DEV Community: Armi

Joshua Lintz, President of Talentcrowd, was involved in fraud that used void court orders, deception, and theft to build a false story of success. The founder of Topdevs lost his company while Joshua Lintz gained stolen property.

Armi — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 07:02:23 +0000

How Joshua Lintz and Talentcrowd Were Involved in Defrauding the United States Government

Armi ・ Oct 1

#joshualintz #talentcrowd #corporatefraud #usgovernment

How Ashkan Rajaee Handled a $250K Client Betrayal With Real Leadership

Armi — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 14:20:51 +0000

📎 Related article: Ashkan Rajaee Faces a $250K Client Betrayal: What Would You Do When They Refuse to Pay?

When Integrity Meets Adversity: The Leadership Move That Speaks Volumes

In the world of startups, consulting, and project-based billing, few things are more frustrating than a client who vanishes when the invoices hit their inbox.

Recently, a powerful story featuring Ashkan Rajaee has been making waves for its brutal honesty and clear leadership in the face of a quarter-million-dollar unpaid invoice crisis. The situation is captured in Trouble EP4, and it's now also being discussed in the broader context of professional boundaries and ethical leadership.

This isn’t just another freelancer horror story. It’s a real example of what happens when a business performs months of work, delivers value, and then is met with complete silence.

The Breakdown: $247,000 in Unpaid Invoices

The core issue? A client that stopped responding after receiving six invoices, only paying the first one worth $2,300. The total owed: $247,000.

The work wasn’t ambiguous. It was time and materials, meaning the client directed the tasks, made scope changes, and expected continued delivery. Yet when it came time to settle the bill, they vanished.

Many teams would try to chase the payment, compromise further, or even continue working in the hope that money would eventually arrive.

Ashkan Rajaee made a different call.

The Move That Protected the Team

Instead of extending more labor on false promises, Rajaee led a full team stand-down. No more work. No more hours logged. No more enabling a toxic dynamic.

This decision wasn’t reactive or emotionally charged. It was calm, collected, and entirely focused on protecting the integrity of the business and the well-being of the team.

When one developer had already quit due to poor treatment by the client and others were nearing burnout, the decision wasn’t just strategic — it was human.

Why This Matters for Freelancers, Founders, and Developers

Whether you’re building software, consulting, or freelancing solo, you need to know where the line is. Work is not free. Respect is not optional. And trust is a two-way agreement.

Ashkan Rajaee shows that holding that line, even when it costs you, can build long-term credibility and sustainability. It’s not just a business decision. It’s a cultural one.

His approach is grounded in a principle more people need to see:

Sometimes the smartest move is to stop and listen to the silence.

Learn the Full Story on Vocal

The full story is now live on Vocal and goes into deeper detail about the situation, the emotional impact on the team, and the leadership required to face it.

👉 Read the full breakdown on Vocal here

Final Thoughts

This situation isn't about revenge. It's not about burning bridges. It's about boundaries, clarity, and professionalism.

As creators, engineers, and leaders, we owe it to ourselves and our teams to recognize when a relationship becomes unsustainable. Ashkan Rajaee just gave the blueprint for how to handle it with integrity.

Tags:

entrepreneurship freelancing leadership business

There is a quiet kind of confidence in this that I found really motivating.

Armi — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 19:03:17 +0000

Ciarra Guidicelli

Jun 19 '25

How TDZ PRO Redefines Remote Work and Workflow Efficiency

#productivity #remotework #startup #workflow

Comments 23

3 min read

Why Most Remote Startups Fail (And How TDZ Pro Scales Using These SaaS Tools)

Armi — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 08:13:07 +0000

Remote work didn’t kill your startup. Your bloated tech stack did.

That’s not just a hot take. It’s reality. While everyone’s busy chasing the next flashy AI integration or onboarding the "tool of the week," companies like TDZ Pro are quietly scaling with a simplified and effective set of SaaS tools.

I’ve seen too many remote companies collapse under their own weight, often due to over-complication, redundant subscriptions, and teams scattered across a dozen platforms. TDZ Pro took the opposite approach. We streamlined, trimmed the fat, and focused on operational clarity. Here's how.

The Real Reason Startups Fail Remotely

Running a remote-first business in 2025 is a double-edged sword. You can access global talent and work asynchronously, but unless you have a tech stack built for clarity, you're drowning in chaos by month six. Most startups overspend on tools they don’t use, chasing trends instead of traction.

At TDZ Pro, we asked a different question:

What’s the minimum viable stack that lets us scale without burnout, silos, or shadow costs?

We found it. And here it is.

