Cal Carlisle’s Post

🤔 Your business's first hires - what to know when finding a good fit... When hiring for a start-up, you're not just filling positions, you're building the foundation of your company culture. Since the culture doesn't exist yet, your early hires are those who help shape it. It’s important to find someone you can connect with easily, as you’ll be working closely together. Compatibility is key to effective collaboration. Beyond that, look for people who have raw skills but are open to learning and eager to get involved. They should be ready to grow with the business. Your first hires should understand and be excited about your start-up’s vision. Their enthusiasm will drive them to fully back your ideas and contribute to the mission. In the early stages, flexibility is crucial, so it helps if they’re willing to wear multiple hats and adapt to various roles. When selecting your early team members, prioritise those who align with your start-up's vision and the atmosphere you want to create. It’s better to have the right person without the skills than the wrong person with the perfect CV. The right hires are those who are eager to learn, flexible, and passionate about your mission 💫 _________________ Mark Newton Founder of multiple start-ups. Creator of multiple f**k-ups. 🤝 Hands-on in growing my businesses and investments in the tech, food, & music sectors. 🚀 Sharing advice, experience, and insights into the world of start-ups. #Entrepreneurship #Startups #Founderjourney #Hiring #HiringAdvice

What is fractional hiring? 🤔 Simple. It’s bringing in experienced, high-impact professionals on a flexible, part-time basis—exactly when you need them. Whether it’s for a specific project or long-term support, fractional experts embed in your team, giving your business access to top talent without the cost and commitment of full-time hires. Is fractional hiring the right approach for every role in your organisation? Nope. But, for small businesses and early-stage startups who often don't need and can't afford expensive full-time hires, it can be an absolute game-changer. -------------------------- Hi! 👋 I’m Alexandria, a former Chief People Officer passionate about startups, innovation, community, and connection. I connect early-stage founders with the fractional experts they need to overcome their biggest challenges and focus on doing what they love - without killing their runway to do so. #startup #entrepreneurship #hiring #fractional

If you find exceptional talent, it might be worth offering more than the average salary to bring them on board. There’s no fixed benchmark for skilled candidates, it’s about balancing what your startup can offer with what the candidate is seeking. P.S. Investing in talent pays off. #startup #hiring #founder #Talent

Finding the Right Hires for your scaling startup is no mean feat. Are you nailing it? Probably not. And if you are, credit to you! Every hire matters in business, but it REALLY MATTERS when they are the first handful of hires for a scaling startup. The right person can boost your growth, while the wrong one can feel like a drain on precious resources. But what we all want to know is: Where do you find the perfect candidate? Well straight off the bat, you scrap the word perfect and start getting real. The trick is, think Beyond "The Perfect Candidate" It’s tempting to hold out for the unicorn: the one candidate with 15+ years of relevant sector experience, deep expertise, and a willingness to work for startup pay. But time is precious, especially in a fast-paced startup where every second and penny counts. Don't waste your time looking for Unicorns. Instead, make sure your focus is on:- ⮑ High potential: Can they grow with your business? ⮑ Cultural alignment: Will they thrive in your startup’s fast-paced environment? ⮑ Adaptability: Are they open to wearing many hats, and are they mouldable? Finding a mix of these 3 traits, is where the juice is. What’s your biggest hiring challenge in your growing business at the moment? #Hiring #GrowthStageStartups #RecruitmentTips #Scaleups #Startups

In 2024, attracting people to work at early stage startups is much harder than at publicly traded companies! Sadly start up leaders have burnt that trust over the past few years… I know we don’t want to hear or admit that but it’s true! Having hired 1,000s of people across sales, marketing, sales development, and operations at seed stage start ups to large $10B+ publicly traded tech companies - people come in much more skeptical to a startup interview! When interviewing for a public company you can look at public financials, see how fast revenue has been growing, see how much cash is in the bank, and what the main areas of focus are from recent earnings calls. This makes it much more difficult for leaders to lie or deceive new hires! At a start up, you have no idea how much money is in the bank. At a start up, you have no idea if it’s just one great quarter that they are basing your quota off of. At a start up, you have no idea if the Cap Table is so messed up that even an IPO will not lead to a success exit for you and your family financially. If you are hiring at a start up, they are trusting you! They are joining because of you, and you need to take that responsibility! You might feel that the hiring market has swung in favor of the employer and hiring manager, but it’s always an employee market for the top talent! Always. #hiring #startups #publiccompany #interviewtips

