Benjamin Mena

Need to hire? We can help! - Headhunter - Managing Partner

🎯 Having a tough time hiring for your Government Contracting Executive Team or GovCon AI teams?  There are way more openings than there are people to fill.  The top level talent your team needs are not even looking at your jobs ads. 🎯
** CLICK BELOW TO SEE MORE **

We understand how competitive the market is for top talent and how your career as a leader is impacted by the ability to attract and retain top talent.  

My name is Benjamin Mena, and for 15 years, I've built Data Science and Cyber Security teams for global Top Secret National Security programs.

Finding and attracting top-level people for our commercial sector is mission-critical. I know how right hire at the right time is vital for your team's growth and success.

SERVICES FOR CLIENTS AND CANIDATES 
💥 Executive Retained Search (C-Level, VP, Director)
💥 Direct Hire Search
💥 Employer/Candidate Value Proposition Development

Myself and my team are ready to help you 

🎯 To book a no-obligation, 15-minute Client Strategy or Candidate Career Call: https://calendly.com/benjaminmena
🎯 Email: Benjamin@selectsourcesolutions.com 
🎯 Phone: 703-297-8574

The Elite Recruiter Podcast Host

The Elite Recruiter Podcast is the number one podcast for recruiting professionals.

This is where the top recruiters share: How they got there. What kind of work did it take. Tips, Tools, and Tricks. The Mindset needed to get them to where they are. What they are doing with their success. Goals and visions for the future. So please join me on this journey as I interview some of the best in our industry

https://pod.co/the-elite-recruiter-podcast

In our first full year, we reached just 2,361 total downloads, a simple start that taught me the value of every single listener. 

Fast forward to 2025, and we crossed 212,000 downloads this year alone between Apple and Spotify (not including YT)

When I launched The Elite Recruiter Podcast, I never imagined how far it would come. In our first full year, we reached just 2,361 total downloads, a 

Open article: Reflecting on The Elite Recruiter Podcast’s Humble Beginnings by Benjamin Mena • 18 min read

Reflecting on The Elite Recruiter Podcast’s Humble Beginnings

It's time to find out who won The Elite Recruiter Awards!

Congrats to the Winners and the Finalists! 

Thank you, guys, for listening to The Elite Recruiter Podcast this year! 

2026 is going to be even bigger!!!

See you guys at the Recruiter Sales and BD Summit kicking off Jan 26th!

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Elite Recruiter Awards

2025 Elite Recruiter of The Year Awards.   
The Results are in! 

Before we dive in.   I can't wait to see you guys at the Sales and BD Recruiter Summit kicking off Jan 24-Feb 2nd.  Registration is FREE for all the live sessions to see 30+ Speakers. Links below.

Elite Recruiter of the Year
Winner: Mike Williams
Finalists: Brent Orsuga, Chris Relth

Most Impactful Recruiter
Winners: Chris Relth and Caitlin Burke
Finalist: Danny Cahill

Best Recruiting Leader/Founder
Winner: Dante Nino 
Finalist: Aaron Opalewski

Recruiter You’d Want on Your Team
Winner: Abby Creager 🌊 
Finalist: Danny Cahill

Recruiter Who Influenced Me the Most
Winners: Brent Orsuga, Matt Walsh, and Greg Benadiba 
Finalist: Danny Cahill

Recruiter I’d Want as a Mentor
Winners: Julia Arpag, Rich Rosen, and Randee Staats Jr. 
Finalist: Kortney Harmon, Brian Fink

Best Recruiting Team/Firm
Winners: Artemis, Carnegie Search, and Tiello 
Finalist: Coastal

Coach of the Year
Winner: Clark Willcox 
Finalists: Donnie Gupton 🦅, Keely Flood, Mark Whitby, Mike Anderson

Best Recruiting Tech Tool
Winner: LinkedIn 
Finalist: Pin.com - AI Recruiting

Elite Recruiter Podcast Episode of the Year
Winner: “The Art of Strategic Headhunting” featuring Chris Relth 
Finalist: “From Athlete to Top Recruiter: How Mindset, Grit, and Drive Helped Caitlin Burke Overcome Cancer and Paralysis”

Congrats everyone!!!

