
- Working with FTSE 100 clients such as Lloyds TSB, Sage and Honeywell to develop a prolific teams inventory which helps teams in their learning and development functions and overall performance

Organisational Change and Development Consultant

Mendas Ltd.

Client Delivery: National Health Services (NHS), UK Government Organizations (NDA), Smith and Williamson Accountants

Business Psychologist

Munro & Forster

Client Delivery for Nestle Carnation, La Roche-Posay, Roche Diagnostics and Ronald McDonald House Charities

Commercial and Healthcare Graduate PR Analyst

VP of People at Gorilla | In the pursuit of employee significance | Leadership & Career Coach | Illustrator | Corporate Hippy - views expressed here are my own

What do you get when you cross a business psychologist + an accidental technologist + agile coach + a tree hugger?

A global People & Culture leader, who embraces her corporate hippy persona to revitalize organizations worldwide.

I currently lead the global People Function at Gorilla - energy data applications, a fast growing series B SaaS scale up. 

I've held leadership roles at Miro, PwC, Deloitte and Philips where I've built, shaped and scaled cultures.

I know what it takes for startups and scaleups to design their People strategy for future success.


My career highlights include:

► Scaling the L&D and Culture function at Miro from series B - C. 

► Developing social labs approach for cross-sector teams to protoype solutions to end homlessess in a generation in Australia for The Constellation Project.

► Designing and implementing the Global IT Learning strategy, and Change Management and Comms approach for the most complex demerger in australian history (mining and metals company). 


Find out more:

Illustrations - I simplify complex ideas through the power of picture
https://www.instagram.com/nessmonsequeira_illustrations

The Nature of Leadership + Career Newsletter - is filled with practical tips and focuses on how leaders and employees can redesign the work experience.

https://nessmonsequeira.beehiiv.com/

Vanessa Monsequeira

I moved to Amsterdam in 2020 after visiting it for exactly one day in 2006.

November marks 5 years in the Netherlands. It wasn't what I expected.

2020:
Ness: "Hey Nick, this digital whiteboard company reached out about a role in Amsterdam."
Nick: "Just see where it goes."

Two weeks later, I'd signed with Miro (back when they were the "lesser-known digital whiteboard platform") to scale their People Solutions function from 350 to 1,000 people in a year.

Then came one of the most bizarre plane journeys of our lives: the airline had to call the Australian government pre-flight to confirm we were on the approved leave list. We were told we couldn't return until the end of the pandemic.

No safety net. No return ticket. Just two suitcases and a gutsy decision.
Maybe it was reckless, but Nick and I are suckers for adventure.

___

What moving here was supposed to be:
👉🏾 A career opportunity in a cool European city

What it became:
🧡 A masterclass in scaling companies during chaos (hello, pandemic)
🧡 Where I built community instead of just a network
🧡 A new obsession with white asparagus season
🧡 Where "home" stopped meaning one country
🧡 A lesson in how day spas work (IYKYK)
🧡 Proof that betting on yourself pays off

Dank u wel to everyone who has been part of my personal and professional journey in the Netherlands, Belgium and the UK. 

Special shout out to the communities at the D2 collective, Diverse Leaders in Tech, Hatch - Immersive learning experiences and Omek. I was missing a sense of belonging in the middle years and you helped me find home. 

Of course thanks to Nick and our best doggo Tiger. You make A'dam home.

Here's to many more beautiful years and doing more dutchy things. 🚴🏽‍♀️

What's the gutsiest career move you've ever made?

Vanessa Monsequeira - चित्रलेखा

VP of People at Gorilla | Building Employee Experience as a Product | In pursuit of making work suck less | Leadership & Career Coach | Corporate Hippy - views expressed here are my own

Ness and her husband Nick taking a celebratory selfie with glasses of red wine. Ness has curly dark hair and is wearing a cream sweater with a gold necklace. Nick has a beard and is wearing a light green sweater. Both are smiling warmly at the camera in what appears to be a restaurant or café setting.

Every Head of HR knows the secret "job description."

We carry skills and emotions that never make it onto our job ad. The weight of decisions that affect people's livelihoods. The loneliness of being the only one in the room thinking five moves ahead from a people strategy and ops perspective.

Many talk about being a "Strategic" HR leader. Very few execute it well. Even fewer teach it effectively.

Recently, I completed the JooBee's Strategic HR Leader Step Up Bootcamp.
I desperately wish I'd had before my leadership roles at Miro and Gorilla!

🧰 Here's what made it transformational:
— All Real-world application, not theory:
— Deeply thinking and practice  through compensation structures and leveling frameworks for scaling startups (so many lessons!!!!!)
— Building scalable people operations during the critical build phase
— Consolidating thinking around scaling agility people as a product
—  ALL learning through interactive doing and teamwork

💪🏾 Strengthening our diagnostic muscles:
— Sharpened organizational diagnosis and problem-solving through the PIC framework
— Practical tools I'm already applying in my day-to-day

🎭 The role-play day (this alone was worth the price): 
A full day with professional actors playing:
— A Founder who kept changing goal-setting structures mid-quarter
— A COO who outright refused 360 feedback
— A CMO who wanted to pay out-of-band for an average performer

🔥 The fireside chat: One hour with a top VC Stephen Millard from Notion Capital. Finally, a safe space to ask all those fiery questions as HR we think but rarely voice to board members.

💜 And the unexpected value: 
— The cohort itself became both a learning experience and group therapy (IYKYK).
— Perhaps the most invaluable aspect was pairing with a group of people living the same reality. People who didn't just empathise, they solutionize the right way.

Thank you Ed Ross Missy S. Katie Downes (Beales) Elena Argyriou María Clara Wasileff Seun Iyaniwura . I'm genuinely grateful to each of you. You helped me learn, grow, and realise "it's not just me." 

