Raya

???????????? ???? ???????????? ????????????????? ?? ?????? ??????. ?? But I turned that fear into my superpower — and you can too. ?? Next month alone, I’m speaking at 13 events, including the University of California, Berkeley, Pear VC, HBS Women's Association, Plug and Play Tech Center, and Ubiquity Ventures. In the past few months, I’ve spoken at Amazon AWS GenAI, Product Leadership Summit, Maven, Guild, and more — some paid, some unpaid; all on topics I deeply care about and have knowledge of and to the audiences that are eager for my thoughts. Now here's the truth: English is my second language. ?? I came to the U.S. for undergrad, and early in my career, public speaking felt impossible. I vividly remember my first college speech class ?? — it took me dozens of tries to deliver a single paragraph. I wasn’t good. Not even close. ?? But I had two things: ?? An obsession with growth ?? A commitment to excellence I wanted to share my ideas with the world — and I refused to let fear or language barriers stop me. ? Today, I give keynotes to packed rooms. It feels energizing, even effortless. But behind that “ease” is 20+ years of hard work and hard-won lessons. Here are 5 lessons that helped me become a confident, powerful speaker, especially for those who feel like they’re not “naturals”: ??? 1.?????'?? ?????? ?????????? ?????????????? ?????????????? (or any language)- It's about clear ideas. People don’t remember grammar; they remember impact. Be clear! Be authentic! Say something that matters. ??♀? 2. ???????????? ?????? ???????????? - use them as fuel. Even the best speakers get butterflies ??. Don’t suppress the nerves — channel them into energy and presence. ?? 3. ???????????????????? ?????????? ???????????? - No one’s born a great speaker. You become one by showing up, over and over again. Speak in meetings, on panels, in small rooms or big ones — every rep counts. ?? 4. ???????????? ???????????????? - Watch it. Learn. Grow. It’s awkward — but incredibly effective. You’ll catch your filler words, pacing, and habits that you’d never notice otherwise. ?? 5. ???????? ??????????????, ?????? ???????? ?????????? - People only remember your stories. Data informs. Stories move. Research shows that people forget data but remember the stories. ?What's been your experience with public speaking? ?Do you fear it or are you fueled by it? ?? If you've gotten better with public speaking over time, share your experiences with others below, so they can learn from you. ?? Share your reaction to this conversation and experiences with public speaking below. #publicspeaking #keynote

?? ?? Raya is expanding! ??We are #hiring for a few key roles! ?? Please check out our open roles and follow the steps to apply: ?? Full-cycle Recruiter: * 5+ years of full-cycle recruiting experience in a competitive industry (sourcing, screening, and closing candidates) * Track record of hiring top talents in well-respected organizations * Eager to utilize new AI tools to enhance your efficiency * Strong communicator - both oral and written To apply, please fill the form: https://lnkd.in/gf-unTNF ?? Sourcer: * 2+ years of sourcing experience * Track record of finding top talents that will land an offer * Eager to utilize new AI tools to enhance your efficiency To apply, please fill the form: https://lnkd.in/gxQGfw2x ?? AI Consultant: * Experience in AI consulting - ideally in a large consulting firm (e.g. McKinsey & Company, Bain, BCG) or hands-on experience building AI products in a tech company * Have a strong track record of identifying customer and business needs and ability to build solutions that scale * Thought leader and in the forefront of AI market evolvement To apply, please fill the form: https://lnkd.in/g8HpD3dk ??Put “interested” in comments below if you are interested our team to evaluate your background & make sure you fill the relevant link above. ??Tag others who might be a good fit for these roles. ??Repost this to help others who are looking for a job. #hiring #gethired #jobs #newjob #jobopening

Today we unveil our inaugural list of Skills on the Rise in Business Development, a data-backed ranking of the 10 fastest-growing skills that business development professionals should be investing in to get ahead in today’s world of work. Relationship Management comes out on top, while skills like Executive Communication (No. 6) and Strategic Thinking (No. 7) also pop up, emphasizing the importance of soft skills as AI transforms the business landscape.? To compile the list, we looked at unique LinkedIn data to reveal the business development skills that professionals are increasingly adding and that companies are increasingly hiring for. Check out the full list of Skills on the Rise in the U.S. and our methodology here: https://lnkd.in/SkillsontheRise25US. Which skills stand out to you on the list? And what other business development skills do you see rising in demand right now? Tell us in the comments. #SkillsOnTheRise