Recognition from your peers just hits different. In the recruiting world, the highest compliment isn’t a trophy on your shelf or a quota smashed – it’

Open article: Elite Recruiter Awards Winners & Finalists 2025 by Benjamin Mena • 7 min read

Elite Recruiter Awards Winners & Finalists 2025

I failed a podcast guest recently and had to cut the recording short.

The story was to good and I just wasn't pulling it out them and that is my fault.  

I knew that if I did it right.  

It not only would change someone's life.

But it could actually save it.

Yeah... I honestly believe that with a recruiting podcast.  Make fun of me, I don't care.

But that story would have.

Its been bugging me every day on how I failed that guest...

I have not been as good with returning guest as I have with a laying out the origin story with a new guest.

With a new guest.  Its the origin story...  The Arc..  The Breakthroughs.  But its hard to do the second time back...   (Maybe I am just constantly to hard on myself)

But I think I finally figured it out tonight. 

And it was alot of homework to try to make it good...

Had a returning guest today...  

Mike Anderson

I think you guys will like the episode when it comes out.

Not going to lie...

Having a returning guest is much harder than a first time guest.

But I keep on learning..

I keep trying to be better...

What a FREAKING AWESOME WEEK!!!!!!!!!   We ARE NOW ON DAY 5!!!!!
Sales and BD Recruiter Summit is under way! 

Jordan Taylor and Sarah Chester-Nelson sharing AI secrets for Executive and Retained Search.

Greg Fischer, CPP sharing how to hit $1 Million in profit for your recruiting desk.

Josh Kirkham on building your pipeline with AI.

Diane Prince is wrapping up the week with the Keynote How to create irresistible content that converts to new customers.

Don't miss today!!!

Going out of my comfort zone is attending a conference in a language I don't know. Hoping that AI will get me through the day.

And wow!!!  It did.

Apple's new AI translations through the AirPods....

I was able to understand abour 90% of what was spoken from each stage...

The only time I really couldn't hear anything.  

Was when there was energetic back and forth in the crowd and when it was loud in the lunch area.

A few months ago I saw Adrien Moulias share about a recruitment event he was hosting...

I thought.... That would be a cool group to learn from! 

You never know where you can pick up an idea that can change the game.

I told my wife... well its in Paris.  

Do you want to go to Paris for the weekend so I can go to this conference and learn?

Well, that was a simple answer....

Who would turn down a weekend in Paris, she said...

Anyways it was such a great event with about 150 other people.

Adrien Moulias and Kemra JAAFAR did an amazing job putting it together.

It was also cool to see some people that I really respect in the recruiting industry in person.   Nicolas Greppo, Gavin Johnston, Laurent Brouat, Dorothée de Calan, David Kieffer, and so many more.

Even with the language barrier...  

It's cool to sit back and see what's happening in another country and how those recruiters are crushing it!

Today is going to be LEGENDARY!!!! 

Sharon Hulce is sharing her playbook so you can level up and be a million-dollar biller just like her by learning how to sell at a higher level.

Steven Farrell, CSP is going to share how they have added TENS OF MILLIONS to their firm while many others are going backwards.

Rob Reznick is teaching you how to tap into your network.

And the OG Snoop Dog of the Industry himself.  David Stephen Patterson is going to explain to you why your pipeline is empty and how to change that.

You can still join us for any session.  All the live sessions are FREE.

20 years ago to this day.... I got my offer letter to become a recruiter... 

I really think we underestimate.

The decisions early in life have on you..

And where that career can take you.

Tons of downs...

But even more ups! 

Time has felt slow...

But looking back its gone by so fast!!!

