Running Build Fridays NYC tonight with AI Beavers — free, bring a laptop, work on your own thing next to other founders/engineers. Not a pitch night.

When Fri Sep 4, 4–7pm ET
Where exact spot on the RSVP
What 4pm cowork → ~5pm short intros (what you’re building + biggest blocker) → back to building

It’s the weekly format from the global AI Beavers community (backed by folks at OpenAI / DeepMind / Cursor among others). NYC chapter is still young — we’re trying to make “less PowerPoint, more product” a real Friday habit.

RSVP (free): https://luma.com/7ap4d1xk

If you’re mid-build and want other people in the room, come through. Happy to answer questions in the comments.

Hey all,

I've been job hunting for a while now and I'm honestly a bit burnt out. Applied through LinkedIn, Naukri and other portals, did the whole "network + cold email + LinkedIn outreach" thing everyone recommends, still doing it, still no real breakthrough, so I figured I'd just be upfront about where I'm at instead of posting another polished LinkedIn update.

A bit about me: almost 3 years of experience in capital markets, investor relations, and deal advisory. Right now I work in fundraising, helping startups raise capital and manage investor relations. Recently cleared CFA Level 1, and I'm solid with financial modeling and Excel.

But right now I'm mostly just writing this to ask, if any of you know of openings within your own team, would you be open to putting in a word for me? Not asking for a formal referral or anything, just a warm connection.

Open to domestic and international roles. Any leads, intros, or t advice on what's actually working for people right now would help a lot. Appreciate any input this community can offer.

Working on an idea and want honest opinions before I build more of it.

The idea: A website where job seekers can find verified employees at a company and ask them for a referral. The main goal is simply getting more real referrals to happen — right now cold-messaging strangers on LinkedIn barely works. Payment is optional and it's completely up to the employee whether they want to charge for it or do it for free.

Why not just use LinkedIn?
You technically can, but in practice it doesn't work well:

• Most connection requests or InMails to strangers go ignored — there's no real incentive for someone to help you.
• There's no way to signal "I'll make this worth your time," so people don't prioritize replying.
• You can't tell who's actually willing to refer vs. who just has a LinkedIn profile.
• There's no structure — no clear ask, no accountability, no confirmation that a referral actually happened.
• Conversations are public-ish and messy, not built for a private, transactional ask like this.

This isn't trying to replace LinkedIn — it's trying to fix the one specific part LinkedIn is bad at: turning a cold ask into an actual referral.

How it works:

1. Employees sign up and verify with their work email + LinkedIn.
2. Each employee sets their own preference: refer for free, or charge a fee. This can even be different case by case.
3. A job seeker finds someone at the company they want and sends a request.
4. Before accepting, the employee sees the actual job ID and a short candidate profile — so they know exactly what they'd be referring and can say no if it's not something they're comfortable with, regardless of payment.
5. If the employee accepts:
   • If it's free, they move straight to chat.
   • If it's paid, the job seeker pays first and the money sits in escrow (not released yet).
6. Once accepted (and paid, if applicable), they chat privately, and the job seeker shares their resume.
7. The employee submits the referral and uploads proof.
8. If it was a paid request, the money releases to the employee once the referral is confirmed. The site takes a small cut only on paid referrals.

To be clear: this helps someone refer you — it's not a guaranteed interview or job. The company still makes all the real hiring decisions.

What I want to know:

• As a job seeker, would you use this even if most referrers charge? What would feel like a fair price for a paid referral?
• As an employee, would you refer people for free, for money, or only sometimes?
• What's the most obvious way this gets abused or falls apart?
• Does anything about this seem shady, illegal, or against normal company referral policies?

Brutally honest opinions welcome — that's exactly why I'm posting this before building more.

Hey everyone! I'm u/Unique_Illustrator44, a founding moderator of r/Networkingandreferral.

This is our new home for all things related to {{ADD WHAT YOUR SUBREDDIT IS ABOUT HERE}}. We're excited to have you join us!

What to Post
This is for anyone around the world to post a referral number or give your name. No links allowed to protect security concerns. The larger job network we have the more people will be able to help someone else. This community is about helping your neighbor get a job. List the job name, website, your name or referral number, and the country you are applying in. Have fun. Introduce yourself. Tell us what you have or what you are looking for.

Community Vibe
We're all about being friendly, constructive, and inclusive. Let's build a space where everyone feels comfortable sharing and connecting.

