My Take: Why Sales Is the Real Job (Even If You Hate Sales) — with Julia Arpag
Fri Feb 06 2026
I’m saying the quiet part out loud: if you don’t build your sales muscle, growth stalls - no matter how talented you are. In this episode, Julia Arpag, CEO and Founder of Aligned Recruitment, shares with me how she went from five weeks postpartum and laid off to building a seven-figure tech recruitment firm by treating selling as service, investing early in mentorship, and using LinkedIn + networking like a real funnel.
Julia’s journey began in August 2023 when she was unexpectedly laid off while on maternity leave. What could have been a destabilizing moment became the catalyst for something extraordinary. While briefly accepting a W-2 role, she started selling for a friend’s startup recruitment venture on the side. Within months, she closed three retainer clients. That early traction forced a pivotal decision: continue playing it safe, or step fully into entrepreneurship despite fears around sales, taxes, and “not knowing enough.” She chose the leap.
Rather than trying to figure everything out alone, Julia invested her earliest earnings into mentorship by hiring an executive coach who had sold a recruitment agency for $28 million, a LinkedIn writing coach, and systems experts. Inspired by Carol Dweck’s Mindset and the philosophy of “Who Not How,” she built her sales muscle, reframed selling as service, and adopted a growth mindset that became foundational to Aligned Recruitment’s rapid success. She reminds us that for women entrepreneurs especially, seeking support is often the difference between staying small and scaling meaningfully.
We also explored Julia’s tactical wisdom as a recruiter, including why job seekers should treat their search like a sales funnel, how to optimize LinkedIn to be discovered, and why networking consistently outperforms cold online applications. At a deeper level, Julia challenges the idea that business success must come at the cost of personal well-being. Her philosophy is clear: build a business around your life, not the other way around.
This conversation is a powerful reminder for all of us that profitability, purpose, and peace can coexist. Tune in to hear my conversation with Julia Arpag and how she is redefining what it looks like for women to lead, sell, and scale without losing themselves in the process.
Chapters: 01:12 👩💼 Meet Julia Arpag Founder and CEO of Aligned Recruitment 02:34 🚀 Turn a Layoff Into a Launch Plan After Maternity Leave 07:32 📈 Smart Strategies for Scaling a Recruitment Firm Fast 16:12 🤝 Sales Skills and Mentorship Change Everything for Women Founders 22:51 🔎 How Recruiters Really Search for Candidates 23:32 💼 Make Your LinkedIn Profile Work for You 24:50 ☕ Networking Tactics That Beat Online Applications 26:59 🌍 How Values Driven Tech Companies Hire Diverse Talent 36:59 ⚖️ Build a Business That Supports Your Life and Family
Links:
Website: www.alignedrecruitment.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-arpag Connect with Julia on LinkedIn and explore Aligned Recruitment’s website to learn how values-based leadership and smart hiring strategies can transform the way you build teams and careers.
Thank you to our podcast sponsor
Go From Expert to Thought Leader with the Genius Discovery Program.
Book Directly with Kent: http://talktokent.com
Learn more at: geniusdiscovery.org
We're always seeking aligned sponsors.⭐️ If you're interested in supporting our podcast - one episode or a season, reach out to Adrienne at Adrienne@sheleadsmedia.com.⭐️
Reach out to Adrienne: hello@sheleadsmedia.com
Visit our website: www.sheleadsmedia.com to learn about upcoming events or to work with me directly and get the clarity you’re seeking.
"I love ♥️ listening to The She Leads™ Podcast!” If that thought crossed your mind at any time while listening to our special show, I’d love it if you would take a moment and give our podcast some love too. To do so, simply Rate, Review & Follow Us on Apple Podcasts & Spotify. Taking this simple action helps my team and I to spread the word about all the incredible guests featured on The She Leads Podcast and contributes overall to helping women leaders and entrepreneurs everywhere! 🗺 Also, if you haven’t done so already, please +follow the podcast so you never miss an episode. Thank you so much!!
