This Saves You From Regret
Good Morning!
I speak with 2–3 entrepreneurs every week, and I often end up sharing the scars from over 20 years of building businesses. One of the deepest? Hiring. In my first consulting business, I hired a salesperson who cost us a fortune and didn’t generate a single lead. That painful lesson taught me more than just how to hire, it taught me the cost of getting it wrong. If you’re unsure about hiring or when to do it, I’ve got something that can help.
On the Mat
- How to Spot an A-Player (Before You Make a Bad Hire)
- “How did you stay motivated when things got really hard?”
- No One Cares About Your Company Updates
- 5 Signs It’s Time to Start Your Own Business (And What to Do Next)
Let's Train
How to Spot an A-Player (Before You Make a Bad Hire)
I’ve hired some great people in my career, and I’ve also hired a few who left me wondering: “How did we miss that?”
The truth is, most people look great on paper, but paper doesn’t build businesses. People do.
And if you’re trying to scale a service or consulting business, especially in the early stages, every hire either compounds momentum or kills it.
So, how do you find A-players when you don’t have time to waste?
Here’s what I’ve learned.
Don’t just ask what they’ve done, ask how far they’ve traveled.
Hiring someone with perfect grades from a top school is great, but did they have tutors, family support, and summer internships set up for them?
Don’t discount a candidate who has average grades from a good school. Did they grind their way through, holding down two jobs, caring for relatives, and still managed to show up and perform?
One shows ability, the other shows grit.
Next: Give them something real to solve.
Ask for a work sample, a short project, or even a strategy breakdown.
Not to exploit their labor, but to observe how they think, communicate, and handle pressure.
I once asked a candidate to walk me through a campaign they launched, the strategy, the results, and what they’d do differently.
The mediocre ones gave polished answers.
The best one? She walked me through her failed assumptions and how she course-corrected. That’s the kind of clarity you want.
But even more than brains, you’re hiring character.
Aikido has taught me that anyone can learn technique.
What’s harder to teach is mindset, humility, adaptability, and emotional discipline. That’s why I always ask:
“How have you helped others succeed?”
I’m not just hiring a solo star; I want someone who lifts the team. A-players aren’t just high performers. They’re high integrators.
Finally, call their references.
Not just to ask “Were they good?” but to ask, “Would you hire them again? Did they grow others? Did they take ownership?” And better use candidate screen tools that reduce bias in the hiring process.
Because your business doesn’t just need output.
It needs ownership.
And that’s what you’re screening for: quiet confidence, hunger, and a pattern of showing up for others.
This is how you spot them, and when you do, don’t let them go.
Ask Feras Recaps
What Kept Me Going When Everything Felt Impossible
I’ve been asked this more times than I can count: “How did you stay motivated when things got really hard?”
🔥 The Challenge
When things got tough, staying motivated felt almost impossible. I wasn’t sleeping much. Revenue was shaky. And the weight of responsibility felt relentless.
💡 What I Learned the Hard Way
Motivation isn’t always about vision boards and morning routines. Sometimes, it’s just about survival. I had a wife and three kids depending on me; failure wasn’t an option. That fear became fuel.
🛠️ What I Told Them
Anchor your motivation to something deeper than success. When you have people counting on you, when your “why” is bigger than your comfort, you’ll show up even when it’s hard. That’s not hype, that’s how I made it through.
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Sharpen Your Blade
Most people don’t quit too late—they realize too late they should’ve started sooner.
That was me in 2003, laid off with no backup plan, which forced me to start my first business.
It eventually became an 8-figure company, but the early years were brutal—and avoidable.
In this video, I break down five signs it might be time to make your move, from boredom and daydreaming to noticing frustrations in the world around you.
Watch the full video here.
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