For all the talk about AI changing work, the traits companies want in people haven't actually changed that much.

In a recent interview, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri shared the three things he looks for in every hire, regardless of role: people who learn quickly, have grit, and are self-aware.

If someone is motivated, picks things up fast, and can take feedback, they can grow into almost anything. If one of those pieces is missing, problems usually follow.

What's interesting is how relevant this feels in today's AI landscape. Mosseri's take on AI learning stood out in particular. And Mosseri isn't alone in thinking this way. 

Scale AI CEO Jason Droege says he looks for curious problem-solvers who collaborate well and can lead when needed. Lovable CEO Anton Osika has said he cares less about where someone has worked and more about how quickly they learn and whether they bring new thinking into the room.

Different companies, different businesses — but remarkably similar hiring philosophies.

Experience still matters, especially for specialist roles, but in a world that's changing this quickly, the ability to learn may be becoming the most important qualification of all.

While companies are rethinking who they hire, they’re also being forced to rethink where they spend their energy.

Most businesses spend their early years focused on one thing: winning more customers.

But according to entrepreneur Gidon Levy, the next stage of growth requires knowing which customers to let go.

Levy shared a story about a client that, on paper, looked like a dream account. They were large, growing, and represented a meaningful share of revenue. By every traditional metric, they were exactly the type of customer you fight to keep.

Behind the scenes, however, the account was consuming leadership attention and exhausting the team responsible for supporting them. Eventually, Levy realized something many growing businesses discover the hard way:

Getting to seven figures is about who you let in. Getting to eight figures is about who you're willing to let go.

The idea applies far beyond client services.

Every organization has some version of the "expensive customer" — the account, project, partner, or initiative that consumes disproportionate time, energy, and attention relative to the value it creates.

The costs rarely appear on a financial statement. They show up as delayed priorities, constant context switching, leadership distraction, and teams that spend more time reacting than building.

For leaders, that creates an uncomfortable but important question: Are you optimizing for revenue, or are you optimizing for the capacity to grow?

Because sometimes the fastest way to create room for the right opportunities is to let go of the wrong ones.

AI agents. Digital assets. Programmable economies.

Join us for a conversation with Sagar Shah of Evernorth as we explore where crypto markets are headed and the infrastructure being built to support the next generation of financial systems.

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Ollama just raised a $65M Series B after growing to 8.9 million monthly users, reaching 85% of Fortune 500 companies, and building one of the most popular open-source AI tools in the world — all with a team of just 14 people.

Its success is a reminder that you don't always need to invent the next breakthrough technology to build a massive company. Sometimes the biggest opportunity is making powerful technology simple, accessible, and useful for everyone else.

As more businesses embrace open AI, the companies simplifying the developer experience could end up shaping the next wave of the industry.

No matter the city or industry, the same themes continue to surface in executive conversations: AI adoption, global talent, and the infrastructure required to support increasingly distributed businesses.

Over the next week, I'll be joining discussions with leaders across Los Angeles, Austin, and Chicago to explore how organizations are approaching these challenges and opportunities in practice.

Upcoming Conversations

📍 July 21 — Los Angeles
MidLyr Finance & AI Executive Table
I’ll be joining finance and AI leaders for a candid conversation on how organizations are approaching AI adoption, navigating change, and building the foundation for what’s next.

📍 July 22 — Austin
Ontop High Frequency US: Global Talent & Payments Dinner
I’ll be connecting with founders, operators, and HR leaders to discuss the evolving world of global teams — from hiring across borders to navigating compliance and payments.

📍 July 23 — Chicago
MidLyr Finance & AI Executive Table
Another opportunity to exchange perspectives with leaders exploring how AI can be implemented responsibly and effectively within financial services.

📍 July 24 — Chicago
Ontop High Frequency US: Global Talent & Payments Dinner
A conversation with leaders building the future of work and rethinking how companies hire, operate, and grow in an increasingly connected world.

I’ll be part of TechChicagoWeek on July 20-26. Wii you be there? Also, if you'll be attending any of these events or happen to be in the area, I'd love to connect.

In case you forgot, Fintech Week San Francisco is coming this fall, and we’re bringing the community together for three days of conversations and collaboration.

From emerging technologies to evolving financial infrastructure, the industry is changing quickly. Now is the time to connect with the people turning those changes into opportunities.

📍 Green Room, San Francisco
📅 September 29 - October 1, 2026

Save the date. The fintech community is coming together.

Thanks for spending a few minutes with us this week!

There’s a lot happening across the industry and we’re grateful to have the chance to explore these shifts alongside you.

Until next time, we’ll keep bringing the conversations worth having.

- Angelique