Founder of StrategyBreakdowns.com

TLDR: Worked in strategy consulting → Joined strategy team at Atlassian → Started writing strategy case studies → People liked them, so I left my job and went full-timeCheck it out → StrategyBreakdowns.comWe partner with companies like Atlassian, Notion, Intercom, Hubspot, Miro, Vanta, Clay, Mixpanel, and Ahrefs to reach 110k+ tech decision-makers. Click here to explore sponsorships → passionfroot.me/strategybreakdowns

Tom Alder

Apple makes $1 billion+ per year selling adaptors:

.
.
.

👉 P.S. If you enjoyed this post, you'll love my newsletter - a 3-minute breakdown of the strategy playbooks and growth hacks behind the world’s greatest companies.

Join 110,000+ strategy nerds from companies like Google, Meta, Atlassian, and Netflix: https://lnkd.in/g2FWfXGR

The average enterprise employee spends 31 hours per month in unproductive meetings.

That's almost a full work week. 
Every single month. 
Gone.

And yet - meetings aren't the problem. BAD meetings are the problem.

The best hybrid teams i've seen don't have fewer meetings. 
→ They have better workflows that make every interaction count.

I genuinely think something's shifted in how teams think about productivity.

It used to be about individual output - more hours, more tasks, more hustle.

Now it's about connection quality and output. How seamlessly can 50 people across 12 timezones actually collaborate without losing their minds?

The companies figuring this out are pulling ahead. The ones still optimising for "busy" are falling behind.

--

Zoom is running a free summit on exactly this: how to make collaboration seamless across teams, locations, and timezones.

Feb 24 (EMEA) / Feb 25 (APAC)

If you're leading digital transformation, IT, or workplace strategy at a large org - worth grabbing a spot.

Register here: → https://zm.me/49SCY8r

#ad in partnership with the legends Zoom

Jamming with Rob Hoffman, Lara Acosta, and Tyler Denk 🐝 about our plans for 2026:

A few topics we discussed -

1. The reality of building while traveling the world.
2. Why vlogging is coming back for founders.
3. The timeless psychology of waitlists.
4. The bootstrapped AI SaaS paradigm.
5. Solopreneurship vs small vs big teams.

Honestly so refreshing to get new perspectives on things I’m actively wrestling with.
Also funny to see how the same decisions / problems / strategies resurface in peculiar ways, in such different contexts.

Would highly recommend following what these folks are up to if you haven’t already!

Rob and Lara are building Kleo.
Tyler is building beehiiv.

Incredible businesses powering many of the world's top creators and founders.

Feeling inspired. Let's build.

Every company spent the last 20 years building customer support processes that make people want to hang up.

Press 1 for billing. 
Press 2 for support. 
Press 3 to scream into the void.

Then came the "AI upgrade" - which mostly just replaced the robotic menu with a robotic voice.

Same frustration, different wrapper.

Here's what's actually changing now:
ElevenLabs just shipped Expressive Mode in their Agents platform.

The demo is WILD (video below). 

The agents don't just listen to what you say. 
They detect HOW you say it.

Tone.
Pitch. 
Pacing. 
Humour.
Feelings.

And they respond with the right delivery - using cue cards like [reassuring], [apologetic], and [enthusiastic] to match the moment.

Frustrated caller? The agent shifts to calm de-escalation.
Excited prospect? It matches the energy.
Confused customer? It slows down.

Previously, agent emotion was shaped entirely through voice selection and system prompts. Static. One-size-fits-all.
Now it's dynamic and contextual. Across 70+ languages (up from 32).
The turn-taking is different too. Their new transcription model captures intent and emotional cues so the agent times responses more like a human would.
The result: customers feel helped, not processed.
That's the gap most people miss about voice AI. The technology was never the bottleneck.

The emotional intelligence was.

Link to try below 👇

#ad #ElevenAgentsPartner

Every AI tool you've used in the last 2 years has the same interface:

A text box with a blinking cursor.

Quarterzip threw it away entirely.

Instead of building another chat wrapper, they built an AI that watches your screen share and guides you visually - like having a colleague sit next to you and point at things.

No SDK installation. 
No browser extension. 
No IT approval ticket.

Just a picture-in-picture window that sees everything you see. Any tool, any tab, any workflow.

Picture this:
- You’re onboarding to a new tool
- You brace yourself for a barrage of forgettable tooltips and painful ‘educational’ flows
- Instead, you click ‘Start Onboarding’ and you’re prompted to share your screen
- You share, and you’re placed directly in the app, with a helpful AI assistant in the corner that sees everything you see
- It’s trained on the help docs, all past onboarding calls, and can guide you through the journey whilst answering any question you might have along the way

They launched a week ago. Already running hundreds of AI-powered onboarding sessions a day with Apollo and Grab.

