Most of us start as a solo founder or bunch of cofounders. Who do you hire first, why, how and for what profile? I know it would be very specific to your startup. I am looking to hear your stories.
Even if I find an employee, the company has its own scheme for employee verification and probationary period. I know that every company has its own method, but it is at this stage that the fate of a person in the company is decided.
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I’d hire against the company’s biggest bottleneck rather than following a standard sequence. A technical founding team that cannot reach customers may need a strong commercial generalist, while a founder who is already selling successfully may need someone who can accelerate product delivery.
From the investor-side exposure, early hires also seem to reveal whether the founder can honestly identify what they are not good at. The first employee should expand the company’s capabilities, not simply duplicate the founder.
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Maruti.io
IXORD
I’d hire against the company’s biggest bottleneck rather than following a standard sequence. A technical founding team that cannot reach customers may need a strong commercial generalist, while a founder who is already selling successfully may need someone who can accelerate product delivery.
From the investor-side exposure, early hires also seem to reveal whether the founder can honestly identify what they are not good at. The first employee should expand the company’s capabilities, not simply duplicate the founder.