I very rarely give an NPS of 10.
This is it, folks. run, don't walk.
Worth every minute. Worth every penny.

And thank you again JooBee Yeow, PhD for your masterful facilitation 🫶🏾

P.S. Sneak peak of the course in comments!

#PeopleLeadership #HRStrategy #StartupHR #PeopleOps

Screenshot of a video call with seven participants from the JooBee Strategic HR Leader Step Up Bootcamp cohort, including Missy Strong, Ness from Gorilla, Clari Wasileff from Ekumen, Seun, Elena from Snappymob, Ed from Aiven, Katie from YLD, and JooBee Yeow (course facilitator with Step Up Bootcamp branding visible).

What’s more important: leading or managing?

Hint: Most people choose wrong.

Leadership = vision.
Management = execution.
Both matter but neither is enough.

Inspiration alone doesn’t create outcomes.
Systems alone don’t inspire people.
Vision + systems alone ≠ success.

I empathise.
As a leader, you put these building blocks in place and think:
“We’re doing things right.
 Why isn’t it working?”

Because something critical is missing.

The space in between: the Adaptive Space**.

The interface between entrepreneurial thinking and operational discipline.
Where innovation meets implementation.
Where ideas become action.
Where strategy actually moves.

This is the missing middle.
When all three work together (leadership, management and the Adaptive Space) momentum, magic and money follow.

If you lead people, your job is not choosing between leadership and management.
Your job is learning to operate and helping others operate in the Adaptive Space.

What are you experiencing in the Adaptive Space?


**Coined by Mary Uhl-Bien and colleagues in Complexity Leadership Theory.

Infographic titled “Lead your team to achieve outcomes” with the subtitle “It’s not about leader vs manager. Be both and know how to adapt.”

On the left, three vertical sections appear along a downward arrow:

Leadership (Vision): Set vision and strategy; Shape culture; Guide through change; Enable learning.

The Adaptive Space (Integration): Translate strategy to action; Zoom out and think; Foster conflict and collaboration; Adapt dynamically.

Management (Execution): Plan and organize; Monitor performance; Maintain standards; Solve risks and problems.

On the right, four statements each paired with colour bars:
“Inspiration ≠ outcomes” (pink gradient).
“Vision and systems alone ≠ success” (purple gradient).
“Systems alone ≠ inspired people” (orange gradient).
“This will empower outcomes” (combined pink, purple, orange gradient).

Footer includes the name Vanessa Monsequeira and the tagline “Leadership that makes work suck less.”

All leaders want healthy culture and "happy" teams.

The truth most miss is that the feedback that stings the most is often the feedback you need the most to create thriving environments. 

Not because all feedback is necessarily "true." 

But because it uncovers signals of unmet needs. 

It's a diagnostic clue.

To truly unlock team performance and team health (after putting the basics in place), we have to go where it hurts the most.

That place = crunchy feedback and difficult conversations.

Most leaders avoid negative feedback like the plague.

It makes sense, emotional pain register in the brain like physical pain.

... and we've got enough 💩 to deal with everyday. 

Yet, here's what I always tell leaders:

→ You worth and value as a leader aren't defined by negative feedback.
→ Crunchy feedback means your organisation and team are still talking to you.
→ They haven't given up. They're still invested.
→  Of course, guide your team to use radical candor. Rudeness is never accepted.

At this time of year:
→ Many are analysing annual engagement results or performance reviews.
→ Don't waste the gift of honest feedback. 
→ Learn how to separate signal from noise and find the deeper unmet needs. 

The steps below have helped countless leaders turn feedback from something to fear into fuel for growth.

Use it. Watch what happens when you stop avoiding the hard stuff.

Infographic titled 'Negative feedback doesn't kill team engagement. It improves it.' Lists 8 steps for processing feedback: 1. Read positive comments first, 2. Find themes/patterns, 3. Ask yourself 'What need was met here?', 4. Read the difficult comments, 5. Find themes/patterns, 6. Ask yourself 'What was the unmet need here?', 7. Practice disassociation technique - Your value as a leader ≠ feedback, 8. Devise your game plan to address unmet needs.

Your team doesn't trust your decisions.

Not if you lead like you're faking it.

I know this because early on I desperately tried to learn it all and know it all. 

Then I stopped pretending I had all the answers AND started trusting when i did. 

Great leaders:
↳ Name the uncertainty in the room
↳ Ask questions they're "supposed" to know
↳ Give feedback within 24 hours, not 24 days
↳ Hire slower and fire faster than they think they should
↳ Admit when a direct report knows more
↳ Coach in public, not just behind closed doors
↳ Can be both soft and strong in the same meeting
↳ Make decisions without consensus (then explain why)
↳ Let team members see them learning new skills
↳ Create psychological safety before pushing for results
↳ Don't let what they don't know make them lose confidence in what they do know.

"I need to be the smartest person in the room" = fastest way to lose your best people.

One of my favourite leadership reframes:

Last week a leader I coach told me they were stuck on a strategic decision because 'they didn't have enough context yet.' 

Here's what I asked them.:

"If you had to make this decision in the next team meeting, what can you name what you DO know, and what would you say you DON'T know, out loud?"
↓

[Name what you know, + state your uncertainty publicly] + [invite the team to fill gaps] = [better decisions through transparency]

The strongest leaders aren't the ones with all the answers. 

They're the ones who can build confidence, name what they don't know, and still move forward.


#leadership #decisionmaking #leadingteams

-step leadership framework for making decisions when you don't have all the answers. Shows how to name uncertainty publicly, state what you know, invite team input, and reach better decisions through collective wisdom. Real example using AI adoption demonstrates the framework in action.

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