Ready to elevate your Sales & BD Recruiting game in 2026? Join 36+ top experts live for free insights, strategies, and systems that will transform how you win clients, build pipeline, and scale your business. Register now to secure your spot! 👇 

⭐ Featured Speakers & Sessions: 
 📍 Jan 26
 • Julia Arpag — 7-Figure BD Sales Strategies
 • Jon Davis & Dawson Merry — Sell Contract Staffing to Current Clients
 • Sarah Englade — Build a 7-Figure Recruiting Biz w/ Small Tech Stack
 • Sharon Bondurant 🔎 The Finders — Own the Room & Your Feed
 • Clark Willcox — LinkedIn Inbound: Automation + Content
📍 Jan 27
 • Jordan Shlosberg CFA — AI + BD: Win More Work in 2026
 • Mike Mello — High-Intent Buyer Lists (Live Demo)
 • Conor Kline & Jacob Price — Blueprint to $1M
 • Tom Erb — 4 Mindsets for Sales Success
 • Keely Flood — 3-Phase System for Territory Growth
📍 Jan 28
 • Rob Reznick — Why Referrals Beat AI
 • Steven Farrell, CSP — Scaling Staffing Firms by Tens of Millions
 • Sharon Hulce — Selling Retained
 • David Stephen Patterson — Close the Execution Gap
📍 Jan 29
 • Sam Kuehnle — Predictable Pipeline w/ ABM Prospecting
 • Kortney Harmon — Sell Less, Win More Revenue
 • Brad Bialy — Sell When No One Responds
 • Alexis Albright Meschi — Stop Relying on Legacy Clients
📍 Jan 30
 • Jordan Taylor, Sarah Chester-Nelson & Louise Archer — AI BD for Retained Search
 • Greg Fischer, CPP — Generating 7-Figure Profits Internationally
 • Josh Kirkham — Predictable Recruiting Pipeline w/ AI
 • Diane Prince — Create Sales Content That Converts
📍 Feb 2
 • Laurie Guillodo — Predictable Client Acquisition Systems
 • Steve Gipson & Emily Blattel — Same Day. Different Outcome
 • Rebekah Brown - Scaling Your Book
 • Josh Nix, Matt Miller- Systems for Top Producers
 • Tom Rauch - Build Your AI Tools
🤝 Sponsored by:
 Atlas - the Recruitment Platform · Crelate · SourceWhale · Pin.com - AI Recruiting · Signature Back Office Solutions · Juicebox · SeekOut · Zyve 
👉 Register now and get ready to finish Q1 strong 💥
https://lnkd.in/erupSzN5

This has gotta be one of the best quotes from Isaac James!

Talk about an incredible first day of the Sales and BD Recruiter Summit! 

The speakers just crushed it!!!!

She went 6 months without a paycheck.
In two weeks, she’ll be on stage teaching recruiters how she built a 7-Figure firm.

When Sarah Englade started her recruiting business, she had:
 • No book of business
 • No real BD experience
 • A pandemic market
 • And zero guarantees

So instead of doing what most recruiters do…
She stopped chasing clients.

She focused on candidates.
Resume help.

 LinkedIn clean-ups.
 Interview prep.
Offer coaching.

No invoices.
No shortcuts.
Just showing up.

Six months in? Still nothing.

Then the flywheel kicked in.

Those candidates landed roles.
They became Controllers, HR leaders, hiring managers.

And guess who they called first?
One former candidate alone turned into nearly $200K in fees.
That pattern repeated.

Sarah went from $0 to $1.5M in 18 months, not by pitching harder, but by playing the long game.

Her line that stuck with me:
“People will never forget how you made them feel.”

If business development feels heavier than it used to…

This episode will completely change how you think about growth.

🎧 New episode of The Elite Recruiter Podcast is live.
 🎤 And in two weeks, Sarah breaks this down live at the Sales & BD Recruiter Summit.

Comment SUMMIT or DM me and I’ll send you the episode + registration link.

Thank you Atlas - the Recruitment Platform for sponsoring this episode!

Honest question for agency recruiters 👇

Which excuse do you hear the most?
1️⃣ “There are no new clients”
 2️⃣ “Clients won’t pay retainers”
 3️⃣ “BD is dead”
 4️⃣ “AI doesn’t apply to recruiting”
 5️⃣ “Personal brand doesn’t matter”
 6️⃣ “I’m stuck where I am”

I smashed all six on camera today.
Because none of them are true —

 and every one of them is holding recruiters back.

That’s exactly why I built the Sales & BD Recruiter Summit.
Free. Virtual. Built for agency recruiters who want leverage, not excuses.

👇 Watch the video + grab your spot
 https://lnkd.in/erupSzN5

Don't miss Brian Fink, Sarah Englade, Clark Willcox and soooo many more today and later this week!

