Hey everyone,
A couple of weeks ago, a New York Times bestselling author gave me permission to quit this book.
It wasn't an ambush. I opened the door myself. After a great conversation with him, I emailed to ask how he builds the frameworks that anchor his books, because I want this one to have a framework that strong. Like the good researcher he is, he dug past my question and into my "why." Then came his advice: there are better ways to run an "intellectual marathon" than writing a book. The content that wins today is social posts, not long-form. Unless I'm bringing original research or a framework of my own, I'm mostly repackaging what founders have already told me. And there are easier ways to reflect on my UpdateAI years, so I should give myself permission to cut bait at any time.
He meant well. That's what made it feel bad.
I forwarded the thread to my writing coach Lori, who at this point is effectively my therapist. She left me a voice memo, and I'm pretty sure she got more worked up than I did:
"Tell me anything that is more of an intellectual marathon than writing a f#$king book!"
(Lori lives in Nashville now. I brought the New Jersey back out of her.)
A few days later I was in a cabin in the woods outside Stockholm: 4 days, no TV, at the tail end of a trip through Stockholm and Copenhagen. (If Scandinavia isn't on your list, fix that. I was inspired the entire time.) I sat with his email. I sat with Lori's voice memo. And mostly, I wrote.
I haven't figured out the framework yet. But I'm still writing.
And I came home with something to show you.
The new chapter is live — and there's something hidden in it
In my last update I told you Brad Feld was publishing his book drafts in public, and that I was waiting for a chance to build something similar. I built it. The first full chapter is now up at joshschachter.com: "Recruiting Talent Through Relationship"
This one is different from everything I've shared before. It's the first chapter carried by the founders themselves: Elias Torres (Drift, Agency), Henry Schuck (ZoomInfo), David Politis (BetterCloud), and Angel Cruzado (Respiris). There's a recruiting story in there involving a horse-drawn carriage through Central Park, and another involving a 5-pound Hershey's chocolate bar. I'll say no more.
Full transparency: Lori read an earlier draft of this chapter and let me have it. The emotional thread dropped. I bounced between founders too much. I hid behind their stories instead of telling my own. I reworked it. Whether I fixed it — that's your call to make, in the feedback box.
And about that hidden thing. While writing this chapter, a possible name for the book popped into my head. It's an easter egg, sitting in plain sight in the prose of the chapter itself. If you spot it, put your guess in the feedback box on the site. Get it right and I'll send you a signed copy when the book is published. No limit on winners.
Where things stand
The manuscript is at 27,000 words across 8 chapters — up from 20,000 and 6 when I last wrote you. The target is still 50,000–70,000 words. The chapter-a-week pace slipped a little (Scandinavia gets some of the blame).
63 founder interviews complete now.
The book-in-public site is live, with more chapters to follow as drafts are ready.
What I'm learning
Angel Cruzado, founder of Respiris, hires coaches who sit with people on the worst day of their professional lives. His favorite interview question has nothing to do with coaching: "Tell me about the ages of 14 to 16. What was that experience like for you?"
If the candidate stays on the surface, he pushes them back to it. The answer itself barely matters. What he's watching for is whether the person is willing to go there. "If you can't connect with yourself deeply, then you can't connect with others."
I never asked a single question like that at UpdateAI. My interviews stayed exactly as deep as the resume, and the chapter gets into what that cost me.
What I need from you
🙏 One thing: read the chapter. https://joshschachter.com/read/recruiting
Then use the feedback box. Tell me where you got bored, where you got confused, where I lost you. Lori already took her swings; now it's your turn.
And take a guess at the hidden book title while you're in there. If you guess it right, I'll send you a signed copy of the book the moment it comes out. (To be honest, most of you will probably get one anyway — but it might be a fun reason to share the chapter with friends and colleagues!)
As always, thank you for being part of this.
— Josh
Day 2 in the cabin outside Stockholm. No TV. No framework yet. Still writing.