And the growth loop is elegant - every person who gets onboarded through Quarterzip sees the brand sitting inside the PIP window.

Product usage drives distribution.

I broke down the full strategy in this week's newsletter (link in the comments)

On July 7th, 2025, I added another SaaS idea to the pile:
A Chrome extension. SimilarWeb for builders. Traffic, revenue signals, founder socials, ads - all in a sidebar you can trigger when you visit any company's website.

A 9-bullet sketch of something I'd personally use a dozen times a day, if it existed.

Nothing came of it. Got buried under many more (half-baked) ideas.

Fast-forward 6 months.
The Figma team reached out about a partnership.
They wanted me to try their new prompt-to-app AI tool, Figma Make.

I mulled over the angle for a while, then realised I had the perfect test case.
Could I take a 6-month-old idea that had never left the notes app and turn it into a fully interactive, clickable product prototype? Without writing a single line of code? Without opening a design tool?

The pipeline I came up with:
→ 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (raw idea, 9 bullet points) 
→ 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗱𝗲 + 𝗪𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗿 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝘄 (interview to flesh it into a full PRD) 
→ 𝗙𝗶𝗴𝗺𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 (PRD in, interactive prototype out)

One sitting later, I had my answer.
Here’s how it went down (link in the comments 👇)

The worst part of vibe coding isn't building the first version.

It's the edits.

You've got a working prototype. Something looks slightly off. The text is a touch too big. A card needs to move a little further right. The spacing between two elements is wrong.

So you prompt it.
"Make the heading slightly smaller."

It makes it smaller. 
Too small. 
You prompt again.

"Actually a bit bigger than that."

Back and forth. 4 prompts. Eating up credits each time. Two minutes of waiting. For a font size.

This is the part vibe coding we don't talk about.

Like everyone I’ve been trying all the vibe coding tools, and I noticed Bubble solves this in the obvious (yet uncommon) way:

You drag the element. 
You resize it with a handle. 
You click ‘font size’ and type a number. 

Done in 3 seconds.

The AI Agent handles the complex stuff - database structures, workflows, logic. The visual editor handles everything you'd describe to an AI with the words "slightly", "a bit", "just a little" - because those words should never need to go into a prompt.

A product design detail that just make sense when you try it.

Most newsletter sponsors get a terrible ROI.

All because they're advertising to the wrong readers.

Here's the thing about audience quality that most marketers miss:

1/ You need readers who make decisions.

This is the #1 mistake I see. Advertising to e.g. 1 million people containing 1k decision-makers, rather than 100k people containing 50k decision-makers.

71% of Strategy Breakdowns readers have meaningful influence over budget and procurement decisions at their company.

You need to get in front of the actual people who sign off on the tools, platforms, and services their teams use.

2/ Open rate is a proxy for trust.

Industry average open-rate is under 40%. Strategy Breakdowns sits at 55%, while earning the trust of 110,000 readers every week. Our sponsors inherit that trust.

3/ Niche is more efficient than broad.

A 110,000-person list of senior strategy and tech leaders doesn’t just contain *more* decision-makers than 500,000-person general business list - it is also costs less to advertise in. The signal-to-noise ratio is what makes our campaigns so efficient for sponsors looking to allocate their marketing budgets strategically.

4/ The seniority and industry breakdown matters.

- 30% Founder / C-level
- 20% VP / Director
- 40% Senior / Manager

Tech, consulting, and finance make up ~80% of our audience. I mean, these are literally the buyers.

5/ One ad isn't a campaign.

The sponsors who see the best results run 4 touchpoints minimum. Decision-makers don't act on first exposure, especially at this seniority level. (Honestly, when was the last time you saw a $100/mo tool for the first time and immediately pulled out a corporate card?) Plus, you need to test, learn, and iterate based on the data from each ad run.

6/ We treat it like a partnership (but actually).

Ad copy collaboration, custom AI tools we’ve built for partners, full 7-day and 14-day performance reports with 100% of the data we have available, ongoing input to optimise the campaign. Nearly every sponsor I work with (Atlassian, Vanta, Clay, Attio, Ahrefs, etc) comes back multiple times. 

Probably the thing I’m most proud of.

We have just 2 slots left before prices go up for Q2.

If your product is built for founders, PMs, engineers, or operators in tech - link to our full media kit in the comments 👇

How many DMs do you send per week on LinkedIn?