Days 1, 2, and 3 have been Epic!!!!  You don't want to miss the rest of this week.

Over 1100 Recruiters have signed up for this week because they know that 2026 is THEIR YEAR!!!!

We are about to start day 4! 

Sam Kuehnle has seen behind the scenes for thousands of recruiting firms and shares the playbook of building a predictable pipeline.

 Kortney Harmon is sharing how to build more intentional revenue in 2026

Brad Bialy is helping you sell when no one wants to talk to you.

Alexis Albright Meschi is helping you stop relying on just referrals and legacy clients.  

You don't want to miss this....  

2026 is your year!!!!

graphical user interface, text, application

What do Julia Arpag, Sarah Englade, Sharon Bondurant 🔎 The Finders, Clark Willcox, Dawson Merry, CPC, and Jon Davis all have in common?

They’re not teaching theory.

They’re teaching what’s working right now to win business as a recruiter.
And that’s exactly why Day 1 of the Sales & BD Recruiter Summit looks different this year.

Each of these speakers is attacking a problem recruiters are quietly struggling with:
 • Clients pushing back on fees
 • Slower deal velocity
 • Over-reliance on direct hire
 • BD tactics that worked in 2021… and don’t anymore

So instead of “motivation” or “top of funnel noise,” Day 1 is built around revenue decisions.

How to:
 • Sell contract staffing to existing clients
 • Build a 7-figure desk without a bloated tech stack
 • Turn LinkedIn into inbound conversations
 • Position yourself so clients think of you first

Here’s the part that matters:
Most recruiters don’t need more information.
They need better positioning and better conversations.

That’s what Day 1 sets up.

The summit starts in 2 weeks.

If you’re serious about how you sell and grow in 2026, Day 1 is where you should be.

What’s one BD tactic you’re questioning heading into this year?
👇👇👇

Most recruiters think business development means selling.

Katharine Wilcox never bought that.

She’ll tell you straight up:
“If I had to sell widgets, I’d be terrible at this job.”

And yet…
She’s been a top biller year after year.
Built deep client relationships.
And eventually bought the firm she helped build.

Not by pitching.
Not by scripts.
Not by grinding cold calls all day.

But by doing something most recruiters overlook 👇

She treats every conversation as a relationship, not a transaction.

Candidate calls.
Catch-up conversations.
Career check-ins that don’t turn into placements.

She shows up curious.
She listens.
She gives real advice, even when there’s no deal on the table.

And months (sometimes years) later?

Those same candidates become hiring managers.
Those casual conversations turn into retained searches.
Those relationships turn into full team builds.

On this week’s episode of The Elite Recruiter Podcast, I sat down with Katharine Wilcox to unpack:
• Why “selling harder” actually hurts most recruiters
 • How recruiting is business development when done right
 • The mindset shift that turns candidate calls into future clients
 • Why thinking like a talent agent changes everything

This episode is a reminder that the best BD strategy isn’t louder…
It’s more human.

🎧 Why Top Recruiters Win Clients Without Selling
 (Link in comments)

Curious — what’s been your best client relationship that didn’t start as a sales call?

Thank you Atlas - the Recruitment Platform for helping this episode come together.

Make sure to also sign up for the Sales and BD Recruiter Summit kicking off Jan 26, Registration is FREE! 

This is YOUR Year!

What does it take to build a $20M recruiting firm AND be the leader others want to follow?

First of all have you subscribed to the The Pinnacle Society Podcast?  
If not do that now! 

David Bradley could have coasted, but instead, he chose to be the “standard bearer” for his 60-person team, showing up every day and leading by example.

Some keys from this episode:
- Culture isn’t an afterthought: Incentive trips, tournaments, and real camaraderie are the glue for high performers.
- Team-first mindset: 70% of their placements are split deals—everyone wins when the whole team gets involved.
- Consistency is king: “You can’t pay someone to do your push-ups.” David’s mantra for staying at the top year after year.

Want practical strategies and a shot of inspiration from someone who’s scaled and sustained success? 

This is the episode for you.

Ready to raise the bar for yourself or your team? 

Hit play below.

I get asked a lot....  Do you every see a recruiter doing something so different from everyone else it has surprised you?     Yes.... Yes I have...  