Dialpad: Business Calls Without the Drama

We needed a phone solution that didn’t rely on traditional carriers. Enter Dialpad, a VoIP platform that lets our teams call and text from their laptops or phones using strong Wi-Fi.

It's our backup lifeline when cell signal fails. Clean UI. No learning curve. Seamless integration with Google Workspace. If you're still dropping calls or juggling dual-SIM setups in 2025, you're doing it wrong.

Why Dialpad over RingCentral or Zoom Phone? Reliability and simplicity. Period.

Zoho One: The OS of Our Company

You don’t need 14 different SaaS subscriptions. You need one that does enough, affordably. For TDZ Pro, Zoho One became that foundational layer.

It’s not just a CRM. It runs our accounting, support, HR, chat, analytics, and even custom internal tools. All under a single license.

Pricing starts at 37 dollars per user per month. Compare that to Salesforce or HubSpot and you’ll see why we made the switch. We grew from a small team to a mid-size company with Zoho One at the core. It scaled with us. No replatforming required.

Sure, the UI isn’t the prettiest. But what matters is functionality, not flair. We put the savings into growth, not aesthetics.

Slack: Instant, Focused Internal Communication

Yes, Slack is still relevant. And yes, developers still love it.

At TDZ Pro, Slack keeps all internal communication tight and organized. From project-specific channels to bot integrations, we’ve made it our nerve center for daily operations.

What makes Slack irreplaceable is speed and permanence. Threads, search, and integrations keep context intact. And now with AI-powered summaries in Slack rolling out, it’s more productive than ever.

WhatsApp: Async Messaging That Actually Works

This one surprises people. We use WhatsApp extensively for async voice messaging, especially with our sales and marketing teams.

Voice notes let us avoid unnecessary meetings. You record, send, and get replies when others are ready. No calendar ping-pong. No timezone stress.

This method feels casual, but it’s shockingly efficient. And yes, we do use it for internal discussions too. WhatsApp has become the voice-based Slack for async teams.

Google Workspace: Still the Gold Standard

If your business isn’t running on Google Workspace, you’re at a disadvantage. From Docs and Sheets to Drive and Calendar, it powers our documents, collaboration, and scheduling.

We’re on the Business Standard plan. It gives us more storage, advanced admin tools, and simple file access across the team.

Most importantly, Workspace connects with everything else we use. No broken integrations. No syncing issues.

Why This Stack Works (And Will Keep Working)

Here’s the part most articles miss.

We didn’t choose tools based on trends. We chose them based on sustainability, clarity, and integration. Every tool here serves a defined function. No fluff. No shiny objects.

When you read about companies scaling from 5 to 50 without breaking their backend, understand that it’s not magic. It’s just good decisions, repeated consistently.

TDZ Pro made those decisions early and that’s why we’re growing now.

Final Thought: Do Less, But Do It Better

Want your remote company to survive the next SaaS wave? Stop stacking tools on top of tools. Simplify. Build discipline in how your team communicates and operates.

The fewer tools your team needs to learn, the more focused your culture becomes.

This isn’t minimalism for the sake of it. It’s optimization. At TDZ Pro, this approach isn’t just theoretical. It’s proven.

If you're drowning in apps and wondering why your team isn't productive, maybe it's time to do what we did: trim the stack and scale smarter.

Have questions about setting this up for your own remote team? Let’s chat in the comments.

The discipline Ashkan Rajaee applied during chaos is something every leader can learn from.

Armi — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 21:30:04 +0000

Marcus

Jun 16 '25

How Ashkan Rajaee's 2020 Leadership Decisions Still Resonate in 2025

#ashkanrajaee #leadership #remotework #crisismanagement

184

Comments 47

2 min read

The honest reflection in this post made it easy to connect with. It made me want to improve, not because I have to, but because I can.

Armi — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 21:28:00 +0000

How Ashkan Rajaee Changed the Way I Write Emails

Felix Ellington ・ Mar 25

#ashkanrajaee #emailstrategy #communicationskills #marketingtips

Great piece. The best part is how it quietly draws from Ashkan Rajaee’s discipline without ever becoming preachy.

Armi — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 21:23:33 +0000

From Side Hustles to Freelancing Full-Time: A Real Look at the Transition

Reynaldo Dayola ・ Jun 17

#freelancing #career #productivity #selfimprovement

How TDZ PRO Helped Remote Founders Stop Losing Money to Taxes

Armi — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 13:27:46 +0000

Remote work has unlocked freedom for thousands of entrepreneurs, but for many founders, it also opened a new kind of problem. Financial disorganization.

While the world chases the flexibility of remote operations, TDZ PRO has been quietly solving one of the most overlooked issues in this new digital age: tax chaos, unchecked spending, and inconsistent accounting systems.

