News and Perspectives

Influence, Bob Cialdini The OG, undisputed classic. Originally published 40 (?) years ago, just as relevant today.  Deep examination into the more important drivers behind persuasion: Reciprocity / Commitment / Social Proof / Liking / Authority / Scarcity.  Also the inspiration for an acronym I created for my sales team in my consulting days as…

The people we most want to reach are bombarded with more noise than ever—calls, emails, LinkedIn, and now: AI-generated pitches. AI agents like Artisan are already out there automating outbound sales, and before long, prospects will deploy their own AIs to screen all inbound. As a result, the best-in-class have raised their filters. They engage…

The dominant recruiting model I’ve encountered my entire career – hiring recruiters and being recruited – is a relic.  Broad, bloated, generic, built for volume over value, leaning on junior delegation and transactional incentives. If you could rebuild executive recruiting from first principles, what would it look like? Firsthand Talent Partners is inspired by insider…