Hoppier Leadership Spotlight Series - Danika Chilibeck

Hoppier Leadership Spotlight Series: Featuring Danika Chilibeck, Co-Founder & CEO of Bahia.ai

At Hoppier, we love celebrating the leaders shaping the future of work — the ones building people-first cultures, thinking differently about growth, and inspiring us to be better teammates and founders.

For our first feature in the Hoppier Leadership Spotlight Series, we sat down with Danika Chilibeck, Co-Founder and CEO of Bahia.ai. Danika is on a mission to make hiring radically more efficient — fast, founder-friendly and human. She blends radical candor with operational brilliance, and she’s not afraid to challenge outdated playbooks. Her leadership style? Unfiltered, practical, and deeply people-focused.

🧠 Leadership & Purpose

What inspired you to start your current company?

I’ve always been obsessed with productivity and efficiency — especially when it comes to hiring. In past roles at high-growth tech companies, I saw firsthand how slow and expensive recruitment could be. The traditional playbook just didn’t make sense for lean, fast-moving teams. I started Bahia to build a better way — one that’s faster, smarter, and founder-friendly. On a personal level, I also wanted more control over my outcomes — and building a company was the most direct way to do that.

What’s the mission that drives your work today?
At Bahia, our mission is to help fast-growing startups find the right people faster. That means helping amazing people find amazing jobs — and doing it way more efficiently than the status quo.

How do you define great leadership in today’s workplace?
Great leadership means seeing people’s strengths and giving them the chance to thrive. Instead of focusing on what someone lacks, I believe in doubling down on what they’re great at — and aligning those strengths with opportunities where they can have the biggest impact.

🌱 Team & Culture

What do you do to build connection and culture on your team?
For me, it’s all about recognizing the small things. People often think recognition needs to be big or public. But the moments that stuck with me most as an employee were the small, frequent acknowledgments — when someone noticed the little things I did and took the time to appreciate them personally.

How do you keep your team engaged and motivated — especially remotely?
We share everything we’re working on and celebrating — openly. I believe in setting mini-goals, like in fitness. Constantly hitting milestones and seeing progress builds momentum. When everyone sees the wins — big and small — they feel like they’re part of something that’s moving forward every day.

What’s one small perk or ritual that’s made a big impact?

For us, it’s giving everyone the flexibility to work where they do their best — whether that’s at home, a coffee shop, or anywhere in between. As long as the work gets done, we trust our team to own their time. We also prioritize connection: we use Hoppier lunch vouchers for virtual team lunches and make a point to meet in person every few months to stay aligned and energized.

💡 Lessons & Insights

What’s a hard lesson you’ve learned as a leader?
If someone’s underperforming, you have to give clear, honest feedback — early and often. One framework I use is OIA: Observation, Impact, and Action. It keeps feedback objective, actionable, and unemotional. I’ve learned that most terminations happen too quickly or without giving people a fair chance. That’s a mistake I won’t repeat.

What advice would you give to someone building a more people-first culture?
Treat people how you want to be treated — not how they treat you. That’s a mindset shift. Just because someone isn’t warm or expressive doesn’t mean you shouldn’t show up with kindness, appreciation, or clarity. Long-term, that approach builds trust and culture far more than any formal policy.

What’s something more companies should be doing for their people — but aren’t yet?
Be transparent. So many employees don’t have a clue how their company is actually doing — financially or strategically. It’s a missed opportunity. When people understand the bigger picture, they feel more ownership and meaning in their work.

⚡ Personal & Growth

What’s one habit you can’t live without?
I shower twice a day — it helps me start fresh in the morning and unwind at night. I also try to move outside for 45 minutes every day. No matter how busy I get, it's a non-negotiable to stay focused and calm.

What’s your favorite way to reward yourself or your team after a big win?
Dinner and drinks are always fun, but honestly — time off is the real reward. After a sprint, I encourage everyone to take time off, go recharge, and come back fresh. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

What’s something people are surprised to learn about you?
I’m an open book — I tend to think out loud and share what’s on my mind. It creates space for honest conversations and deeper connections, which I’ve found builds trust and clarity in fast-paced teams.

🔗 Want to connect?

Check out Bahia.ai to learn more about Danika’s work, or follow her on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this interview, stay tuned for more from the Hoppier Leadership Spotlight Series — where we highlight the people building the future of work