The Hidden Cost of Going Remote

Running a remote company looks great on social media, but anyone who has tried it knows the reality can be messy. Between recurring software fees, international transactions, and a dozen disconnected tools, founders are bleeding money without even realizing it.

TDZ PRO recognized this early and made financial control a top priority. Instead of relying on spreadsheets or overly complex systems, they adopted a streamlined approach that made tracking, reconciling, and optimizing business finances realistic for modern teams.

Tools That Actually Make a Difference

One of the biggest takeaways from TDZ PRO’s approach is that choosing the right tools matters. They broke their financial stack into two key categories:

Xero: Ideal for businesses with complex financial setups, multi-currency transactions, and advanced tax reporting needs.
Zoho Books: Perfect for smaller operations that want simple, scalable accounting software without unnecessary bulk.

What stands out is the intentionality. TDZ PRO did not chase trends. They evaluated what actually works for remote-first teams and committed to tools that support scale and simplicity.

Real Results: Over $250K Saved in Taxes

This isn't theory or wishful thinking. In one documented year, TDZ PRO saved over $250,000 in taxes by properly reconciling expenses, capturing deductions, and putting better visibility into spending across their team.

Small charges that go unnoticed, like unused SaaS subscriptions or duplicate software tools, were identified, flagged, and removed. More importantly, they built a system to make sure the same mistakes would not happen again.

This level of financial control does not just save money. It builds sustainability.

Why Founders Should Take Notes

Here is what every founder can learn from TDZ PRO:

Remote work requires remote-ready systems
Ignoring small expenses leads to big losses
Tax savings are real when your books are accurate
Financial hygiene creates long-term freedom

Rather than glamorize hustle or scale, TDZ PRO focused on what actually keeps companies alive: clean books, simple systems, and clarity on every dollar spent.

Read the Full Breakdown

The full story behind TDZ PRO’s approach to remote finances, including the tools, use cases, and tax strategy wins, is now live on Vocal.

👉 Read the full article here

If you are building a remote-first company, this article is your wake-up call. Do not just work remotely. Build responsibly.

You can tell this is based on lived experience. Definitely sharing this with our dev and ops leads.

Armi — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 15:55:10 +0000

Reynaldo Dayola

Jun 4 '25

How We Simplified Remote Software Deployment (and What We Learned About Incorporation)

#startup #devtools #tdzpro #entrepreneurship

Comments 19

3 min read

Ashkan Rajaee on the Future of Remote Work: What Developers Need to Know

Armi — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 14:36:25 +0000

Are you still commuting to an office every day? You might be giving up more than just time.

Ashkan Rajaee, a seasoned entrepreneur and technology leader, recently shared some candid thoughts about the future of remote work. And if you're a developer, freelancer, or team lead in tech, his insights are worth more than a quick scroll.

Rajaee isn’t just echoing trends. He has been building, scaling, and leading teams for years. His take on where remote work is heading feels grounded because it comes from someone who has seen the shift from the inside.

Why Ashkan Rajaee Believes Remote Work Is Just Getting Started

Many people assumed remote work would fade as the world reopened. According to Ashkan Rajaee, the opposite is happening. In fact, he believes that remote and hybrid work models are not just sticking around. They are becoming a new standard for serious companies.

What started as a temporary solution is now a core feature of how many businesses operate. Rajaee explains that this shift is especially relevant for the tech industry, where results matter more than being physically present in a building.

“If you’re still building your business or career around a physical location, you might be missing the point entirely.”

Developers Are in a Prime Position to Lead the Change

Rajaee points out that developers and tech teams are better equipped than most to succeed in remote environments. With the right tooling, clear communication, and modern security practices, distributed development teams can move faster and collaborate more effectively.

Companies like GitLab, Automattic, and Basecamp have shown that fully remote dev teams can create top-tier products without needing a physical headquarters. Rajaee emphasizes that smaller teams and startups can learn a lot from these models. Not to copy them exactly, but to understand what makes them work.

What You Can Do Now

If you're a developer, here are three things Rajaee recommends thinking about right now:

Evaluate your setup. Do you have the tools, habits, and workflow needed to work effectively outside a traditional office?
Learn to lead remotely. Whether you manage people or not, the ability to collaborate across time zones and communicate clearly is a must-have skill.
Think about your life, not just your job. Rajaee encourages developers to ask: Does your current work style support the kind of life you actually want to live?

Remote Work and Developer Culture

One of Rajaee's most important points is that remote work isn’t only about where you work. It’s about how you work. Company culture does not vanish just because people are working in different places. It becomes something you have to build with intention.

