Compensation heuristics for top talent

What does it take to recruit the top 0.1% of engineers in the world — and why has talent become the ultimate constraint in AI? In this episode, I’m joined by Chris Vasquez, Founder & CEO of Quantum Talent, one of the most in-demand technical recruiting firms in the AI ecosystem. We discuss why elite engineering talent has become the core bottleneck in AI, how companies can actually attract S-tier builders, what founders get wrong about hiring, and why talent density—not headcount—is the strongest predictor of outcomes in today’s startup environment.

Highlights:

• Why AI founders are “at war” — and recruiting firms are the arms dealers. Defining S-tier talent: clear evidence of greatness, spiky abilities, and proven complexity-handling.
• Capital is abundant; talent is the true constraint in modern AI company building.
• Why companies must tell a compelling story if they lack high-signal founders or top-tier backers.
• How AI’s rapid improvement reshapes recruiting needs — fewer engineers, but far more specialized ones.
• The Sequoia-backed company that failed to hire until they raised their comp bands. (7 declines vs. 17 hires after fixing comp.)
• Why founders should overpay strategically for the roles that matter most.
• Key signals elite engineers look for: founding team quality, investor pedigree, mission clarity, and market upside.
• Why “experience with greatness” de-risks execution in early-stage teams.
• The #1 heuristic Chris wishes he learned earlier: “If you wouldn’t hire 100 of that person, don’t hire one.”

Guest Bio:

Chris Vasquez is the Founder & CEO of Quantum Talent, a specialized recruiting firm focused on placing elite technical talent into leading AI, frontier-tech, and enterprise software startups. Quantum works with hundreds of venture-backed companies and has partnered with 80% of Tier 1 VC firms, helping founders build high-density engineering teams capable of shipping breakthrough products.

With deep expertise in identifying the top 0.1% of engineers, researchers, and product leaders, Chris and his team have become one of the most trusted upstream partners in the AI ecosystem — operating at the intersection of talent, technology, and high-velocity company building.

Our Podcast now receives more than 300,000 downloads a month. Are you interested in sponsoring an episode? Please email David Weisburd at david@weisburdcapital.com.

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-vasquez-66137553/ Quantum: https://www.quantumtalent.io/

Questions or topics you want us to discuss on How I Invest? Email us at david@weisburdcapital.com. david@weisburdcapital.com.

(0:00) Introduction (2:38) Talent Density and the Shift from Capital to Talent in Startups (5:16) AI's Impact on Talent Recruitment and Compensation Strategies (9:45) What S Tier Engineers Seek in Companies (11:14) Establishing Talent Density by Overpaying Initial Hires (14:28) The Role of Talent in Product-Market Fit (17:21) Strategies for Recruiting Top AI Talent (24:01) The Distinction Between Good and S-tier Recruiters (27:43) Effective Recruiting Heuristics and Compensation Tactics (30:23) Managing Internal Politics for High Compensation Hires (31:48) Timeless Advice for Recruiters (34:34) Closing remarks