Nolan Church

Weather delays. Compliance gaps. Lost days and lost dollars. Every contractor knows the pain. Pavewise, based in North Dakota and built by operators who’ve lived it, has just raised a $2.5M seed round led by C2 Ventures Fund II, alongside Connetic Ventures, Service Provider Capital, M25, gener8tor 1889, and Broadwater Capital. Their platform brings real-time compliance, weather, and production tracking to road construction, helping crews make better calls, cut rework, and keep projects on time. This is exactly what we mean when we talk about our thesis, Dirty, Dull, and Dangerous innovation: solving real operational problems in essential industries with durable tech. https://lnkd.in/eecPMHdN

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Startup hiring is becoming more competitive than many people realize. Ashby’s latest Talent Trends report analyzed over 1,200 venture-backed startups, 32,000 hires, and 11 million applications to understand how hiring is changing across early-stage companies. - The average startup hire now attracts ~340 applications per role. - Remote roles receive about 42% more inbound applications than in-office jobs. - Roughly 15 candidates are interviewed for every hire, highlighting how selective the process has become. https://lnkd.in/gRRKwSZK

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From Zero to Rockstar: Building a Scalable Recruiting Engine for Startups BZ is still working on building out program guides for all facets of foundational HR for start-ups. This week we'll get into a bit of the recruiting space and what it takes to get something off the ground that isn't job board spray and pray. Part 1 – Hiring Mindset: From Panic to Strategy What it covers: 🎯 Why “just fill the seat” always backfires. 🎯 Defining the company’s talent philosophy (mission, values, culture add vs. culture fit). 🎯 Building a headcount plan aligned with budget and business goals. 🎯 Introducing the Talent Scorecard — a tool to get everyone on the same page about what “great” looks like. 💯 Key takeaway: Hiring is a strategic lever, not a fire drill.

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Great founders know where to focus. Bret Taylor knows how to break it down. We pulled some key insights from the Sierra co-founder and CEO's Frameworks for Growth episode—on customers, selling outcomes instead of features, and what some startups miss about pace, product, and predictions. 🧵 Highlights in the carousel 🎬 Watch the full ep: https://lnkd.in/g9WmVtzf

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Sat down with Nick Beadle this week on JOBS THAT WORK to chat about Guild's expanding role to support cities and states. We talk about the similarities shared between cities/states and large employers as they all have to tackle talent development and talent transformation challenges. Some topics include: - emphasizing the value of performance based investments - adapting learning to meet the speed of advancement in LLMs - aligning and building state wide career paths in key industries like manufacturing, healthcare, construction / trades Link in comments for the full read!

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Fractional executives are quickly becoming the secret weapon for Series A founders. Why? Because these part-time leaders bring deep expertise, strategic insight, and immediate impact: without the commitment or risk of a full-time hire. Early-stage teams need heavyweight experience, but also flexibility to shape their leadership for changing needs. Fractional execs step in to build processes, mentor teams, and drive growth goals, typically for a few days a week. Founders stay agile, make stronger decisions, and avoid costly mis-hires. At Shields Group Search, we specialize in matching startups with seasoned fractional leaders. We know where to search, how to assess for cultural fit, and what it takes for a part-time exec to deliver outsized value from day one. Thinking about your first executive hire? Don’t default to full-time. Let us connect you with part-time leadership that can transform your next phase.

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If your company's team building exercises are so cutthroat that payoffs are involved...you might be doing it wrong. This week on The New Talent Playbook Podcast, David Goldstein, Founder of TeamBonding, shares with us how the right team building exercises can unlock better collaboration, improve alignment, and create the kind of team chemistry that shows up in day-to-day performance. Catch the episode to hear David Goldstein share with Rob Levin: ✔️ Why the “trust falls” era of team building is long gone ✔️ How the power of play strengthens culture and retention ✔️ The biggest mistakes companies make when planning team events ✔️ How to integrate remote and international team members so they truly feel included If building a stronger, more connected team is on your 2026 agenda, you’ll want to hear this conversation. Don’t miss this week's episode of 🎙️ The New Talent Playbook Podcast: “Beyond Trust Falls: Team Building with the Power of Play” 🎧 Search for it on your favorite podcast platform. #podcast #newtalentplaybook #leadership #teambuilding

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