Launch your own recruiting business & get new clients without quitting your 9-5 (see my 50+ LinkedIn recommendations below)

Are you an agency recruiter, corporate recruiter, or industry expert who wants to build your own recruiting business, but don’t know where to start or how to get new clients?

Maybe you’re:

- Unsure which niche to focus on
- Struggling to find clients 
- Trying to avoid conflicts with your current 9 to 5
- Worried about job security and looking to create an extra income stream

I get it, the idea of going out on your own can feel overwhelming and even experienced recruiters often struggle with business development

I’ll work with you to:
✅ Refine your niche, launch your recruiting business, and run it in “incognito mode” if you have a day job
✅ Land your new clients using our proven automated client acquisition systems
✅ Make your first $20,000+ placement (often in under 90 days)
✅ Follow the same system that’s helped 300+ people launch and grow profitable agencies

If you’re ready to take control of your income, flexibility, and future:

Click on the link below to watch my training video:

www.recruitinglaunch.com

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐬 (𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦)
- 15+ years of experience in recruiting — built and sold my own recruiting agency
- Launched profitable recruiting business for clients across various industries, including tech, sales, healthcare, legal, finance, engineering, marketing, construction, and more
- 50+ client testimonials (check out my LinkedIn  recommendations at the bottom of my profile)

Jon Chintanaroad

Five years ago I was doing everything right and still felt stuck.

Good clients. 
Solid placements. 
Money coming in.

But I kept thinking: I'm building something here. 
And none of it is mine.

The clients were mine until they weren't. 
The relationships lived inside someone else's CRM. 
The brand I was building belonged to the company.

That's a weird feeling. 
Working hard for something you can't own.

It took me longer than I'd like to admit to figure out what was actually bothering me.
It wasn't the money. It was the equity.

Every placement I made was revenue for that business. 
Not mine. 
Not an asset I could point to and say, "I built that."

The day I started my own thing, the volume of work didn't change.
The meaning of it did.

Now every client I bring on, every placement I close, every system I build, it compounds into something I own.

That's the difference nobody talks about.

It's not just about making more money.
It's about building something that belongs to you.

Most people think starting a recruiting business means becoming a recruiter.

It doesn't.

It means monetizing what you already know.

Here's how it actually works:

You pick a niche you already have credibility in. Tech. Healthcare. Finance. Construction. Doesn't matter. Pick the one where people already trust you.

You identify the roles companies in that niche are always trying to fill.

You reach out to hiring managers. Not HR. Not job boards. Hiring managers who are feeling the pain of that empty seat today.

You find two or three strong candidates from your existing network.

You make introductions.

When one lands, you collect a fee. Typically 20% of base salary. On a $120k hire, that's $24,000.

You didn't need an office. You didn't need a team. You didn't need a recruiting certification.

You needed industry knowledge and a system.

Most people reading this already have the first part.

The second part is what we build.


It means monetizing what you already know.

Here's how it actually works:
You pick a niche you already have credibility in. Tech. Healthcare. Finance. Construction. 

Doesn't matter. 
Pick the one where people already trust you.

You identify the roles companies in that niche are always trying to fill.
You reach out to hiring managers. Not HR. Not job boards. Hiring managers who are feeling the pain of that empty seat today.
You find two or three strong candidates from your existing network.
You make introductions.

When one lands, you collect a fee. 
Typically 20% of base salary. 
On a $120k hire, that's $24,000.

You didn't need an office. 
You didn't need a team. 
You didn't need a recruiting certification.

You needed industry knowledge and a system.

Most people reading this already have the first part.

The second part is what we build.

You billed $400k last year.

You kept $80k.

Let that sink in.

Your agency collected $320k off your work. 
Your candidates. 
Your relationships. 
Your late nights.

And their justification?
"We provide the infrastructure."

Here's what that infrastructure actually costs:
A desk you barely use. 
A brand name clients don't ask for.
A CRM you could get for $99/month. 
A manager who monitors your activity.

That's it.

The math isn't complicated. 
You're just not allowed to see it clearly while you're inside it.

I've talked to hundreds of agency recruiters over the last five years. 
The ones who finally left all say the same thing:
"I wish I had done it sooner."

Not because it was easy. 
Because the alternative got worse every year.

You don't need permission to keep what you earn.
You just need a plan.

Back in November, PJ closed his first 5-figure placement.

He'd only been in the program a few months.

Here's the full picture:
Beat out 4 to 5 other agencies for a brand new client.
Closed a 5-figure placement within months of starting.
Now has 15 candidates interviewing across 10+ open job orders.

Here's what I want you to notice.