?? ?????? ???????????????? ??????? ?? As we celebrate Women's History Month ??, I want to take a moment to recognize and celebrate the incredible women and leaders who have inspired me, supported me, and shaped my journey. These leaders embody excellence, resilience, and impact, and I’m grateful to have them in my circle. ?? ???????????????????????? ?????? ?????????????? ???? ?? Lily Sarafan (Executive Chair, TheKey & Chair, Stanford Board of Trustees) – A brilliant thinker, multi-faceted leader, and one of the most dedicated people I know. I'm lucky to call her one of my best friends and be inspired by her every day. ?? Noosheen Hashemi (Founder & CEO, January AI) – A powerhouse executive, an incredible mother, and a true industry thought leader. I learn something profound from her in every interaction. ?? Sarahjane Sacchetti (she/her) (ex-CEO of Cleo & Digital Health Executive/Advisor) – A strategic and charismatic CEO who hired me at Cleo and gave me the opportunity to work closely with her. Her leadership left a lasting impact on me. ?? Anahita Tafvizi (Snowflake), Azadeh Yazdan (Meta), Tanya Roosta, Ph.D., MFE (Amazon), Rhonda Shrader (UC Berkeley) – The incredible minds behind our AI Advisory Board at Raya who are shaping the future of AI and innovation. ?? Iman Jeddi, Ph.D. (SVP & GM, Intuitive) – A true force in robotics, driving impact at the cutting edge of healthcare technology. ?? Malekeh Amini (Founder & CEO, Trayt Health) – One of our first customers at Raya, whose belief in our vision meant everything. ?? Leslie Crowe (Bain Capital), Jennifer Smith (Scribe), Firdevs Abacioglu (Meta), Brittni Levinson (Capital BEL), Anu Jain (Atelier Oleana) – My HBS crew and my village in the Bay Area, each making waves in their own industries. Dr. Maky Zanganeh, Mahvash Yazdi, Nahal Iravani-Sani, Nikki Iravani, Angel Vossough, Shyvee Shi, Marily Nika, Ph.D, Kirthiga Reddy, Narges Baniasadi, Maryam Ziaei, Golnaz (Naz) Moeini, Tiba Aynechi, Golnar Pooya, Golnaz Motiey, Sahar Shayestehmehr, Maysa Namakian, Samira Naraghi, Natasha Prasad and many others. ?? Now, I want to hear from you! Who are the women who inspire you? ?? Drop their names in the comments and let’s celebrate them together. ?? Happy International Women's Day! #InternationalWomensDay #IWD2025 #WomenInTech

Friend: "I got an amazing offer! CPO with 1% equity at the next unicorn!" Me: "Did you check the equity acceleration clauses?" Friend: "The what?" Me: "What happens to your equity if there's an acquisition?" Friend: "Um... I didn't ask about that" Me: "Do you have protection if they replace your role?" Friend: "I should probably review the offer letter again..." I've had this conversation at least twelve times in the last year, and here's the playbook I usually share with those leaders. 1/ Your offer letter is more important than your base Not all equity is created equal: ? Standard 4-year vesting can be lost entirely in acquisition or a layoff ? No protection clauses can cost you $1m+ in a restructure ? Acceleration triggers make the difference between life-changing wealth and starting over (Full credit to Marc Baselga for the post. Follow Marc for leadership career content!) 2/ The hidden contract terms that matter The classic is "industry standard terms" Translation: "We hope you don't read the fine print" Senior leaders should never accept standard equity terms And most companies will adjust for candidates they want Always check the offer letter for: ? "What acceleration triggers are included?" ? "What happens if the company is acquired?" ? "What protections exist if my role changes?" ? "What protections exist if this doesn't work out in year 1?" You might have left a huge 7-figure public tech job to take a big bet. Don't be left with nothing. 3/ The protection terms worth fighting for Ask for: ? Single trigger acceleration (acquisition automatically vests equity) ? Double trigger protection (acquisition + role change vests equity) ? Extended exercise windows (years, not months) ? Severance tied to vesting schedule ? Change of control provisions 4/ Model the worst-case scenarios Don't just focus on the "we IPO at $10B" dream. Model out: ? Acquisition before cliff ? Restructuring after 1-2 years ? Management change ? Role elimination ? Board replacing the CEO 5/ Protect your downside before worrying about upside If you're negotiating as a senior leader, know that: ? Severance matters more than most realize ? 6-18 months is standard for VP+ roles ? Healthcare continuation should be included ? Equity acceleration is negotiable ? Reputation protection clauses can be added Pro tip: Have an employment attorney review your offer letter. The $1,000-2,000 cost is trivial compared to what you might lose. Especially if you're joining a pre-IPO company or potential acquisition target. The offer letter is a negotiable contract. It is also NEW INFORMATION. New information means you can reopen the discussion. But most candidates only negotiate the numbers, not the terms. Your job isn't just to maximize the headline figures. It's to protect yourself from the most likely negative outcomes. What equity protection clauses do you think matter most? DM or contact Valued when you want negotiation support.

