Here’s what the NFL Draft just taught me about hiring (seriously)
We’re going to be talking about AI and hiring A LOT in the near future
Hey there,
The last few days were messy.
I got stuck on the runway in Mexico City for two hours, missed my connection in Dallas by 30 seconds, begged the gate agent to let me on, and still got denied.
The airline stuck me in a hotel for the night, and now I have a weird rash on my arm.
Made it back on Sunday morning, went straight to the golf course, played 36 holes, had dinner with my parents, and met three stray kittens that now live in their house.
I’m in a better mood when I’m home. Even with the rash.
Also, happy Cinco de Mayo to all the Americans pretending it means something. My mom took me to a Mexican restaurant to “celebrate” even though I just got back from Mexico. I didn’t have the spirit to tell her that my Mexican team members called Cinco de Mayo “gringo sh*t” and just shut up and drank my margarita.
Meanwhile, tech had its own identity crisis. A startup told the world to “Stop Hiring Humans” while quietly hiring 22 of them. Managers are mentally out. And a college QB just lost millions by acting like the main character during the NFL draft.
Different scenes. Same issue: no self-awareness. Let’s talk about it.
🌐 News Shortlist
1. Artisan AI: Silicon Valley in Human Form
Recap: Artisan AI, the startup behind the viral “stop hiring humans” billboard, just raised $25 million. And yes, you can see on their careers page that they’re hiring 22 humans currently.
If these guys were any more Silicon Valley, they’d have an office inside a Tesla.
I mean, come on. Jaspar Carmichael-Jack? Sam Stallings? These aren’t real people. Their names sound like fictional founders from an HBO show.
Their branding is so aggressively ironic, it feels like it was awful on purpose (actually, after a second look, I think it is intentionally cringe – smart!?). That’s the game: manufacture the meme, raise the round, ride the hype.
But the thing is, they’re not wrong to tell us to stop hiring humans then hire more. Stick with me.
This isn’t about replacing every human. It’s about doing more with fewer.
My recruiters are filling 3 times as many roles now. Not because they suddenly got smarter. They were already the best in the market. It’s because they’re using AI to augment themselves. (If you want to see what that looks like, set up a call with me. We’ll fill your roles in 21 days or less.)
That’s the future. Artisan just said it louder and cringier than everyone else.
Advice:
If you're running a team, don’t wait for AI to replace jobs. Use it to replace the parts of jobs that slow your people down. Look for work that's repetitive, low-trust, and high-volume. That’s where the leverage is.
If you're a candidate, this should scare you a little. If your job is 80% busywork, you’re a target. Learn to prompt, to automate, to output more than you cost. AI won’t replace you. But someone who’s better at using it will.
2. The Manager Meltdown
Recap: Gallup says only 27% of managers are engaged. Half want out. Female and millennial managers are the most burned out.
Typical scene (probably in a reel or Tik-Tok): You’re a junior employee, your boss seems miserable, their Slack status is always “In a meeting,” and every 1:1 feels like a hostage negotiation.
Most managers today are millennials managing Gen Z, and to put in their terms, Gen Z is not feeling the vibes.
They don’t want your guidance. They don’t care about your title. And if they can get better feedback from ChatGPT in three seconds, why would they wait for your calendar to open next week?
That’s the shift. Millennial managers were sold a dream. “You’ll lead teams. You’ll grow people.” Now they’re often blockers. And middle managers are getting hit first, especially in high-IQ jobs, because everyone expects them to do more, build more, and mentor a generation that doesn’t even want mentoring. And when they silently quit, everyone acts shocked.
Advice:
If you’re a founder, go on offense. Middle managers can be your culture glue. Treat them like it. Make them lead the charge on everyone being AI-augmented. Give them actual authority. Coach them. Or lose them.
And if you're hiring globally, this is where LatAam wins. Managers here are still engaged. They still want to lead. They care. Their job is seen as a privilege, not a right.
I built Lupa around that truth, and every single one of our clients has said it: "My LatAm team works harder than my US team." Because they do.
Somehow clients are shocked when their US team that eats Oreos and anti-depressants for breakfast gets outworked by a bunch of latinos south of the border.
