The Blind Ambition with Jack Kelly

In this episode of the Blind Ambition Podcast, we welcome May Mobility’s CEO and cofounder Edwin Olson and chief people officer Tom Tang. May Mobility is an autonomous vehicle technology company focused on working with cities to make transit more sustainable and beautiful with shared mobility. Ed and Tom share how they are hiring the best talent to help execute their mission and their methodical approach to their operation, and how optimized convenience trumps risk aversion toward innovative products.

David Cohen is the cofounder and CEO of Techstars, a global startup accelerator and venture capital firm. In this episode of the Blind Ambition podcast, David gives us an inside look of how his firm supports and mentors tech founders and has the willingness to bet early on. He emphasizes that successful investments often seem counterintuitive at first. David notes that there are rarely "aha" moments in investing, and ideas that initially sound bad can turn out to be the most valuable opportunities. This approach has led Techstars to invest in unicorn companies like Uber. He emphasizes the critical role of startups in driving job growth, challenging the traditional notion that large corporations are the primary employment engines. Lastly, David talks about growing his startup community and how he plans to scale tech hubs on the ground everywhere. 

Norm Ashkenas, a financial services veteran with over 30 years of experience, transitioned from traditional investment banking to the financial technology sector, becoming Robinhood's Chief Compliance Officer  In this episode, Norm discusses what it was like making the jump and the importance of candidates evaluating potential employers during interviews. He emphasizes how diverse backgrounds lend to new ways of thinking, enhancing team dynamics and growth. Additionally, Norm explains his approach to balancing fostering innovation while maintaining regulatory adherence. He describes compliance as an integral part of all operations and shares how it has evolved over time. Norm also highlights how compliance efforts contribute significantly to the fight against terrorism, human trafficking and arms trafficking, among other major concerns. Lastly, he addresses the challenges faced by those in non-revenue-generating roles, stressing the importance of demonstrating personal and departmental value.

Dave Lu is a seasoned Silicon Valley technology professional who transitioned from being a successful entrepreneur, Emmy Award-winning producer to a venture capitalist. He established Hyphen Capital, an investment firm dedicated to supporting and empowering Asian American founders by providing early-stage funding and access to a robust professional network.  In this episode, Dave shares his personal journey of overcoming the scarcity mindset that was deeply ingrained in him. He describes how he diverged from the conventional career trajectory, which he found unfulfilling, and highlights the challenges faced by individuals from cultures that stigmatize failure. Dave emphasizes that this cultural aversion to failure can significantly hinder one's ability to take risks and believe in oneself.  Instead of seeking validation from peers or waiting for permission, Dave stresses the importance of proactively creating opportunities. He suggests that this can be achieved by identifying one's unique strengths or "superpower" and developing a personal brand centered around these distinctive abilities.   Lastly, Dave advocates for the power of building relationships and trust as a means to open new doors and advance one's career.

Dale Bendler served in Force Recon and is a former CIA paramilitary officer for the United States. In this episode, Dale reflects on how his study abroad through Rutgers University was a litmus test for a career in intelligence, and walks us through his journey in the CIA. He addresses the recent drone sightings in NJ and other parts of the world, and how Americans deserve more transparency. He speaks to the importance of cybersecurity in an increasingly digitized world, as he is the founder and current COO of a cyber and urban safety consultancy. ONE.61 is a one-stop shop for safety preparation for corporate executives, private individuals and their family members, including teenagers, teaching them street smarts and cyber knowledge.

Becky Frankiewicz is the Chief Commercial Officer, President North America at ManpowerGroup, a global leader in staffing and recruitment.In this episode, Becky discusses the overwhelming nature of the Gen-Z experience, highlighting their increased susceptibility to workplace stress stemming from feelings of disconnection. She delves into the underlying reasons for this generation's sense of frustration and emphasizes how their resilience could be advantageous.Despite feeling disempowered, Gen-Z maintains elevated expectations for their employers and is unafraid to express these demands. Becky also examines the implications of artificial intelligence on traditional "entry-level" positions. This generation is forging its own path and does not view success as a straightforward journey.She shares the bright spots in today’s job market, as seen in Manpower’s real-time data.

Daniel Chait is the cofounder and CEO of Greenhouse, a cloud-based hiring software.  In this episode, Daniel delves into the current state of the job market, describing it as the most challenging he's ever encountered, despite misleading headline figures that paint a rosier picture.  He offers insights on how employers can improve their hiring practices to benefit job seekers from the start of the recruitment process. Daniel highlights the numerous frustrations faced by applicants, including the disheartening experience of being ghosted by potential employers and confronting biased, unfair interview questions.  The discussion also touches on the impact of AI technology, which has enabled candidates to submit more applications, subsequently overwhelming companies and exposing flaws in their recruitment processes. Daniel reassures job hunters that their struggles are shared by many others and provides guidance on how to navigate the complexities of the current job market effectively.

In this episode, we are joined by three tech recruiting heavyweights from the banking, fintech and startup sectors to discuss the 2024 tech job market.  They highlight the growing prevalence of contract  roles, which can be just as lucrative as full-time positions, if not more. They give insights into what financial services firms are the best for tech professionals looking to pivot into banking, a trend we are seeing surge as a result of the softening tech labor market in recent years.  Additionally, the recruiting experts forecast the impact of AI on tech jobs, as well as share their optimism in how they see the market panning out in 2025. They offer valuable advice for those looking to engage in a job search in the new year, emphasizing the need for adaptability in a rapidly changing landscape and building connections with recruiters who can support their efforts.

Jeff Schwartz is the VP of Insights and Impact at Gloat, an AI talent marketplace platform. What’s happening today in the white-collar job market is as slow as it’s ever going to be, according to Jeff. We’re going to see disruption and substantial change in optimizing the current processes and redesigning the work with superjobs and superteams. The job you are doing today will not exist in the same form in the near future. It’s not a matter of will you lose your job, but will you lose your job to someone leveraging AI and other emerging technologies. Jeff emphasizes the importance of a growth mindset during this period of transition, characterized by new approaches, mindsets and ways of thinking beyond an optimization mindset. He speaks to the importance of creative destruction. Jeff talks about how startups should focus on falling in love with solving a problem rather than the technology. He shares how Gloat is helping people find internal jobs, projects and gig markets to grow their careers or make a pivot, and companies redeploy and re-skill talent when sunsetting roles. Lastly, Jeff reflects on his storied career from public policy to the Peace Corps., investment banking to management consulting, living in several countries across the world, and how that informs his views on the global talent pool and distributed workforce.

Company holiday parties are an extension of the workplace, and it’s important to maintain a professional image when enjoying the festivities. These events can be a minefield of potential missteps that could have lasting consequences on your career and workplace relationships. It's easy to get caught up in the moment and overindulge, potentially landing you in hot water. Here's how to maintain your decorum at these events, with a list of do’s and don’ts.