What if your next leap in growth isn’t about working harder—but about hiring differently? In this conversation, Kasim Aslam (co-founder of Pareto Talent; founder of the Google Ads agency Solutions 8, sold in 2022) breaks down a principled, repeatable way to hire extraordinary international talent. We cover why opportunity (not charity) creates the biggest wins, how to pay more to get more from true peak performers, and why making your application process hard is the kindest way to find the right people for the role—and for you.
Key Takeaways
Hire for miracles, not commodities. Treat people as high-potential partners and delegate outcomes (projects), not tasks—you’ll unlock non-linear output from Pareto-level contributors.
Your job post is a sales letter. Top talent selects you based on a compelling offer: fair-above-market pay, flexibility, and respect. Design the role to attract winners.
Pay above the top of market—then expect 3×–100× impact. “Pay more to get more” works when you place a peak performer in the right seat and give authorship.
Harden the funnel to reveal the few. Clear-follow-the-instructions steps, distribution across multiple channels, and paid trial projects surface the one extraordinary hire out of hundreds or even a thousand.
Start with inbox + calendar. Offloading communication first frees deep work time and helps an EA quickly learn your voice and priorities.
Reflection Questions
Where is my current hiring process optimizing for convenience instead of excellence, and what’s one step I can “harden” this week?
If I paid 10% above the high watermark for the right person, what specific outcomes would make that an easy decision in the next 90 days?
Guest Contact — Kasim Aslam
Website/Hub: kasim.me (links to newsletter, book, speaking, mastermind)
Recruiting Agency: ParetoTalent.com (elite executive assistants)
Free Hiring Playbook: TheHireBook.com (book + checklists/templates)
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kasimaslam
X (Twitter): @kasimaslam