3. Shedeur Sanders and the Candidate Red Flags
Recap: Not a tech/startup story. This one’s from the NFL. But it’s my newsletter, and I talk about what I want. Shedeur Sanders, once hyped as a top NFL draft pick (translation: a high-value prospect to be signed as a professional player in the first round), dropped all the way to the 5th round. That’s near the bottom. Analysts blamed skipped interviews, attitude issues, and a total lack of humility.
I’m a founder, but I’m still a Steelers fan. I still watch ESPN. So when this happened, I was locked in.
I watched Shedeur the same way I’d watch a candidate interview. The posture. The answers. The tone. Red flag after red flag. He blamed his offensive line. Skipped evaluations. Didn’t even say thanks during the prank draft call. That’s a hard “no” in any pipeline.
I don’t care how talented you are. If you show up like that in front of decision-makers, you don’t get the job.
And yes, he’s Deion’s son, so he gets it honestly. Yes, he’s young. But talent opens the door. Character keeps you in the room. The NFL didn’t pass because he can’t play. They passed because they didn’t trust him to lead grown men.
That’s not just a sports story. That’s a human story. That’s hiring, baby!
Advice:
Founders, listen. One bad cultural fit will kill a team faster than 5 underperformers. You’re not building a fantasy roster. You’re building a locker room. Stop hiring “rockstars” and start hiring people you trust.
And recruiters, ask the hard questions. Ask about failure. About accountability. About conflict. I’d rather take someone with mid-level skills and self-awareness than a 10x performer who can’t be coached. If someone reminds you of Shedeur, pass. Or send them to therapy first. That’s what we do.
🎬 Behind the Hiring: Stop treating your hiring plan like a wish list
Last Q, I worked with a client that opened 15 tech roles at once.
No plan. No process. Just vibes.
They had a big budget, got excited, and dumped a hiring wishlist on our recruiters’ laps.
Two weeks in, no one had time to interview. Four weeks in, priorities changed. Six weeks in, every candidate had ghosted us.
My team? Frustrated. Their employee brand? Roasted. Candidates were already saying, “Yeah, I interviewed there. Total mess.”
This is what happens when you treat hiring like a shopping cart. Click every role you might need, then hope the universe sends good people.
It doesn’t work.
Hiring is a product. You need to scope it. Sprint it. Prioritize it like a backlog. What unblocks revenue? What removes drag? Start there.
Don’t open ten roles and wait to see what happens. That’s not strategy, that’s delusion.
So here’s what we did to fix it:
We broke down their wishlist into sprints—3 roles at a time, max.
Clear process. Fast closes. Then repeat.
That’s how grown-up companies hire.
Everything else is noise.
🔎 Remote Jobs Shortlist
Here's a shortlist of the hottest jobs our clients are hiring for this week. You don't have to be job hunting to care. Sometimes it's just useful to know what great companies are hiring for right now:
1. Head of Enterprise
My client is seeking a strategic and hands-on Head of Enterprise to scale its commercial presence across manufacturing clients in North and Latin America.
💵 $5,000 - $11,000 USD
📍LatAm Remote
2. Business Operations Lead
My client is seeking a highly analytical Business Operations Lead to join their HQ team in Mexico City.
💵 $5,000 - $11,000 USD
📍Mexico
3. Salesforce Consultant
My client is seeking a strategic and technically skilled Salesforce Consultant to deliver impactful CRM solutions that drive business growth across sales, marketing, and customer success operations.
💵 $2,000 - $3,000 USD
📍Argentina
4. Full Stack Staff Software Engineer
Our client is seeking an experienced Full Stack Staff Software Engineer to join their Ecom Platform Team.
💵 $6,600 - $7,800 USD
📍LatAm Remote
Here’s the truth: AI is impressive. Titles look good on LinkedIn. But culture? Culture is the cheat code.
It’s what keeps the meetings from falling apart, the teams from burning out, and the egos from sinking the ship. And it all starts with hiring.
I don’t just look for talent, I look for people who fit the culture. The ones who not only do great work but also make the whole team better.
If that’s the team you’re trying to build, we’re here when you’re ready. Let's talk.
Until next time,
Joseph Burns
CEO & Founder, Lupa