Graham Watts

Q2 2025 brought an array of developments to the San Diego startup ecosystem, despite a notable global and local venture capital slowdown. Business San Diego's recent VC report highlights both the challenges and triumphs faced by our city's innovative companies. Here are some key takeaways: 🔹 Funding Landscape: - Q2 startup funding reached $500 million, a decline from $1 billion in Q2 2024. - Major investments in late-stage companies: RayThera ($110M), Biolinq ($100M), Linear ($82M), and more. 🔹 Top Deals: - Bio sector: RayThera ($110M), Actio Biosciences ($66M), HAYA Therapeutics ($65M) - Tech sector: Linear ($82M), Flock Freight ($60M), Clearspeed ($60M) - Seed stage: WeGive ($2M), EyePop AI ($3M), RetroRate ($2.6M) 🔹 Rankings and Transactions: - San Diego holds the 7th position in the US for venture capital activity. - Deal activity fell to 37 transactions, down from 48 in Q2 2024. 🔹 IPO and M&A Highlights: - Aardvark Therapeutics is the only company to have gone public this year. - Carlsbad-based Carlsmed filed for a $100M IPO, signaling growth in medtech. The resilience and innovation within San Diego's startup community continue to shine. #VentureCapital #SanDiegoStartups #Innovation

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𝗟𝗼𝘀 𝗔𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗜𝗙𝗔 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗖𝘂𝗽 (2026), 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗼𝘄𝗹 𝗟𝗫𝗜 (2027), 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗔28 𝗢𝗹𝘆𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸-𝘁𝗼-𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for SoCal hospitality. Or a once-in-a-generation staffing headache waiting to happen... Many operators want to wait and see how things develop. From what I’m seeing, starting to hire just six months before kickoff won’t cut it. And hiring is generally taking more time than it used to. The competition isn’t just the restaurant down the street. Hotels, event venues, and global brands will all be going after the same talent pool. The time to start building your leadership team is NOW. Here are a few reasons why: 1️⃣ 𝗔-𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘂𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝗻𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝘂𝗽 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆. While some operators hold off, the ones who move fast are already locking in solid GMs and Chefs before the market heats up. Wait too long, and you're stuck with what’s left. 2️⃣ 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝘄𝗮𝘆. Someone hired today has time to learn your systems, shape your culture, and actually lead. Waiting until the frenzy hits means hiring warm bodies just trying to stay afloat. 3️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴. Your top leaders will be targeted hard. Competitors will throw serious money at them. Retention plans aren’t optional anymore. They’re basic survival. 4️⃣ 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝘁𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲. Even one open seat during peak times causes burnout, bad guest experiences, and lost sales. Those guests won’t come back, and they’ll tell others why. This isn’t just about filling roles. It’s about having a plan to protect your business. We’ve already started helping partners shore up their teams with the coming events top of mind. 𝘼𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙥𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙢, 𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚? 🔔 Tap the bell to get notified of future posts.   𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 / 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 to join my network. EHS Recruiting Company - Southern California

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In the latest episode of RecTech, Economist Andrew Flowers from Appcast, Inc discusses the slowing US job market, describing it as 'treading water'. He analyzes recent employment data, labor force participation trends, quit rates, and the impact on recruiting and talent acquisition in various sectors. WATCH: https://lnkd.in/e6nW-UJq

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I asked Gemini to rerank the list of best recruiting and hiring books created by ChatGPT - here's its opinion on the top 6 Here's a re-ranked list of the provided books, focusing specifically on their direct applicability and impact on recruiting and hiring, with explanations for each placement: Hire with Your Head – Lou Adler Why #1: This remains at the top for its unparalleled focus on a systematic and repeatable hiring process directly linked to performance. It's the most actionable book for recruiters and hiring managers looking to improve their actual hiring outcomes. Its emphasis on performance-based hiring is a game-changer. Work Rules! – Laszlo Bock Why #2: While "Hire with Your Head" provides the "how-to," "Work Rules!" offers the "why" and the inspiration, backed by Google's renowned practices. It showcases how a data-driven and innovative approach to talent acquisition and management can lead to significant success. It's crucial for shaping a progressive hiring strategy and understanding the broader talent landscape. People Analytics For Dummies – Mike West Why #3: In today's landscape, data is paramount in effective recruiting and hiring. This book is essential for HR professionals who need to understand how to leverage data to optimize their talent acquisition efforts, from sourcing to retention. Its "Dummies" format makes it accessible, which is critical for broader adoption of analytics in HR. The HR Scorecard – Brian E. Becker et al. Why #4: For HR leaders, especially those who need to demonstrate the ROI of their recruiting and hiring initiatives, this book is invaluable. It provides the framework to connect HR activities, including talent acquisition, to broader business goals and financial results. This helps justify investments in better hiring practices. Irresistible – Josh Bersin Why #5: While the original ranking noted it's better for strategy than tactical operations, understanding what drives modern employee engagement is crucial for attracting and retaining top talent. "Irresistible" helps HR professionals and recruiters design an overall employee experience that makes their organization a magnet. Start with Why – Simon Sinek Why #6: Although it "lacks HR-specific tools," Sinek's concept of starting with "why" is profoundly impactful on recruiting. Organizations that can clearly articulate their purpose are far more attractive to top talent. Radical Candor – Kim Scott Why #7: While its primary focus is on post-hire development and retention, "Radical Candor" is indirectly vital for recruiting. Crucial Conversations – Kerry Patterson et al. Why #8: This book is fundamental for any high-stakes conversation, and recruiting and hiring certainly have their share. 101 Tough Conversations to Have with Employees – Paul Falcone Why #9: While highly practical for day-to-day employee issues, its direct relevance to recruiting and hiring specifically is less than the others.

