Željko R.

CheddarList

A hired poacher who gets things done. Our working world needs some reworking. That’s why we’re fixing a broken system by flipping the hiring process on its head: We empower employers to apply to vetted talent. 

Fire the old way of hiring. Apply to vetted talent instead of hoping they'll find you.

Founder

The Big Red Balloon

The Big Red Balloon started as a small boutique digital footprint firm that I founded and managed. Since our inception, we have been developing hybrid mobile and web-based applications.

Managing Director

Founder at CheddarList / bootstrapper / I'm pro-opera and love APIs

Hi I'm Željko an entrepreneur on a mission to fire the old way of hiring. Founder of CheddarList and passionate amateur winemaker.

At CheddarList "you're hired" without the tired means that you will escape the hamster wheel of phantom job postings. We believe when people are hired with respect for their time and value, everyone wins.

For both talent and employers, the current hiring process can make medieval torture seem like a Sunday stroll.

Our Mission 
‍To remove the friction from the hiring process.

Our Vision
‍A world where nothing gets between the right opportunity and the right talent.

Ranked #1 in the industry by the owner of the company and his mother. 

Weekdays at around 8PM I write spaghetti code.

Before anything, I am an Orthodox Christian. Revelation 1:8 

P.S. I enjoy playing chess and am quite crafty with the ♞. DM me if you want to play a round.

Redfish Technology

My role encompasses recruiting top-notch candidates for our clients, overseeing multiple recruiting teams, and driving strategic business development initiatives at Redfish Technology. We specialize in recruiting talented professionals within the tech industry, spanning across sales, marketing, engineering, and customer success domains. Collaborating with startups nationwide, we excel in rapidly and effectively building out their teams.

Established in 1996, we pride ourselves on upholding the highest standards of integrity, excellence, and performance in recruitment. Personally, I am deeply passionate about technology and dedicated to attracting the best and brightest talent to contribute to our clients' success.

Specializing in  Edtech, Fintech, AI, Enterprise Software, Ad tech, Big Data, Security, Mobile, SaaS, Wireless, E-Learning, CRM, Marketing Automation, Computer Vision and Networking.

Chief Revenue Officer

As the leader of a dynamic 6-person team, we specialized in sourcing rare talent within the tech sector. 

Recognized as a 2011 top Executive Search Firms of the U.S. by Leading Providers

Executive Recruiter, High Tech Talent Division

Chaparral Broadcasting

Chaparral Broadcasting 
Kech 95.3, KSKI 103.7, KYZK 107.5, KMTN 96.9, KSGT 1340 AM, KJAX 93.3, KZJH 95.3
 
•	Sold advertising and marketing plans across 6 radio stations
•	#1 Account Executive in hunting new business and building new territories
•	Consistently in top 5 sales reps across the company
•	Clients included advertising agencies and direct buys from businesses
•	Managed existing accounts, met with clients and prepared marketing campaigns
•	Inserted ad schedules on a daily basis
•	Built an account base from zero
•	Account management of existing clients
•	Managed multiple marketing campaigns and coordinated remote events

Account Executive

CRO @ Redfish Technology || Providing Disruptive Tech Companies w/ Talent || 24k Followers || Forbes Next 1000 || Girl Mom

Forbes 2021 - Next 1000 Honoree


Chief Revenue Officer at Redfish Technology, where I lead with empathy, strategic insight, and a commitment to building strong relationships. 

As Viola Davis once said, "My dreams are bigger than my fears."

Our Work

Helped a new VP of Sales at an Enterprise AI Client hire the first 3 members of his Sales Team: Our team consulted with the VP to identify the profiles he needed, researched and built a list of target companies to source from, then reached out nationwide to over 350 AEs in our network, interviewed/screened over 70, submitted 30 to the VP for review, and he hired 3 - saving 100’s of man-hours in the process.

We've built out sales and engineering teams with the top 30 Edtech startups across the country.

Placed Director of Growth at a Fintech Startup: After hiring the Director of Growth, we were asked if we could help with two PM roles, they were struggling with filling. We did so in about 5 weeks for both a Platform PM and Mobile PM. This led to an introduction to their Design team, where we have helped them hire 3 Sr. Product Designers.

Leah Scarnegi

It Should Be Obvious... But Let’s Say It Anyway

When a hiring manager sends you a calendar invite for an interview — accept it.

It sounds simple, but you’d be surprised how often this step gets missed.

That invite isn’t just a formality. It’s confirmation that:
✅ You’ve locked in your spot.
✅ Everyone’s calendars are aligned.
✅ The interview process can stay on track.

When candidates don’t accept invites, it creates confusion — and sometimes even signals a lack of interest or attention to detail. Neither impression helps you.

So before you close your inbox, double-check:
Did you hit “Accept”?

Small things matter in the hiring process — and this one says you’re reliable, prepared, and engaged.

#interviews #jobsearch #hiring

Leah Scarnegi 

CRO @ Redfish || Scaling Startups with the Right People || Blaine County Board of Education || Forbes 2021 - Next 1000 Honoree

Let’s Talk About “Fake Profiles” in Recruiting

We’ve all seen it — a candidate profile that looks too good to be true. Perfect credentials, flawless experience, matching every line of the job description... but something feels off.

So what do we actually mean when we talk about fake profiles?

In today’s recruiting landscape, “fake profiles” can mean a few things:
🔹 Fabricated identities: Entirely made-up candidates — fake names, stock photos, AI-generated resumes. These are often created to collect interview intel, access confidential info, or simply test systems.
🔹 Impersonation: Real people whose identities are copied, with minor tweaks to names or details, and reused by someone else posing as them.
🔹 Misrepresented experience: Candidates exaggerating titles, skills, or employment history — not always malicious, but still misleading and problematic for both recruiters and hiring teams.

