The Recruiter Who Looked Beyond the Resume

Could the most powerful sales skill have nothing to do with persuasion and everything to do with seeing someone's potential before they can see it themselves?In this episode of Sell by Being Human, Alex Smith sits down with Maximos Lih, a former Google recruiter, Google Ventures coach, and founder of Emboldened LLC. Maximos has helped scale everything from early-stage startups (including Uber in its 50-person days) to top executives navigating high-stakes change. But his most powerful lessons in connection didn't come from Silicon Valley. They came from his grandfather, a general in the Chinese army who took in orphans during a civil war and taught Maximos that success isn't about forcing change. It's about being the eyes and ears for someone else's potential.Maximos shares how he learned to look past résumés and "no's" to see what others missed, first as a recruiter, then as a coach to founders afraid of failing their teams. He talks about why anxiety is the real enemy of change, why unsolicited advice kills trust, and why the best salespeople don't try to change someone's mind. They change the emotional atmosphere in the room.From his grandfather's quiet acts of humanity to late-night conversations with strangers on airplanes, Maximos's story is a powerful reminder: sell by being human. Lower the anxiety first. The rest follows.Key TakeawaysPeople embrace change faster when anxiety is reduced firstGreat recruiters and coaches look beyond resumes and surface-level performanceHuman connection begins when people feel seen, heard, and understoodCuriosity creates stronger relationships than authority or expertise aloneThe best leaders collaborate with people instead of forcing decisions onto themUnsolicited advice often creates resistance, even when intentions are goodHelping someone clarify what they truly value leads to better decisionsTrust grows when people feel emotionally safe enough to be transparentLeadership is less about giving answers and more about asking better questionsReal influence comes from helping people arrive at their own conclusions In This Episode:[00:00] Intro[00:01] Meet Maximos Lee[01:00] From Google and Uber to executive coaching[01:34] Maximos ’ family story and his grandfather’s legacy[02:29] What “sell by being human” means to Maximos [05:11] Growing up surrounded by change and adaptation[09:42] Why people need others to become their “eyes and ears”[11:01] Looking beyond resumes and recognizing hidden potential[17:00] Hope, opportunity, and helping the next generation[18:10] Why people resist the idea of “selling”[19:01] Skills that help people connect and create change[20:48] Lowering anxiety before leading change[22:59] Why people need to feel seen and understood[23:25] Coaching versus advising: understanding what people truly need[24:41] Helping clients feel safe enough to be transparent[30:33] Asking values based questions instead of surface level questions[31:06] Coaching startup founders through identity and change[36:18] Interrupting patterns and helping leaders think differently[37:14] Helping founders make difficult decisions without fear[39:30] Fear, identity, and decision making under pressure[41:13] Collaborative leadership instead of forcing solutions[42:19] Helping people arrive at their own decisions[44:39] The danger of unsolicited advice[48:44] Why expertise alone does not build trust[50:44] What makes Maximos totally Maximos?[52:54] Connecting deeply with strangers and seeing humanity everywhere[56:01] Random conversations, empathy, and human connection[56:50] Where to find and connect with Maximos [56:54] Closing Our GuestMaximos Lih is the founder of Emboldened LLC, an executive coach who works with small teams and leaders to scale without losing their edge. He previously worked as a technical recruiter at Google, a coach at Google Ventures (helping founders scale from startup to scale-up), and watched Uber grow from 50 people to hundreds. His approach blends Silicon Valley pragmatism with a deeply human philosophy inherited from his grandfather — a Chinese general who taught him that real influence isn’t about control, but about seeing people fully.Resources and LinksSell by Being HumanLinkMaximos LihLinkedInEmboldened LLCAlex SmithWebsiteLinkedIn