And his episode is dropping tomorrow....  

Stay tuned.

Sarah Englade explains how consistently showing up for candidates, even when there is nothing to gain, builds trust, reputation, and long-term impact.

Tune in to the latest episode of The Elite Recruiter Podcast, sponsored by Atlas - the Recruitment Platform!
Now streaming on all podcast platforms! Links are in the comments!

𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦 - 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦.

After 20 years as a Marine, I learned that retention isn't luck.

It's discipline, clarity, and accountability. 

I've spent 5 years in agency recruiting watching everyone charge a fortune and deliver mediocrity.

So, I built something different.

ALAC works with deep-tech and defense companies who are done pretending contingency recruiting works.

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤:

→ Search – One critical hire. We find them fast.
→ Embedded – I join your team. Fixed cost. 
→ Outsource – Hand me the keys. I run everything.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞'𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐧:

→ 50% faster hiring (45 days, not 90)
→ 95% hiring manager approval to interview
→ 94% retention at 2 years

I don't fill roles. 

I build systems that don't need babysitting.

Scaling and sick of recruiter promises? 

Send me a message.

Adrian Munoz

Every recruiter hates hearing "not looking."

I love it.

Last year, I reached out to someone at a "well-funded" space company. 

Their response?

"Not looking."

Most recruiters delete that and move on. 
I noted it. Kept them on my radar.

A few months later, I received a text.

Same person. 
Unexpectedly let go due to restructuring 

Go figure - our industry chews people up fast.

But here's what happened:

They didn't call the recruiters who spammed them. 
They called the one who respected the "not looking."

Me.

So I told them:

"I'm going to help you through this until you land somewhere right."

No contract. 
No fee. 
No ask.

Took a few months.

Today?

They're the Head of Software at a pre-IPO space company.

I didn't make a dime. 
And I'd do it again tomorrow.

"Not looking" isn't a rejection. 
It's the start of a relationship.

Most recruiters will never understand that.

#DefenseTech #Space #Recruiting #Careers #Leadership

20-yr Marine → deep tech & defense people leader | trusted by founders, investors & hiring leaders to build pre-ipo teams

right now you’re ignoring recruiter messages because you’re employed & comfortable, but that’s the biggest mistake you can make.

I messaged someone like you 6 months ago.

“are you open to connect in the next week or two to make an introduction?”

they saw it, but never responded.

I moved on.

last week, they sent me a novel.

there was a RIF. 
their role got cut. 
they’re looking and now, need to talk.

I passed.

not out of spite, but because I don’t know them.

my clients expect me to bring candidates I trust. 

people I’ve built relationships with. 

not strangers who remembered my name when the severance hit.

and right now, you’re doing the same thing they did.

the best time to build a relationship with a recruiter is when you don’t need one.

take the call. 
respond to the message. 
grab the coffee.

because by the time you need help…

the good roles are already going to people who picked up the phone earlier.

#careers #leadership #recruiting #defensetechcareers

"I'm not even looking"

"I know... that's why I called."

here's what most recruiters do:

post a job
wait for applications
sort through whoever shows up

here's the problem:

the best candidates aren't applying
they're heads-down at their current role
not scrolling job boards
not updating their Linkedin

so when you only recruit from inbound

you're fishing in the smallest part of the pond
and wondering why the candidates are mid

we built a talent map 6 months ago
before our client had the role open

we already knew:

- where you've been
- what you've built
- why you might be ready to move

this isn't a cold call

it's a conversation we've been preparing for

the best candidates aren't looking

that's exactly why you need someone who knows how to find them

#deeptech #aerospace #space #defense #executivehiring

a recruiter was about to close a $40K commission, but I told the candidate not to accept

the role didn't align with where they were going
they knew it
the recruiter knew it (from the other side of the world)
but, no one was going to say anything 

so I did

the candidate walked
the recruiter lost the fee 
and the company avoided a VP who would've been gone in 12 months 🫡

here's what most founders and investors don't realize:

your recruiter's incentive ends the moment yours begins

- they get paid on placement
- NOT ON RETENTION
- not on performance
- not on whether this person is still there when your Series B closes

so they push candidates across the finish line
even when everyone knows it's a bad fit

then 12 months later you're back in a board meeting
explaining why the seat is open again
writing another check
losing another year of momentum

the $40K fee wouldn't have been the expensive part

the $240K replacement cost would have been

if your recruiting partner won't kill their own commission to protect your outcome

they're not building your team
they're billing your team

there's a difference

#deeptech #aerospace #space #defense #executivehiring

if your JD has 12 REQUIREMENTS 

just, STOP! 