This trend has grown with remote work and the rise of global recruiting platforms. Some of these profiles are shockingly sophisticated — complete with fake LinkedIn accounts, cloned GitHub repositories, or even AI-simulated video interviews.

As recruiters, this means extra diligence matters more than ever:
✅ Verify employment and references early.
✅ Use video screening to confirm identity and communication fit.
✅ Trust your gut — if something feels off, dig deeper.

At Redfish, we vet every candidate thoroughly. Our reputation depends on it — and so does yours.

www.redfishtech.com 

#recruiting #fakeprofiles #sourcing

LinkedIn Recruiter Login

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redfishtech.com

IT & Tech Recruiters and Executive Search | Redfish Technology

If you’ve identified a rockstar candidate, chances are others have too. 
 
Imagine this: You’re in need of a Salesperson and find the perfect fit. But your hiring process drags. By the time you’re ready to make an offer, they’re already onboarded somewhere else. A missed opportunity! 
 
Delays in hiring aren’t a sign of being thorough—they’re a risk. The longer your process, the more likely top candidates will slip through your fingers. 
 
To stay competitive: 
 
Streamline resume reviews 
Speed up interview scheduling 
Make offers promptly 
Don’t lose the perfect candidate due to unnecessary delays. Move fast, hire smart, and secure the best talent for your team! 
 
#RecruitmentStrategy #HiringTips #TopTalent #EfficiencyMatters #DontMissOut

Thinking About Accepting That Counteroffer? Think Twice.

It’s tempting — you hand in your resignation and suddenly your current employer comes back with a raise, a new title, or promises of change. But before you say yes, take a step back.

Here’s the reality:
- The reasons you started looking don’t disappear.
 More often than not, it’s not just about money — it’s about growth, recognition, culture, or leadership. Those issues rarely fix themselves overnight.
- Trust dynamics shift.
 Once you’ve expressed an intent to leave, your employer knows your loyalty has limits. That can quietly influence future opportunities, raises, and promotions.
- It’s often a short-term fix for them, not you.
 Replacing an employee is expensive and time-consuming. Many companies offer counteroffers as a stopgap — not a true long-term solution.
- Data doesn’t lie.
 Studies show that more than 70% of employees who accept counteroffers end up leaving within a year.

So before you say yes, ask yourself: Will this offer change the reasons I wanted to leave in the first place?

Sometimes the best move forward is just that — forward.

#jobsearch #counteroffers

How to Ask for More Money When Negotiating an Offer

Negotiating an offer can feel uncomfortable—but it doesn’t have to be. One simple shift can make all the difference:

 you’re asking for more, clearly state that you’ll commit if the company meets your request.

Too often candidates say, Can we increase the salary? without signaling that saying yes gets the deal done. This leaves hiring teams unsure whether the ask will actually close the loop—or if they’ll approve the increase only to learn the candidate is still undecided.

Here’s a better approach:

Be specific about what you need
“I’m very excited about the role. If we can adjust the base to $X, I’m ready to sign.”

Show you’re serious.
Linking your ask to a commitment builds trust and reduces risk for the employer.


Negotiation isn’t about being demanding—it’s about alignment. When you make it clear that meeting your request = you’ll accept the offer, you streamline the process and strengthen your position.

#joboffers #jobsearch

Want Faster, Smoother Hiring? Fix the Intake Meeting.

When I talk about an *intake meeting*, I mean something very specific:

The kickoff call between the recruiter and the hiring manager where the search is defined, aligned, and set up for success.

It’s not a casual chat.
It’s not a repeat of the job description.
It’s the strategic planning session that determines whether the search will run smoothly or fall apart later.

But here’s the issue:

Only a portion of intake meetings actually cover BOTH the decision flow and the criteria — and that’s where delays, misalignment, and lost candidates begin.

Here’s what should happen in an intake meeting:

1. Decision Flow

This is where you map out:

* Who interviews
* In what order
* What each interviewer is responsible for assessing
* Who makes the final call
* How fast decisions can be made

Without this, you end up with last-minute panel changes, inconsistent feedback, and stalled candidates.

2. Offer Criteria

This includes:

* Salary range
* Equity/bonus structure
* Approval process
* Timeline to extend an offer
* Where the team has flexibility (or not)

If this isn’t aligned upfront, you hit friction at the finish line — or lose candidates to faster teams.

www.redfishtech.com

#hiring #recruiting #hiringtips

Open article: IT & Tech Recruiters and Executive Search | Redfish Technology by redfishtech.com

Hiring Managers: How to Spot a Quality Recruiter

Not all recruiters are created equal — and the right one will save you time, elevate your hiring bar, and protect your brand.

Here’s how to screen for quality:

✅ They ask smart, detailed questions in the intake.
If they’re not digging into decision flow, offer criteria, success metrics, and deal-breakers, they’re not setting you up for a smooth search.

✅ They push back (professionally).
A great recruiter won’t just take orders — they’ll challenge unclear requirements and help you refine what you actually need.

✅ They communicate consistently and transparently.
No guessing games. No disappearing. They set expectations and hold everyone accountable — including you.

✅ They present fewer candidates, but better ones.
Quality recruiters curate, not spam. Every candidate should feel intentional.

If a recruiter does these four things, you’re in good hands. If not... keep looking.

www.redfishtech.com

#hiring #recruiting #hiringmanager

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The Battle

Željko R.

Leah Scarnegi

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The Battle

Željko R.

Leah Scarnegi

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Leah Scarnegi's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreLeah Scarnegi's LinkedIn Performance