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Recruiting Top Development Officers Isn’t Easy… Even with AI, sourcing top talent for hard-to-fill, high-impact roles isn’t easy. Here’s a look at how we make it happen as an embedded sourcing partner. Spotlight: Development Officers Development Officers are mission-critical—they drive fundraising, cultivate donor relationships, and advance strategic initiatives. Yet top talent often has deep, established networks, making them hard to reach. Internal recruiters are stretched thin, leaving little time for strategic sourcing. That’s where dedicated sourcers comes in: by embedding sourcers into your TA team, you can build pipelines, engage passive candidates, and target the right people for these high-impact roles. Here’s how we approach sourcing for Development Officers: ➡ Define the role clearly - Understand, in detail, which programs, campaigns, or donor portfolios the officer will manage. - Identify essential skills and experience versus what can be developed on the job. Get specific! ➡ Map the talent market - Research peer universities, hospitals, and nonprofits. - Focus on passive candidates with proven experience in fundraising, campaigns, or alumni engagement. ➡ Craft personalized messages - Highlight achievements and the specific impact the candidate could make. - Show alignment with the organization’s mission and priorities. ➡ Leverage internal networks - Engage board members, faculty, alumni, and leadership. - Use warm introductions to strengthen pipelines and trust. ➡ Build candidate networks - Ask passive candidates who they know in the development field. - Nurture these connections for a long-term pipeline of future talent. Each Development Officer we source becomes a catalyst—building major donor relationships, driving critical campaigns, and making measurable contributions to the organization’s fundraising strategy from day one. Thoughtful, proactive sourcing makes this possible by identifying the right candidates and engaging them before they even consider a move. Dedicated sourcing ensures your team can tackle challenging searches efficiently and effectively. Include your sourcers from the outset for optimal outcomes—and if you don’t have dedicated sourcers, consider an embedded model. Learn more about embedded sourcing: ⬇️ 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eHPeG6ez #DevelopmentOfficer, #Fundraising, #TalentAcquisition, #EmbeddedSourcing, #MajorGifts, #HigherEdRecruiting, #NonprofitLeadership, #Endowment

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Recently at The Ortus Club’s ‘The HR Leaders' Dinner Roundtable’ in New York City, AMS’s Jonathan Kestenbaum and Jeffrey Anderson led a conversation on "Ethical AI in Hiring". We’re leading the charge in ethical and responsible AI. Our industry-first Global Ethical AI Charter sets the standard for ethical use of AI in talent acquisition, including non-discrimination and human intervention. Establishing vital standards and a framework, the Charter was signed and enacted by members of our AI Board, comprising of distinguished AI ethicists and independent professionals from a wide range of industries including business, human resources, academia and not-for-profit. Learn more about the Charter, our AI board, and the future of AI-enabled TA: https://lnkd.in/eUqSVdyv Learn more about AI and digital transformation in TA: https://lnkd.in/eRdVrfEY   #Hiring #Leadership #Recruitment #TalentAcquisition #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Technology

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Navigating California's leave laws can be challenging. Our new blog post breaks down FMLA, CFRA, and PDL to help you ensure compliance and protect your business. Don't let confusion impact your bottom line. Read it now: https://lnkd.in/gmcjEMxE

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TA/Recruiter job openings in the U.S. continue to climb (surprisingly!) For the first time in nearly three years, postings are holding steady above the 45,000 mark. The sharpest demand we’re seeing is from clients in Data Centers, AI, Aerospace Engineering, and VC-backed and pre-IPO tech. What’s especially interesting: this strength in TA roles is happening at the same time overall U.S. job openings are trending down (per the latest JOLTs report). August’s jobs report showed just 22K new jobs created nationwide, yet demand for recruiters is starting to surge. Why? My hunch: - Lowering interest rates are fueling capital expenditures in tech - IPO activity is picking up - VC funding is flowing again - Companies are positioning for broad hiring in tech Recruiting is often the “canary in the coal mine” for hiring cycles. If this momentum holds, it could signal a broader acceleration in tech hiring heading into 2026. 👉 Do you think this trend continues?

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The most dangerous question for staffing firms in 2026: “How much can we grow?” The better question is harder, and more honest: "Where can we grow profitably, predictably, and sustainably?" This is where firms get tripped up: - Chasing volume that erodes margin - Saying yes to high-chaos, low-trust accounts - Confusing activity with progress Growth that looks good on paper but drains focus isn’t growth. It’s noise. In selective growth environments, clarity beats speed. And restraint becomes a competitive advantage.

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In 2026, my prediction is that the US employment market remains highly competitive but uneven. Investment will continue to flow into energy, AI, data centers, and defense, driving growth in parts of the market, while retail and much of the public sector remain under pressure. Not every role benefits equally, and many will continue to evolve as AI reshapes how work gets done. At a minimum, comfort with AI tools is fast becoming a baseline advantage for talent. What’s increasingly clear is this: the best people have options. The companies winning right now are the ones that move quickly and tell their story well... culture included. Those still relying on slow, monolithic hiring processes are leaving opportunity on the table. If you’re a business leader planning for the year ahead, speed, clarity, and authenticity aren’t just hiring advantages anymore... they’re competitive ones. https://lnkd.in/eEaP_PbM

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