this is why your pipeline is dry and I can prove it.

here's the math I run on every search:

- 100 candidates at the top of the funnel 
- 20%+ response rate (this is great, btw)
- 20 conversations 
- 6-7 actually qualified
- 3-5 submissions 

that's when everything goes RIGHT.

now do yours.

12 required qualifications. 

the 80/20 rule:

- 3 hard gates. non-negotiable. can't train. 
- everything else? preferred or screen in the interview.

"strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail" is not a gate and should NEVER waste space in the JD.

fix the filter and you'll fix your pipeline.

#deeptech #aerospace #space #recruiter #hiring

everyone's circumstances change every 30, 60, 90 days.

and, it's the most underrated truth in hiring.

I learned this as a Marine Corps recruiter. 

last quarter we placed a director of engineering who said no to us 9 months earlier. 

what changed? 

his startup missed a milestone & runway got tight. 

suddenly the "perfect role at the wrong time" became the right time.

that's not the same person we talked to in Q1.

founders think the talent pool is a pond. 

"there's only 12 people who can do this job and none of them want it."

it's not a pond. it's a river.

new boss. 
equity vested. 
startup folded. 
spouse relocated. 
project canceled. 
got bored.

circumstances shift constantly.

the white house just signed an executive order pushing $50B into space and defense over the next 3 years. 

moon by 2028. 
lunar base by 2030.

the translation? 

companies scaling from 30 to 200 and thousands of A+ players about to get calls they weren't getting last year.

a lot of circumstances are about to change.

the best hire of 2026 already told someone no in 2025.

the question is whether that someone was you and whether you stayed warm.

full EO in comments.

#defensetech #executivehiring #spaceindustry #talentacquisition #deeptech

got a call from a series b founder a few weeks back - their team was 60 days into a search with nothing to show for it.

“we’ve got three contingency recruiters on this, internal team’s posting everywhere, and we’re still looking at candidates who’ve never touched flight software.”

3 agencies sending resumes and none of them understood what flight software even meant.

meanwhile they have a milestone tied to this hire and a board asking why it’s taking so long.

here’s what I told him:

the person you need is at SpaceX or Anduril or some company you’ve definitely heard of.

they’re not looking and no job post is going to find them.

we agreed to move forward and here’s what happened:

I didn’t post a job ad.

I picked up the phone and dialed into my network.

3 qualified candidates in 2 weeks.
all interviewed.
they made the hire.
and received a 12 month guarantee.

he asked why I’d offer that.

because by the time I made the intro, I already knew.

the diligence was done.

this wasn’t a lottery ticket - it was a match.

contingency recruiters race to send resumes.

we dial it in.

there’s a difference.

PS: name another agency providing a 12 month guarentee - I’ll wait…

#deeptech #aerospace #space #defense #executiverecruiting

imagine paying a mechanic $10k to guarantee your car will never break down - you’d laugh them out of the shop, but that’s exactly what “executive placement firms” are selling right now.

“we’ll land you a C-suite role in 90 days for a 10k investment.”

here’s the thing:

→ recruiters get paid by companies - NOT candidates

→ no one can guarantee you a job - NO ONE
 
→ a $10K “placement fee” is just expensive coaching with a fake promise attached

a CRO recently shared this during our conversation.

if you ever hear this…

RUN!

if someone’s charging you five figures and promising a role - they’re not selling access.

they’re selling hope they can’t deliver.

the only person who can guarantee you a job is the one who signs your offer letter.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

#deeptech #aerospace #space #hiring #recruiting

the most qualified candidate might be your worst hire.

sounds wrong, but stay with me.

you found someone with the right skills, but the wrong way of building.

you want speed. 
they want certainty.

you want broken prototypes and fast iteration. 
they want more analysis before the first test.

neither of you are wrong, but you are wrong for each other.

now you're 3 months behind, burning runway, and starting from scratch.

here's the part no one talks about

skills get people hired. 
misalignment gets them fired.

at 5 people, every hire is load-bearing.
at 20 people, one wrong exec costs you six months. 

so how do you stop hiring qualified strangers for roles that will make or break you?

you don't get better at interviewing.
you get earlier at relationships.