?? ???????? ??????+ ???????????? ???? ???????? ?????????? ???? & ?????? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ???????????? ?? ?????? ?????????????? ?????????????? & ???????????? The best product managers don’t just ask AI for answers—they train it to think like them. If you’re spending too much time sifting through AI outputs or refining responses manually, you’re missing its full potential. Join me and Nate Jones (Tomorrow - Thursday 2/27 @ 9:30am PST) for a Lightning Lesson enabled by Maven on how to supercharge your product career with AI. ?? Leverage AI to refine user insights & optimize roadmaps ?? Master frameworks to analyze trends & mitigate risks ?? Unlock faster decision-making with AI-powered insights The best product managers don’t just ask AI for answers—they train it to think like them. In this session, we’ll break down how to turn AI into your competitive advantage so you can build better products, faster. ?? Meet Your Hosts: Nate Jones – 15+ years in tech, AI builder, tech career coach, ex-founder, seed → Amazon scale Yasi Baiani – CEO, Raya Advisory | AI & product strategy leader | ex-Fitbit, Teladoc, Cleo ?? Date & Time: Thursday 2/27 @ 9:30am PST ?? Where: Zoom (after you sign up below, you will get the information) ??Link for sign up is in the comments. ?? We have a special gift for those who attend the session. Join us! Spots are limited—RSVP now and level up your AI game! #ProductManagement #AI #ProductDiscovery #Leadership #CareerGrowth

?? ?????? ???? ???????? ???? ?????????????????? ???????? ???? ?? ???????????? ??????????????? For many talented leaders, breaking into executive roles—especially in high-growth companies—can feel like a black box. The process is often unstructured, heavily network-driven, and unlike traditional job searches. That’s why Vidur Dewan (Artisanal Talent), Jessica H. (Clockwork & AIRLOC), and I (Raya Advisory) teamed up for the 2nd time to demystify the executive recruiting process for 100+ qualified leaders. A big thank you to our hosts GitHub & ProductTank San Francisco for making this conversation possible! ?? ?????? ?????????????????? ???????? ?????? ??????????: 1?? ????????????????????, ????????????????????, ????????????????????— ????’?? ?????? #?? ????????. The best executive roles are rarely posted publicly. They’re confidential searchers and led by executive search firms, VC talent partners, company executives, and HR leaders. To access these opportunities, you need to be on their radar. 2?? ???????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????? ?????????????????? ??????????????????. It’s not just about your current role — it’s about the strategic moves you’ve made over time. The expertise you develop, the problems you solve, and the scale of impact you create will position you for future leadership roles. 3?? ?????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ??????’???? ???????? ?????? ?????????? ????????????. Growth companies look for leaders who’ve successfully navigated similar stages of scale. Example: If a company is at 1,000 employees and $100M ARR, they’ll seeking candidates who’ve helped a similar size company grow 3-5x beyond that. 4?? ?????? ???????? ???? ???????? ???????? ?????????? ?????? ???????? ??????????????????-???????????? ??????. What’s your unique value proposition? It's important to clearly articulate your impact on previous organizations and teams and how you’ll take a company from its current phase to the next level of growth. 5?? ?????????????????? ?????????? ????????’?? ?????? ????????????????—?????? ????????’?? ????????. Some leaders thrive in MAANG-sized organizations with structure, large teams, and clear career paths. Others prefer the ambiguity and ownership of scaling a high-growth company. Know your priorities and optimize your job search accordingly. ?? ?????????? ?????????????? The executive job market operates on a different set of rules—it’s about relationships, strategic career choices, and being prepared for the right opportunity before it even surfaces. ?? What’s been your biggest insight from your executive search journey? ?? Vidur Dewan, Jessica H., Utkarsh Pandey, Anatoly Volovik, and others who were at the event - any other points to add? ?? Share your experiences and observations about executive job search in the comment.?? #ExecutiveHiring #Leadership #CareerGrowth #Startups