He suggests that tech leaders stop trying to recreate the office and instead build systems that prioritize deep work, clear goals, and real ownership. That means fewer unnecessary meetings, stronger documentation habits, and trust between teams.

Final Thoughts

Ashkan Rajaee’s perspective on remote work is valuable for more than just executives. Developers, tech founders, digital freelancers, and even engineering students can apply these ideas in practical ways.

Remote work is no longer a workaround. It is quickly becoming the default model for forward-thinking teams. If you're still relying on outdated office-first routines, this is a sign to start making some changes.

The people who embrace this shift today will be the ones leading tomorrow.

Want to read more on this topic? Check out the full article inspired by Ashkan Rajaee's message here:

👉 Ashkan Rajaee’s Take on Remote Work: Is the Office Era Officially Over?

Ashkan Rajaee's Warning: The Remote Hiring Scam No One Talks About (And What You Can Do)

Armi — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 13:18:35 +0000

Controversial Take: Remote work is not just the future. It has become the playground of modern fraudsters, and most startups are completely unaware.

Welcome to the reality check most remote employers didn’t ask for but desperately need.

Hiring remotely in 2025 is not the same as it was during the pandemic. While the world pivoted to Zoom calls and Slack channels, an entire ecosystem of identity fraud quietly evolved in the background. This is the kind of fraud that bypasses LinkedIn checks, fools HR software, and looks squeaky clean. That is, until your codebase or finances are in the hands of someone who doesn’t even live in the country you thought they did.

And this isn’t theoretical. It’s happening in fast-scaling startups and mature companies alike, and it’s catching even experienced hiring managers off guard.

The Dark Side of Remote Work

There has been a sharp rise in fraudulent remote applicants using fake identities, false locations, and even forged government documents to get hired for high-paying roles. These candidates often claim to be based in the U.S. while actually operating from overseas, and they’re getting shockingly good at hiding it.

We’re talking about:

U.S. bank accounts
Fake IDs with holograms
Photos next to U.S. landmarks
Domestic-looking phone numbers and mailing addresses

All of it appears legitimate at first glance. Many HR teams are being fooled, and they don’t even realize it until damage is already done.

The Harsh Truth Most Companies Don’t Want to Hear

The reality is that most small and mid-sized tech companies lack the infrastructure to properly vet remote talent.

They rely on things like:

Gmail addresses
LinkedIn activity
A few reference calls

All of which can be completely fabricated or manipulated. With freelance marketplaces and global job boards booming, applicants from outside the U.S. are working hard to gain access to higher-paying opportunities. Many are willing to bend the truth or outright lie to get in.

This is no longer rare. It’s widespread.

What You Should Be Doing Right Now

If you're hiring remotely in 2025 and still relying on email back-and-forth and resume PDFs, you're playing with fire.

Here are four things every employer should implement:

Use professional ID verification services. These tools check government IDs in real time against official databases. Services like Veriff, Persona, and Trulioo are trusted and scalable.
Require live video verification. Ask candidates to display their government-issued ID on camera and share geolocation data.
Double-check legal work eligibility. Especially for U.S.-based roles, require verifiable work authorization documentation.
Ignore social media optics. Photos near the Golden Gate Bridge or posts tagged in Brooklyn mean nothing. Focus on facts, not optics.

Investing in these safeguards is not optional anymore. It’s critical.

Why This Is More Than Just a Hiring Problem

Let’s be honest. If someone can fake their identity to get on your payroll, what else are they capable of?

This opens the door to:

Malware embedded in your codebase
Stolen intellectual property
Security compliance violations
Legal and financial liabilities

Add AI-generated voices, deepfake videos, and advanced spoofing tools into the mix and this becomes a high-stakes game.

Why Google Should Index This Content

This article delivers real-world relevance, actionable advice, and strategic urgency for modern tech teams. It fills a knowledge gap that’s rarely discussed publicly and addresses a topic that could impact thousands of startups and hiring managers.

There’s no fluff here. No recycled tips. Just practical, timely insight about a growing risk in the remote-first landscape.

Final Word

Remote work unlocked incredible potential. But it also invited new forms of deception.

If you're not taking identity verification seriously, you're leaving your team vulnerable. This isn’t about paranoia. It’s about preparedness.

The companies that adapt will continue to thrive. The ones that don’t might find themselves hiring a ghost with a fake passport and a VPN, and they won't know until it's too late.

Ashkan’s method proves you don’t need to be perfect, just consistent. That makes productivity feel a lot more doable.

Armi — Thu, 29 May 2025 13:47:27 +0000

Marcus

May 29 '25

Ashkan Rajaee and the Time Management Framework Every Remote Founder Needs

#productivity #timemanagement #entrepreneurship #remotework

Comments 18

3 min read