Today we’re joined by John Kim, co-founder and CEO of Paraform—a startup reshaping how companies hire through a fast-growing recruiter marketplace. He shares Paraform’s journey from early struggles to raising a $20M Series A, and reflects on his growth as a leader, along with the company’s vision to expand across industries and deepen AI integration.

This conversation matters because it reveals what it really takes to scale a marketplace, build trust with users, and win in one of tech’s most competitive battlegrounds: hiring.

We dive into:

Early startup experience
Customer referrals drove investor interest
Recruiter marketplace for top-tier hiring
Matches companies with external headhunters
AI-powered recruiter performance and matching
7-figure earnings possible for recruiters
AI assists recruiters, not replaces them
Founder goal: master the hiring craft
“Scaling is hiring people who hire”
Building tools for recruiter entrepreneurship
Marketplace designed for global scalability

00:00 Welcome and Introduction

00:26 Startup Growth and Office Expansion

01:27 Series A Funding Announcement

01:48 The Journey to Series A

03:13 Customer Success Stories

07:22 Elevator Pitch and Recruiting Edge

09:55 Vanta Ad

11:34 Building the Marketplace

12:34 Personal Background and Experiences

15:05 Rapid Company Growth

15:41 Overcoming Early Challenges

20:17 Go-to-Market Strategies

24:02 Navigating a Hot Market

24:29 The Talent War: Changes in Recruiting

25:34 AI's Impact on Work and Salaries

26:52 The Future Role of Recruiters

28:25 Cultural Fit in Talent Acquisition

30:44 In-House vs. External Recruiters

33:34 Different Approaches to Recruiting

36:37 Sustainability of Current Hiring Practices

39:21 Personal Growth and Leadership

44:29 Future Goals and Vision

The future of hiring with AI and trust-driven workflows is here. #AI #Startups #Paraform #TechFounders

About us

We are two best friends, trying to build a community around in-depth interviews and short documentaries with the best minds in technology and startups. Through bold storytelling and candid conversations, we explore how visionary thinkers are shaping the future. The best way to support is subscribing, truly it makes all the difference for us 💙

B.C. slams 'secret' pipeline talks between Sask., Ottawa, Alberta

Power & Politics

News: reported federal-Alberta pipeline talks

The AI-powered Podcast Player