Your first hires are your startup's DNA
Personal Hints | Early Stage Startup
From the idea to your very first MVP, you with (or without) your best friend, built a product/service and even started seeing some user interest, and, why not, a flicker of revenue.
But then, the whisper turns into a shout: You can't do it all.
It's time to bring in help. Time to build a team.
The moment you stop just building a product and start a real company, and, guess what? The very first few people you invite to join your circle aren't just employees. They are the genetic code of your future enterprise.
No Margin for Error
You have no room to get this wrong.
While an established business with hundreds or even thousands of employees can absorb a few hiring missteps, your scrappy, early-stage startup can't.
Bringing the wrong founding engineer, a designer who clashes with your vision, or the wrong sales lead can be catastrophic.
From Builder to Architect
Truth about most of the founders: Founders are not professional recruiters, but people glued to the screen, perfecting the product, hustling for the early users and celebrating any tiny win.
When the time comes to scale beyond yourself, your job description changes.
You are no longer just building a product/service. You are building the machine that builds the product.
So, how do you navigate this critical pivot?
Non-Negotiables: Trust and Honesty
The very foundation of your early hiring strategy must be built on trust and a good dose of honesty.
Forget the idea of you having to persuade someone into joining your risky, chaotic venture; if you find yourself bending truths or trying to trick someone into your path, stop.
Your hiring journey must be a win-win. You have to find people who genuinely want to be part of the rollercoaster. Not people you have sweet-talked into taking less pay and more stress than a corporate gig.
If you can't be honest, nothing else matters. And, frankly, if you are trying to pull people into a situation where they are probably better elsewhere, you are setting yourself (and them) up for a miserable crash.
You need true believers.
Seeking the Startup Soul
So, when looking at the CV(s), peel back the layers. Of course, skills matter, and experience counts.
But what you are truly searching for are the intangible qualities.
You should look for:
Raw Persistence and a deep level of acceptable risk, someone who sees obstacles not as roadblocks but as puzzles. Those who understand the path will find it bumpy.
The T-Shaped dynamo, deeply skilled in one area but also broadly competent and willing to get their hands dirty whenever needed.
Unshakeable trust, you need to trust these people, and they need to trust you back.
Ultimately, hiring for your founding team isn't about filling a role. It's about shaping the core identity of your company for years. Choose wisely, choose honestly and watch your DNA flourish.