Success is a map. Turning points are the territory.
Jordan DiPietro
May 22, 2025
Good morning —
While I Was Writing Today’s Signal // Noise:
Hermanos Gutiérrez - Tiny Desk: Two brothers, part Spaghetti Western, part hypnotic, cinematic, and smooth. No vocals, no filler. Is there anything better than tiny desk?
From sound to signal—let’s get this baby rolling with what’s on my mind this week…
// The Signal
Our brains are made to be efficiency machines— we freeze-frame people into neat snapshots so we can make calls, multi-task, and move on to the next thing.
We make judgements, all the time, in a matter of milliseconds…
The 24-year-old new grad hustling in customer success.
The first-time-mom marketing manager trying to nail campaigns and nap schedules.
The CPG founder fresh off a seed raise.
We tag them by where they are and sometimes forget to ask how they got there.
Stephen Schwarzman, CEO of Blackstone, nails this in a way I really love:
“Every entrepreneur knows the feeling: that moment of despair when the only thing you are aware of is the giant gap between where you find yourself and the life and business you imagine.
Once you succeed, people see only the success. If you fail, they see only the failure. Rarely do they see the turning points that could have taken you in a completely different direction. But it’s at these inflection points that the most important lessons in business and life are learned.”
Success and failure are the headlines; but the space between them—the pivots, near-misses, the quiet breakthroughs— that’s the full article where the real insights live.
We miss this everywhere, but especially when it comes to hiring.
A résumé lists highlight reels. LinkedIn puts a spotlight on the glitz.
But neither shows you how someone handles the messy middle of life, when things fail, bomb, or just miss expectations.
When we only filter for pedigree/experience or a spotless career arc, we swap depth for gloss and overlook the one trait that predicts whether a hire will thrive when plans inevitably combust: their ability to navigate inflection points.
If you’re a leader and want to hire better? Find the gritty moments:
“Tell me about a time you almost quit—what kept you in the game?”
“What’s a decision that could have gone either way for you? How’d you make the call?”
“What’s a failure that still stings? Tell me about it.”
Those stories surface resilience, judgment, adaptability—the real shit that matters in an early-stage team.
So next time you’re across the table from a candidate (or bumping into someone at a conference), remember: you’re holding a single page.
The magic—and the signal—lives in the turning-point stories you haven’t heard yet.
➕ I’ve been wrapping up a tactical 9-page report called The Early Team Playbook: Hiring for Impact, Not Volume. It breaks down the exact questions I use, the traits I look for, and how to avoid the kind of hires that stall momentum. I’ll send it out in a few days—stay tuned.
🔖 The Blog Round
Thinking about creatine? Or just trying to nod along with the guy wearing a mesh tank at the gym? Either way, here's your no-BS Creatine 101 primer:
Why people take it (i swear it's not just for gym bros)
Which brands are legit (and which aren’t)
What actually matters—and what to ignore
A must-read if you've ever Googled "should I take creatine?"
🥨 A few Jawns to Check Out
📕 Great post | Why targeting an ICP brings 10x more customers than you expected. Jason Cohen lays out how focusing on a well-defined Ideal Customer Profile doesn't limit your market—it amplifies it. By tailoring your messaging to resonate deeply with your perfect customer, you naturally attract a broader audience who identify with those same needs and values. Check it out.
🎧 Sweet pod | The Secret Power of Siblings. Killer episode from The Daily on how your brothers and sisters mess you up (and make you who you are). Fast-moving, sharp, and more emotional than expected. Check it out.
💭 Mind matter | The Rise of the Millionaire Class. The U.S. now has over 24 million millionaires—about 1 in every 14 Americans. Sounds great, right? From my crew at The Hustle (shout-out, Mark), this piece breaks down how we got here: part asset inflation, part mindset, and part myth. Check it out.
Was this helpful? Relevant? Totally off-base?
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Hope everyone has a great weekend.
And until next time, thanks for reading.
Jordan