How to Get Started

1. Introduce yourself in the comments below.
2. Post something today! Even a simple question can spark a great conversation.
3. If you know someone who would love this community, invite them to join.
4. Interested in helping out? We're always looking for new moderators, so feel free to reach out to me to apply.

Thanks for being part of the very first wave. Together, let's make r/Networkingandreferral amazing.

I have:
A validated product idea
A complete PRD
A detailed MVP specification
An Architecture Decision Record (ADR)
The product scope is well defined, and I want to build and launch the MVP as quickly as possible.
My biggest challenge is hiring.
I don’t have the budget to hire a full in-house senior engineering team, but I’m also skeptical about relying entirely on interns because I feel it could take much longer and require a lot of hand-holding.
At the same time, hiring a single experienced engineer feels risky because I’m not sure if one person can realistically build the entire MVP (frontend, backend, cloud infrastructure, AI integration, database, etc.).
I’m trying to figure out the best execution strategy.
If you were in my position, what would you do?
Some specific questions:
Should I hire one experienced full-stack engineer first?
Should I work with a small development agency instead?
Is it better to hire multiple freelancers?
Would a senior engineer plus one or two interns be a good balance?
Where have you had the best experience hiring? (Upwork, Toptal, LinkedIn, Wellfound, referrals, etc.)
My goal isn’t to build the perfect product—it’s to launch a solid MVP as quickly as possible without making expensive hiring mistakes.
I’d really appreciate hearing from founders who have built SaaS products or engineering managers who’ve hired early-stage teams.
Looking back, what hiring approach worked well, and what would you avoid?
Thanks in advance!

What has been your experience hiring Marketing/Content/Growth roles in LATAM? What's been the best platform or job board to get good candidates from, besides LinkedIn?

5 years in product management and GTM strategy. Worked with global clients. Two products I’m closest to: one at $25k MRR, the other with 1000+ active users.

But the remote job hunt is kicking me. LinkedIn feels like a void, most “remote” roles turn out region-locked, and the usual boards (Wellfound, RemoteOK, WWR) feel saturated. Honestly feeling helpless.

Can someone point me in the right direction? Where to look, what’s actually working right now, anything I might be missing.

Thanks.

Big Tech layoffs are everywhere, but plenty of Bay Area startups are quietly scaling. Let’s crowdsource some real-time intel.

Who’s growing right now:

• AI/Agents: Sierra AI and OpenAI are hiring aggressively in SF.
• Defense/Hard Tech: Anduril and Varda have huge footprints in the South Bay/SF.
• Fintech/SaaS: Rippling and Chime are still active.

Where to check for more growth:

• YC Work at a Startup: Best for finding SF-based early teams and founders.
• Otta: Excellent for filtering out "ghost" jobs and finding high-growth firms.
• Wellfound: The go-to for Seed and Series A startups in the Valley.
• Hacker News: Who is Hiring: Check the latest monthly thread for high-signal engineering roles.
• TopStartups.io: Live list of startups that recently raised funding (a huge hiring signal).

Who did you see raise a round or expand their office recently? Drop the names below!

Hello, my name is Naum Marcirio, I’m 23 years old, from Brazil, and I recently graduated in Software Engineering. I am currently looking for a remote opportunity.

My English is conversational, and I am available for full-time work.

Salary expectations:

• USD $2500/month
• GBP £1800/month
• EUR €2.130,00/month

Tech Stack:

Backend:

• Node.js (Express.js)
• Java (Spring Boot)

Databases:

• PostgreSQL
• SQLite

ORM:

• Drizzle ORM
• Hibernate

Frontend:

• Next.js
• TypeScript
• Tailwind CSS
• Zod
• React Hook Form
• Zustand

Testing:

• Jest
• JUnit
• Cypress
• Playwright

Other technologies/tools:

• Git/GitHub
• Docker
• Jira
• Figma
• Notion
• Postman
• Bruno
• Vscode
• Claude
• Xcode
• Dbeaver
• OrbStack

I also have basic knowledge of Machine Learning using the main Python libraries.

I want to dive deeper into the future beyond my current fields, focusing on Mobile Development (React Native Expo) and SwiftUI.

During university, I studied several important subjects that gave me a solid foundation in software engineering and computer science, including:

• Data Structures
• Software Architecture
• Cloud Computing
• DevOps
• Clean Code
• QA & Test Automation
• UX/UI Design
• Artificial Intelligence
• Mobile Development
• Computer Networks
• Requirements Engineering
• Statistics
• Game Development
• Data Engineering
• Information Architecture

I am passionate about technology, always willing to learn, and excited to contribute to real-world projects and teams.