— Adrienne
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I’m saying the quiet part out loud: if you don’t build your sales muscle, growth stalls - no matter how talented you are. In this episode, Julia Arpag, CEO and Founder of Aligned Recruitment, shares with me how she went from five weeks postpartum and laid off to building a seven-figure tech recruitment firm by treating selling as service, investing early in mentorship, and using LinkedIn + networking like a real funnel. Julia’s journey began in August 2023 when she was unexpectedly laid off while on maternity leave. What could have been a destabilizing moment became the catalyst for something extraordinary. While briefly accepting a W-2 role, she started selling for a friend’s startup recruitment venture on the side. Within months, she closed three retainer clients. That early traction forced a pivotal decision: continue playing it safe, or step fully into entrepreneurship despite fears around sales, taxes, and “not knowing enough.” She chose the leap. Rather than trying to figure everything out alone, Julia invested her earliest earnings into mentorship by hiring an executive coach who had sold a recruitment agency for $28 million, a LinkedIn writing coach, and systems experts. Inspired by Carol Dweck’s Mindset and the philosophy of “Who Not How,” she built her sales muscle, reframed selling as service, and adopted a growth mindset that became foundational to Aligned Recruitment’s rapid success. She reminds us that for women entrepreneurs especially, seeking support is often the difference between staying small and scaling meaningfully. We also explored Julia’s tactical wisdom as a recruiter, including why job seekers should treat their search like a sales funnel, how to optimize LinkedIn to be discovered, and why networking consistently outperforms cold online applications. At a deeper level, Julia challenges the idea that business success must come at the cost of personal well-being. Her philosophy is clear: build a business around your life, not the other way around. This conversation is a powerful reminder for all of us that profitability, purpose, and peace can coexist. Tune in to hear my conversation with Julia Arpag and how she is redefining what it looks like for women to lead, sell, and scale without losing themselves in the process. Chapters: 01:12 👩💼 Meet Julia Arpag Founder and CEO of Aligned Recruitment 02:34 🚀 Turn a Layoff Into a Launch Plan After Maternity Leave 07:32 📈 Smart Strategies for Scaling a Recruitment Firm Fast 16:12 🤝 Sales Skills and Mentorship Change Everything for Women Founders 22:51 🔎 How Recruiters Really Search for Candidates 23:32 💼 Make Your LinkedIn Profile Work for You 24:50 ☕ Networking Tactics That Beat Online Applications 26:59 🌍 How Values Driven Tech Companies Hire Diverse Talent 36:59 ⚖️ Build a Business That Supports Your Life and Family Links: Website: www.alignedrecruitment.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-arpag Connect with Julia on LinkedIn and explore Aligned Recruitment’s website to learn how values-based leadership and smart hiring strategies can transform the way you build teams and careers. Thank you to our podcast sponsor Go From Expert to Thought Leader with the Genius Discovery Program. Book Directly with Kent: http://talktokent.com Learn more at: geniusdiscovery.org We're always seeking aligned sponsors.⭐️ If you're interested in supporting our podcast - one episode or a season, reach out to Adrienne at Adrienne@sheleadsmedia.com.⭐️ Reach out to Adrienne: hello@sheleadsmedia.com Visit our website: www.sheleadsmedia.com to learn about upcoming events or to work with me directly and get the clarity you’re seeking. "I love ♥️ listening to The She Leads™ Podcast!” If that thought crossed your mind at any time while listening to our special show, I’d love it if you would take a moment and give our podcast some love too. To do so, simply Rate, Review & Follow Us on Apple Podcasts & Spotify. Taking this simple action helps my team and I to spread the word about all the incredible guests featured on The She Leads Podcast and contributes overall to helping women leaders and entrepreneurs everywhere! 🗺 Also, if you haven’t done so already, please +follow the podcast so you never miss an episode. Thank you so much!! — Adrienne