Basic Info
- Location: Travels between offices (Dallas, Houston, California)
- Role: Hiring Manager/Recruiter at Pacifico
- Company: Pacifico (Energy and Aviation divisions)
- Met: Through job application process for Applied AI Solutions Engineer role
- Travel Pattern: Recently visited family in Houston for Thanksgiving
Professional Background
- Works for Pacifico, a company with energy and aviation divisions
- Involved in hiring for technical roles, specifically Applied AI positions
- Coordinates between multiple office locations:
- California (where CEO/Owner Nate and COO Kevin are based)
- Dallas office (opened for large Texas projects in development)
- Houston (aviation company location)
- Florida (additional aviation location)
- Part of a "very small company" looking to build from ground floor
- Working on hiring timeline of end Q4 2024/early Q1 2025
Company Context - Pacifico
Structure
- CEO/Owner: Nate (based in California)
- COO: Kevin (based in California)
- Divisions: Pacifico Energy, Aviation company
- Office Locations: California, Dallas, Houston, Florida
- Size: Very small company, looking for ground floor talent
Current Hiring Needs
- Applied AI Solutions Engineer (one person initially)
- Role involves building things out and eventually growing a team
- Focus on deal origination, diligence AI, and various AI applications
- Remote-friendly but preference for hybrid schedule near California office
- Expects significant travel (monthly or quarterly) between offices
Interaction History
Job Interview (2025-12-01)
- Conducted video interview with Gary for Applied AI Solutions Engineer role
- Discussed Gary's background at Google, Civics Unplugged, and recent AI consulting work
- Explored Gary's approach to learning new businesses and implementing AI solutions
- Questioned about his current consulting projects (brand validation system for major corporation)
- Discussed location flexibility (Gary in Austin, company spread across multiple states)
- Mentioned next steps: potential meeting with COO Kevin on Wednesday in Austin
- Timeline: Looking to hire by end of Q4 or early Q1
Communication Style & Observations
- Professional but conversational approach
- Apologetic about being late ("sorry, again, for being a little late")
- Thorough in exploring candidate's background and motivations
- Interested in practical examples and specific project details
- Values execution and self-motivation ("being the one person, so you're not being micromanaged")
- Acknowledges challenges ("Crazy Monday, but that's how it goes")
Key Quotes & Insights
- "We're small, we're a very small company, and this would be just a ground floor person"
- "It'll be some grinding, not the gauntlet grinding, you know, those hours, but definitely, you know, delivering"
- "It really just relies, you know, on your motivation and, you know, being, not having someone over you"
- "We want to hire end of Q4. I'd say that, or early Q1. So we are looking to hire someone soon"
Interview Process Details
Questions Asked
- Why Gary left Google
- Details about Civics Unplugged and technical involvement
- Experience with Alpha School and why he left
- How he would learn different businesses at Pacifico
- Approach to deployment and compliance
- Current consulting projects and details
- Location preferences and flexibility
Next Steps Outlined
- Discussion with Kevin (COO) - potentially Wednesday in Austin
- Conversations with owner (Nate)
- Meeting with someone from aviation company
- Possible additional projects as part of interview process
- Decision timeline: End of Q4 2024 or early Q1 2025
Potential Collaboration Areas
- Gary as Applied AI Solutions Engineer for Pacifico
- Building AI systems for energy and aviation divisions
- Creating MVPs and public-facing products
- Establishing AI practices within a small, growing company
- Eventually growing and leading a technical team
Notes & Observations
- Careful about team dynamics (initially questioned about Gary's business partner joining call)
- Values one-on-one interactions for hiring conversations
- Practical about travel requirements but flexible on remote work
- Interested in candidates who can handle ambiguity and self-direct
- Looking for someone who can build relationships across different divisions
- Emphasizes execution and delivery over micromanagement
Transcripts