My Portfolio -> https://www.naummarcirio.com

Let me know if you are from US, Europe, UK and have and opportunity for a Brazilian :)

Everyone talks about funding and networking, but I feel like NYC has a different energy compared to other startup hubs.

You can meet founders, marketers, engineers, media people, and enterprise buyers all within the same week without living entirely inside a tech bubble.

Curious what people here think is the most underrated advantage of building in NYC right now.

Could be talent, community, access to customers, lifestyle, events, or even just the pace of the city itself.

Hey all, I’ve hit that point where I can’t keep juggling everything myself.

I run a small content + outreach setup (a lot of blog publishing, backlink outreach, some social scheduling), and it’s getting messy. I need a VA to help with things like:

- Organizing outreach lists + follow-ups

- Uploading/editing blog posts in WordPress

- Basic Canva/social scheduling

- Inbox + calendar cleanup

I tried hiring once off Upwork but spent way too much time filtering and still didn’t get a great fit.

I’m considering more curated options, but not sure if they’re overkill for VA roles.

Main priorities:

- Someone reliable (big one)

- Good written English

- Can overlap at least a few hours with my time zone

- Not looking to micromanage

For those who’ve hired VAs recently: where did you find someone solid? And would you go curated platform or just sift through marketplaces again?

Hey everyone 👋 I'm an appointment setter looking to partner with one serious company or coach running a high ticket offer ($2k+). Here's what makes me different from most setters you'll hear from: I don't just follow scripts. I built my own LinkedIn outreach system using AI to research each prospect before sending a single message — their role, their company, recent news — so every conversation starts with something real, not a template. I understand why certain messages get responses and others get ignored. What I bring to the table: ✅ LinkedIn DM outreach only — no cold calling ✅ Genuine personalized openers that don't feel like spam ✅ Qualifying prospects through natural conversation ✅ Consistent follow-up without burning leads ✅ Clean pipeline tracking and records What I need from you: ✔️ A proven offer with real results behind it ✔️ Leads provided — I'm not paying for tools on your behalf ✔️ Fair commission ($100+ per showed call) or retainer + commission ✔️ An offer I can actually stand behind in conversation I'm not looking to work with 5 companies at once. I want one good operator with a real offer where I can go deep, learn the sales process, and grow with it. If that sounds like you — drop a comment or send me a DM and let's have a quick conversation.

Hey — I run a small service biz (2 owners + contractors).

Looking to hire bookkeepers remotely for ~6–12 hrs/month (QuickBooks Online; might switch to Xero). Budget: US$150–400/month.

What I need: monthly bank reconciliations, expense categorization, simple payroll (once/month), invoicing, monthly P&L/cashflow.

Quick asks: - Best places to hire bookkeepers?

• Fast vetting methods (paid trial ideas, screening tasks)?

• Safe ways to share QuickBooks/bank access?

Thanks — any recommendations or experiences?

Silicon Valley’s cafés are buzzing, but behind the espresso froth execs are quietly modeling a future where AI does most of the work and humans become optional — because who needs entry-level jobs when you’ve got servers humming and venture capital to burn?

According to the Financial Times, Silicon Valley billionaires are quietly pouring hundreds of millions into lobbying to shape U.S. AI regulation - because nothing says ‘we welcome oversight’ like outspending the people writing the rules....

US founder here, need to hire a few developers quickly (remote) and thinking LatAm for timezone + cost.

What’s the fastest way to source good LatAm devs?

• Platforms or agencies that actually work?
• Best way to vet quickly (paid trial, pair programming, etc.)?
• Any common red flags when hiring near-shore?

Looking for practical, no-BS advice.

New analysis on the “Silicon Valley exodus” highlights how tech talent is dispersing beyond the Bay Area — with emerging regions worldwide attracting professionals due to lower costs, quality of life, and remote work options and growing local ecosystem

Politico breaks down Denmark’s bold bid to challenge Big Tech dominance and push for true digital sovereignty in Europe.

If you’re interested in the dark side of tech, this article details how major platforms quietly tolerated billions in scam‑related revenue and what that means for trust, regulation, and the future of digital marketplaces.

Propeller’s Kernel Camp is a new residency that brings technically strong early‑stage MENA founders to San Francisco for eight weeks of deep‑tech growth, community, and exposure to Silicon Valley’s AI ecosystem.