How to hire for your startup ?
Building the right team is one of the most critical aspects of a startup's success. The people you bring on board during the early stages set the tone, culture, and trajectory of your company. However, many founders make the mistake of turning to recruiters too soon, which can be a symptom of deeper issues. Here's why relying on recruiters early in your journey is often a bad sign—and what to focus on instead.
Working with recruiters early in your startup journey is a major red flag. It signals that something is amiss, even if it's not immediately obvious.
This realization often comes later, but it becomes increasingly clear over time.
When starting out, there are three primary sources for hiring:
Classmates (current or former): These are people who studied with you, know your skills, and can vouch for them. Even if they haven’t worked with you professionally, their willingness to join you is a strong endorsement.
Co-workers: Your professional network—people you’ve worked with in the past. If they want to work with you again, it's a solid validation of your leadership and abilities.
Your network and their network: Friends, co-workers' connections, or friends of founders. These extended circles can be invaluable in finding the right team members.
The ideal hiring sequence starts with 1, progresses to 2, and then moves to 3. Your early team—and for the first few years—should come from these groups. Think of this as a nutrition pyramid: group 1 is the foundation, group 2 builds on it, and group 3 sits at the top.
Your closest and most loyal supporters will be in group 1. From there, you expand to skilled professionals in groups 2 and 3.
If you can successfully recruit from these groups, you're on the right track. If not, it’s a sign something needs fixing—either your ability to sell your vision or the vision itself.
Key points to remember:
Selling your vision is critical. If you can’t convince your closest connections, how will you convince others?
A lack of interest from your friends, co-workers, or their network might indicate that your idea needs improvement or that you need to refine your pitch.
Feedback is easy to give, but commitment is harder. If those closest to you aren’t willing to join, others likely won’t either.
Exceptions exist, like founders who start alone and succeed later, but they’re rare. Even solo founders eventually attract their networks once they show success.
Founders must overcome the ego-driven reluctance to ask for help. If you can’t sell your vision, you won’t be able to sell to customers or build a strong team.
Relying on recruiters early on reflects poor selling skills and inadequate team-building. It’s almost always a red flag. Instead, focus on fixing your sourcing and hiring processes.
was waiting for it for so long. thanks for writing again.