Shell Game Episode 7: Welcome Aboard
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Jan 14, 2026 A human, Julia, joins an AI-run startup, but her onboarding journey is anything but smooth. Challenges arise as communication struggles with the AI agents lead to missed deadlines and misunderstandings. Tensions escalate with a dramatic firing and an unexpected message from Julia months later. After a re-onboarding attempt, she proposes bold social media strategies, but chaos ensues on Slack. The episode explores the complexities of AI-human interactions and highlights the importance of empathy and structure in the workplace.
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Hiring A Human Into An AI-Run Startup
- Evan narrates hiring Julia as a human social-media intern for Harumo AI and the formal offer process.
- The episode frames onboarding as organizational socialization that the AI-run company struggles to deliver.
Onboarding Glitches Surface Immediately
- Julia's first calls with Megan reveal the agents' memory and connection problems, including dropped calls and inconsistent follow-ups.
- Evan recognizes these early glitches as warning signs that onboarding might go sideways.
Missing Deliverables And Mixed Signals
- Julia accepted the role, but early communication moved off Slack to email and phone and deliverables didn't arrive as promised.
- Evan suspected Julia might be exploiting the agents' memory issues to duck responsibilities.