The internet was full of Sam Altman and Zuck trading allegations. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said that Meta had offered his employees bonuses of $100 million to recruit them. This amount is for people working at the cutting edge of AI. Meta paid $14. 3 billion in data-labeling startup Scale AI, and hired its top boss, Alexandr Wang, to lead its new superintelligence team.
Courting top talent is what makes or breaks organizations. Growing your own talent is a smarter strategy but when it comes to hiring one of the handful of nerds who can make or break your business model, the purse strings loosen up.
I wrote about two sectors that also pay the big bucks to acquire top talent. Read about it here
https://abhijitbhaduri. substack. com/
Watch Ratatouille Again After Reading This
Career shaping ideas from a RAT!
I am such a sucker for movies about underdogswinning
Ratatouille is a traditional French vegetable stew—simple, rustic, and often underestimated, much like the film’s unlikely hero, a rat named Remy who dreams of becoming a chef. The title is both literal and symbolic: it refers to the dish Remy masterfully reinvents, proving that greatness can come from the most unexpected places. At its heart, the movie is a celebration of hidden talent, creative passion, and the courage to pursue your calling—even when the world says you don’t belong. I am just a sucker for stories about underdogs.
For me this was a movie about career identity. The most misunderstood line in the film is, what the great Chef Gusteau book says, “Anyone can cook”. What is unsaid is that not everyone will be a chef. This is where the $100 million dollar sign on bonus comes into play.
Did you know that in the film Ratatouille, Pixar’s legendary attention to detail comes through.
Every dish in the movie was created and styled by real chefs. Pixar animators were trained at a real culinary school to understand technique and authenticity. A powerful example of learning by immersion—the best way to learn a new craft from a practitioner’s point of view.
The name of the critic and the shape of his typewriter have hidden symbols. Read about it here https://abhijitbhaduri. com/2025/07/02/ratatouille-unlikely-lessons-in-career-identity/
Photos from my Peru Trip
Here is what you see in the photos
Machu Picchu – the stone structures use no mortar. You can’t slip a credit card between the stones. Peruvians LOVE colors. Their clothes are SO colorful. I got tempted. Those are llamas – but the cuties are the alpacas. She had one of the most memorable faces I saw. That’s how breakfast (fruits and oats) was served. Plan to go around 21st June. The whole week is full of celebrations. Peru art and handicrafts are also so colorfulAnd their clothesThe graffiti and street art was lovely.
Coming soon…
Micro Management vs Micro Understanding – Indra Nooyi explains
When Indra Nooyi took over as the CEO of PepsiCo, a company that I have always loved, there was lots that one learned by observing her in meetings and reviews. She would read and make notes in multiple places of the fat binders we had prepared. I had asked her, “Do you ACTUALLY read all the pages?”
“Yes, because the buck stops with me,” said Indra Nooyi. Here is a fabulously structured chat with Indra. Terrific stuff. Don’t just listen, take notes.
About a certain newsletter on Substack
If you’ve been enjoying these reflections and insights here, I’ve got something a little deeper cooking elsewhere.
On my Substack newsletter https://abhijitbhaduri. substack. com/ I will share extended essays, behind-the-scenes ideas, and experiments I’m not yet ready to post publicly. It’s where I test the edges of what’s next in work, talent, creativity, and life.
If you’d like to support my writing and go further with me on this journey, consider subscribing to the paid newsletter on Substack. Think of it as buying me a coffee each month
Here’s the link to join the inner circle https://tinyurl. com/2zup57d9
Your support means the world—and helps me keep creating work that matters.