I call it Pipeline Before Permission.

here's all it takes

- 30 minutes a week: identify 10 people you'd want on your team someday 
- 1 conversation a week: no pitch. no ask. just get to know them.

that's it.

so when the green light comes - you text, you don't cold pitch.

you won't avoid every misfire, but you'll stop evaluating strangers under pressure for the roles that matter most.

#deeptech #space #aerospace #defense #recruiting

the most expensive recruiter you’ll ever use is the free one.

“we only pay if you place someone.”

sounds like you’re managing risk.

you’re not.

you’re guaranteeing you get the bottom of the barrel.

here’s what you don’t see:

your recruiter has 10 searches on their desk.

2 paid upfront.
8 said “work for free. 
I’ll pay you in 4 months - maybe.

the A-players went to the 2 and you got the leftovers.

here’s what you do see:

- 50 resumes that look like your job board
- 15-minute calls that screened nothing
- candidates pushed through to hit quota
- radio silence by week 3

and you say “recruiters don’t work.”

no.

you paid for the back of the line.
you got the back of the line.

I watched this destroy a company’s reputation with the market last year!

Chief Engineer for a deep tech company.

we talent-mapped the market.
30% reply rate (industry standard is 1-3%).
shortlisted 5.
4 passed hiring manager.
2 flew onsite.

both were A-players.
10+ years at their companies.
weren’t looking.
took a real risk.

both rejected - “not a culture fit.”

a year later? role’s still open.

those 2 candidates went back to their networks (the exact people this company needs) and said:

don’t waste your time.

that’s the real cost.
not the role you didn’t fill.

in our industry, everyone knows everyone.

but, here’s what changes when incentives align:

- 95% of candidates submitted approved for interviews

- 94% retention at 2 years (industry sits at 40-50%)

- 3 candidates, not 50

- 45-minute calls that actually disqualify

the problem was never external recruiting.

the problem was expecting partnership from a transaction.

curious what 95% approval and 94% retention actually looks like in practice? 

send me a message. 

I’ll walk you through it in 15 minutes.

#defenseindustry #executivesearch #hiring #deeptech #recruiting

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big-prime experience without startup scars

is a red flag.

you have 40 people and a contract to deliver in 9 months.

they're going to ask "where's the process?"

but, you don't have process.
you have survival.

what actually matters - leadership stage:

→ Stage 2: Executor - delivers what you ask 
→ Stage 3: Growth Driven - improves systems 
→ Stage 4: Team Builder - develops others 
→ Stage 5: Force Multiplier - builds machines that run without them

match stage to company:

Seed/Series A → Stage 2-3. chaos operators.
Series B → Stage 4+. team builders.
Series C+ → Stage 5. system architects.

the screening question:

"what did you build that outlasted you?"

red flags: 

→ "I led a team of 50..." 
→ "I was responsible for a $20M program..." 
→ "I reported directly to the SVP..."

green flags: 

→ "I built a capture process that's closed $30M since I left..." 
→ "I hired my replacement in 6 months..." 
→ "the team didn't skip a beat when I transitioned out..."

what to hire instead: 

→ startup or scale-up background (50-500 people) 
→ built something from scratch, not inherited it 
→ thrived when resources were limited

20 years at Northrop isn't a qualification.

it's a question mark.

hire for where you're going...

not where they've been.