He didn't win because he out-hustled bigger agencies.
He won because he was positioned better, had a tighter niche, and showed up with a system that actually worked.

The competing agencies were more established. 
More "credible" on paper.

Didn't matter.

This is what I keep seeing with solo recruiters who build this the right way.
Small doesn't mean weak. 
Specialized beats generalist almost every time.

PJ's not an outlier. 
He just stopped winging it and built the thing properly from day one.

If you want to see exactly how we do it, hit Apply Now: Recruiting Launch on my profile. 
20 minutes. Walks you through the whole 4-step process.

That's where to start.

If you're billing well but never home, what are you really building?

I noticed The 5 Types of Wealth by Sahil Bloom sitting on my table today.
It made me realize something.

When I started my recruiting business, success meant one thing:
Money.

More placements.
Bigger fees.
More clients.

That’s all I measured.

But money was never the goal.

It was the foundation.

What I actually wanted was what it gave me.

Time wealth:
Taking River to the park on a Tuesday morning.
No permission. No rush.

Physical wealth:
Energy to keep up with him.
Not burnt out by 3pm like I was at Google.

Relationship wealth:
Being present at dinner.
Not checking my phone every five minutes.

Mental wealth:
Peace of mind.
No Sunday anxiety.
No wondering if my job disappears next month.

Financial wealth:
Enough to remove stress.
Not enough to cost everything else.

When those five line up, life feels different.

Not bigger.

Lighter.

That’s what I built this for.

Not just more money.

A life I control.

Freedom > fees.

The recruiters who fail aren't the ones without experience.

After working with 400+ people who've started their own recruiting businesses, the pattern is clear.

The ones who struggle make these seven mistakes:

1. Waiting for the "perfect time"
Start while keeping your 9-5.
You don't need to quit to build.

2. Undercharging because you're new
Standard recruiting fee is 20% of first-year salary.
A $100K placement = $20K fee.
Charge what the work is worth.

3. Trying to be everything to everyone
Pick one industry. One role type.
Specialists charge more and close faster.

4. Spending hours on manual outreach
Automation lets you reach 500 hiring managers while you're at your day job.
Check your inbox. Reply to interest. Book calls.

5. Leading with "I'm a recruiter"
Hiring managers hear that 20 times a week.
Lead with "I have a candidate who matches your role."

6. Taking every client who says yes
Bad clients drain time and kill confidence.
Choose quality over quantity.

7. Overcomplicating the pitch
Clients want one thing: the right candidate.
Keep it simple.

Which mistake are you making right now?

Got laid off from Google.

Best thing that ever happened to me.

Didn't see it that way at first.

When the recruiter called, I thought I'd made it.

The campus. The perks. The badge that made every candidate pick up the phone.

Looked like the dream.

Until I saw what it actually was:

15-minute lunch breaks
Hourly contractors living in fear
First cut when budgets tighten

Recruiting on easy mode.

But building nothing that belonged to me.

Then the layoff came.

Sitting there with no job and no plan, had to ask one question:

What would I regret not doing?

The answer hit hard.

Not trying to build my own business.

So I gave myself 90 days.

Just to see.

That decision changed everything.

Because here's what became clear:

Job security is a myth.

Companies don't love you back.

Your role could disappear tomorrow.

The only real protection? The ability to generate your own income.

That separates people who survive layoffs from people who thrive after them.

Sitting in a corporate role wondering if there's more?

This one's for you.

Full story in the video. Link in comments.

"You need years of recruiting experience to start your own firm."
Heard that one lately?

Here's the deal. 
It's not true. 
And the people saying it usually have something to protect.

The best independent recruiters I've worked with built their businesses on one thing:
Deep industry knowledge.
Not recruiting tenure. 
Industry knowledge.

The engineer with 15 years in AEC who knows every hiring manager in his market.
The sales leader who's been in SaaS for a decade and knows exactly who companies want to hire.

The finance professional who's worked at four firms and has relationships everywhere.
None of them had recruiting backgrounds.

All of them had something more valuable: credibility in their niche.

Clients don't hire you because you've been a recruiter for ten years.
They hire you because you understand their world.

That's a skill set most people already have. 
They just don't realize it's worth anything yet.

If you want to see how we turn that into a real business, hit Apply Now: Recruiting Launch on my profile. 20 minutes. 4 steps. You'll know exactly how this works.

taplio

The Battle

Tom Alder

Jon Chintanaroad

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreTom Alder's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreJon Chintanaroad's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Tom Alder

Jon Chintanaroad

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);}Tom Alder's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreJon Chintanaroad's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreTom Alder's LinkedIn Performance