?? The rise of AI agents is transforming how we build, lead, and scale businesses. ?? Why This Matters Now: ?? AI-related job listings have surged 75x in the last two years.? ?? 66% of business leaders won’t hire candidates without AI skills.? ?? 71% of executives prefer AI-literate candidates, even with less experience. The companies and individuals that adopt, experiment, and optimize Agentic AI today will be tomorrow’s market leaders and winners! ?? ?? Those who resist will lose! ?? ?? ?? Below, are takes-aways from my recent conversation with Sara Davison & Tyler Fisk -- AI thought leaders, practitioners, and instructors of a high-demand AI course on Maven -- shedding light on why Agentic AI will be a game-changer in 2025 and how product leaders and founders can prepare for this shift. ?? If you are interested in learning more about how to bring Agentic AI to your business as a product leader or founder, sign up for How To Scale A Business With AI & Agentic Workflows course via the link (in comment) or by using code YASI to get $100 off -- valid for the next 72 hours. #AI #AgenticAI #ProductInnovation #AITransformation

?? Struggling to Hire AI/ML Engineers? You’re Not Alone. The demand for top technical talent is skyrocketing, but the talent pool remains incredibly limited. ?? The Talent Gap in AI & ML: ? 1.9 million software developers in the U.S.— less than 1% of the workforce ? Just ~24K AI/ML engineers in the U.S. ? Globally, only 500K–700K AI/ML engineers ? Meanwhile, 97 million AI-related jobs are projected worldwide by 2025 With fierce competition for talent, how can companies successfully attract and hire AI/ML engineers? ?? Andrew Reinhardt, Talent Partner at Raya Advisory, who has scaled engineering teams (including AI/ML) at Meta, LinkedIn, and The Climate Corporation, shares proven strategies: ? Lead with Purpose – Engineers want to work on meaningful projects. Example: Perplexity’s CEO said top AI engineers join them to disrupt Google Search. Your company needs a compelling mission to attract the best. ? Expand Sourcing Channels – Go beyond LinkedIn. Tap into universities, boot camps, hackathons, Kaggle, and GitHub. ? Leverage Specialized Recruiters – Firms like Raya Advisory specialize in AI/ML hiring, providing access to vetted talent pools. ? Invest in Upskilling & Training – Develop internal talent for specialized AI roles instead of relying solely on external hires. ? Streamline the Hiring Process – Set clear expectations, eliminate long feedback loops, and drive decisions quickly to avoid losing top candidates. ? Over-Communicate – Keep candidates engaged with consistent check-ins. Text messages have a 50% higher response rate than emails. ?? Hiring AI talent is tough, but the right strategies make all the difference. ?? Full article linked in the comments! ?? Reshare if you found this helpful so more people can benefit. ?? Follow our Substack (link in comments) for more insights on hiring top AI talent. #AIJobs #Hiring #AIRecruiting #TechnicalHiring #MLRoles #HireEngineers #FutureOfWork

?? Human & AI – The Modern Era of Hiring & Talent Management ?? Had an insightful conversation at Amazon Web Services (AWS) Gen AI with Geri Markey, SPHR & Alireza Boloorchi, PhD about how AI is reshaping hiring, performance management, and the future of work. Here are the key takeaways: ?? AI-Powered Hiring: More AI capabilities will enhance sourcing, screening, and candidate communication—making the process faster and more efficient. ?? AI in Performance Management: Feedback should be timely and ongoing (think Radical Candor), yet most companies still do performance reviews only 1-2 times a year. Imagine AI-driven sentiment analysis on Slack, emails, and video calls providing real-time coaching to help employees improve continuously. That’s the future. ?? Agentic AIs Managing Agentic AIs: Some companies already have AI agents performing tasks—but now, they’re also building AI agents that manage other AI agents. ?? ?? AI & Humans Side by Side: The future of work will involve humans and AI agents collaborating. AI Agents, just like humans, will need to be evaluated, managed, and empowered. This shift requires rethinking company structures & HR systems. ?? Still Early Days: Despite the buzz, AI-driven recruiting and talent management tools are still in their infancy—with massive room for improvement. ?? The takeaway? AI is revolutionizing hiring and talent management, but we are just getting started. Companies that embrace these changes early will have a competitive edge. ?? It was great reconnecting with Tatyana Mamut, PhD & Zoe Vatanparast and meeting Sydney Levin, Lauren Dickinson, Sahar Alizadeh, Misty Dodd, Samy Movassaghi, PhD, Fanni Gabor, and many more! ?? Follow Yasi Baiani for more insights on AI & the future of work. ?? Reshare if you found this valuable! #FutureOfWork #AgenticAI #AIinHR #GenAI #TalentManagement Raya