#defensestartups #executivehiring #deeptech #space #aerospace

you hired a recruiter, then started doing their job

but honestly...I don't blame you

90% of recruiters are generalists who couldn't explain your tech if their commission depended on it

you've probably been burned before by some agency that threw spaghetti at the wall and called it a "pipeline"

so now,  you trust no one 
I get it, but here's the problem

you hired a specialist this time and you're still white-knuckling the steering wheel like they're about to drive you off a cliff

you're rewriting outreach messages at midnight
second-guessing the target list
asking for updates every 11 hours

meanwhile your top candidate just accepted another offer because they had three and you were the slowest

it's like hiring a personal trainer then arguing about the workout plan every session or hiring a CPA then redoing the tax returns yourself

you brought in an expert and then didn't let them expert

here's what actually works:

- set the target together upfront 
- align on what a win looks like
- check in weekly
- give feedback, but let them run

your job isn't to manage the search
your job is to close the candidate at the end

that's where you win or lose the search

#deeptech #aerospace #space #defense #executivehiring

you're going to hear "culture fit" at least 3 times this month.
you already know it's not the real answer, but it's easier than asking what actually broke.

I talk to dozens of executives leaving their seats weekly and none of them say "I'm leaving because of culture fit."

they say "I solved the problem they hired me for and am bored" or "the role changed and nobody told me"

but somewhere between the exit and the board update, the messaging becomes "culture fit." 

not because anyone's lying, but because there's no better language for "the process missed something and we're not sure what."

40-50% of executives don't make it to 18 months. 

that's not a people problem. 
that's a process problem and process is fixable.

you heard "culture fit" all through CY25. 

CY26 doesn't have to sound the same, but it means asking different questions before the hire, not after.

#deeptech #aerospace #space #defense #executivehiring

most companies think the offer closes the deal

it doesn't

the deal is won or lost before the offer letter ever gets sent

happens all the time

three rounds of interviews
comp approved
offer sent

candidate accepts the counter

"we never saw it coming"

yes you did

you just didn't ask

here's the step most hiring processes skip

testing the counter-offer before it happens

before a candidate gets to final interviews, you should already know:

- what their current employer will do to keep them
- whether they'd take a counter
- what number actually moves them
- what matters more than money

the question that reveals everything:

"if your current company matches this offer, what do you do?"

hesitation?

KEEP TALKING

"I'd probably stay"?

DON'T MOVE FOWARD

sounds harsh

but here's what it prevents:

- 3 weeks of interviews for nothing
- internal alignment meetings
- comp approvals
- an offer that gets countered
- back to zero

the companies closing candidates aren't offering more money

they're qualifying commitment before they invest the time

if you're not testing whether someone will actually accept before you make the offer

you're not running a hiring process
you're running a lottery

and may the odds be ever in your favor

#deeptech #aerospace #space #defense #executivehiring

I spent 2025 talking to your best people.

you just don't know it yet.

here's the thing...

it's happening to you right now. 

your "happy" VP Eng. 
your Director who's "not looking." 
your Senior Manager who's "totally locked in."

someone's in their DMs. 
planting seeds. 
having conversations you'll never hear about.

until the resignation hits your inbox.

I learned this as a Marine Corps recruiter.

75% of Americans are permanently disqualified. 

the qualified ones? 

weren't walking into my office.

so we ran 90% outbound. every day. knocking on doors. 

finding Americans who didn't know what they wanted.

the result?

120% of mission accomplishment year over year with insane quality metrics.

inbound was the cherry on top - never the strategy.

ALAC runs the same playbook for our partners.

90% outbound. 
95% of our submissions are approved by hiring managers to interview.

we don't spray and pray unlike your contingent recruiter.
we get dialed in fast.

so here's your 2026 reality...

our outbound machine works for you or it works against you.

it's your choice.

job posts are a lottery ticket.

outbound is how you win.

#defensetech #executivehiring #sourcing #talentacquisition

fifteen space companies raised $100M+ rounds last year.

over $3B flowing into scaling.

- Stoke: $770M across two rounds 
- Impulse: $300M 
- True Anomaly: $260M 
- K2: $360M across two rounds 
- Apex: $400M across two rounds 
- Varda: $187M 
- ICEYE: $175M 
- Loft Orbital: $170M

here's what nobody's talking about:

every one of these companies is about to go on a hiring spree.

the companies that win 2026 won't be the ones with the best tech.

they'll be the ones who locked in leadership before everyone else started looking.

that's not a talent challenge.

that's a strategic failure waiting to happen.

if you raised in 2025 and haven't started your exec searches yet - you're already behind.

#spacetech #defenstech #executivehiring #venturecapital #talentacquisition

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