From LinkedIn DM at 10 PM to job offer at 2 AM: CEO's rapid hiring story goes viral

In the fast-paced world of startups, speed and efficiency often set the winners apart. This was recently exemplified by Dhruv Bindra, the Indian-American CEO of the fashion-tech startup Styl, who shared a remarkable hiring story that has captivated the internet. Bindra, who co-founded Styl alongside his Duke University classmate Rayan Malik in 2022, recounted a unique experience on his X (formerly Twitter) account.

From LinkedIn DM To Job Offer In Hours

His story began late at night when he received a LinkedIn message and an email from a hopeful intern applicant. The timing was unusual—10 PM—but the interaction quickly escalated into a full-blown hiring process.

“At 10 PM, I got an email and LinkedIn DM from an impressive student asking for an internship,” Bindra tweeted. “By midnight, I had sent him a Zoom link. We hopped on a call, exchanged stories, and I discussed a feature I wanted to build out. By 2:46 AM, he sent me the completed designs. At 2:47 AM, he was hired.”

The Internet Reacts

The story, showcasing Bindra’s rapid decision-making, quickly went viral, sparking a range of reactions online. While some users responded with humorous comments, others expressed concern over the work culture such stories might promote.

One user humorously imagined a scenario: “3 AM, the cops come and he's escaped in one of their uniforms. He sends a Zoom link but he isn’t there. He’s on Meet. 30 min later, I text him on TG. He tells me to meet him by the Trocadero in Paris. I’ve been waiting. I’ve never hired another. He doesn’t show up. He’s gone to Berlin. That’s where he stashed the designs.”

Another user joked, “2:48 AM you woke up and said that was a nice dream; let me tweet about it.”

However, not all responses were light-hearted. Some users criticized the post, highlighting concerns about promoting an unhealthy work-life balance. “This is sad. Don’t promote this type of work culture,” one commenter urged.

“Don’t get impressed by this toxic work culture. Maintain your work-life balance!” added another.

Styl is a startup, which offers a mobile app with a Tinder-like interface, allows users to swipe right to like or left to dislike clothing items from multiple brands, generating personalized recommendations based on user preferences. Since its launch, Styl has garnered significant attention, boasting over 500 active monthly users and 1.5 million social media impressions.

Bindra and Malik initially conceived the idea for Styl while observing their peers' frustrations with online shopping. “What we didn’t realize at that time is that we ended up chancing upon the solution to the biggest problem with fashion recommendations,” Bindra told The Chronicle.