The biggest growth hurdle for startup success isn’t (a lack of) funding! It’s the cost and the challenge of FINDING THE DREAM TEAM! And loads of founders struggle with this.... Everything from business context, growth outlook and the actual hiring experience matter, and top professionals are evaluating all these and the founders. Sometimes, it's the right chemistry and finding the right fit. Plus, having a #talentpartner who amplifies your Startup’s worth - and appeal - is valuable! At Maroon Oak, we are the trusted connectors between companies and candidates, and we bring strong networks and relationships! Whether you’re growing your team or a VC hiring for portfolio companies, we can help. Connect with us for your hiring needs or an info session to how to attract the best hires! Let's chat -> Aditi Bhargava Tandon, Pooja Krishna https://lnkd.in/epTjUepN #startups #hiring

🚀 Ready to build your dream startup team? Hiring for startup teams isn't just about filling roles; it's about finding the right fit for the vision. 🌟 Building a startup team is like assembling a puzzle. Each piece must fit perfectly to reveal the bigger picture. Here's why it matters: - Cultural Fit: Your startup's culture shapes its future. Hire people who resonate with your values. - Skill Diversity: A mix of skills sparks innovation. Balance tech wizards with creative thinkers. - Passion-Driven: Enthusiasm is contagious. Look for candidates who are genuinely excited about your mission. - Adaptability: Startups evolve rapidly. Ensure your team can pivot and thrive in change. Remember, your team is your greatest asset. Invest wisely. 🙌 How do you approach hiring for your startup? Share your thoughts below! 👇 #StartupLife #Hiring #TeamBuilding #Entrepreneurship #GrowthMindset

Scaling a startup? 📈 Here's an unpopular opinion. Hiring more full-time employees is not always the answer. 😮 Consider this. Staff augmentation. It's your secret weapon. 🛠️ Why? You get the skills you need, when you need them. No long-term commitments. No overhead costs. Just pure talent, ready to help your startup scale. Think about it. Your core team focuses on what they do best. The augmented staff takes care of the rest. It's not about replacing your team. It's about enhancing it. Staff augmentation. The flexible, cost-effective way to scale. Give it a shot. You might just discover a whole new way to grow. 📈 Remember, scaling smart is better than scaling fast. I'd love to hear your experiences! Have you tried either approach? What lessons did you learn? Let's share our insights in the comments! 💬👇 ........... Get to see all my posts following #softwaredevelopment #outsourcing

You've finally secured enough money to make your startup idea a reality. What's the first thing you do? Wrong answers only. 👇 💩 Splash out on a fancy office, membership clubs, and massive perks before you've even launched. Make your success strategy *vibes*. 💩 Try and do everything yourself. 💩 Hire a bunch of guys from "those" schools and "those agencies" who have never worked in a startup but who sound like they know what they're talking about. Grant them massive equity and pay them whatever they ask. 💩 Ignore legal and regulatory requirements. You'll get to them... eventually. 💩 Hire only full-time and in-person. 💩 Give jobs vague, somewhat important sounding titles. Group a bunch of random things that need doing into one job and underpay someone to try and do them all. 💩 Ignore customer feedback. They're not right. You are! 💩 Micromanage everyone who works with you. It's the best way to be efficient. 💩 Hide in your flat/garage/dark basement/sweaty server room. Work in isolation. Network with no one. What am I missing? Drop your tips below. 😉 ------------------------ Hi! 👋 I’m Alexandria, a former Chief People Officer passionate about startups, innovation, community, and connection. I connect early-stage founders with the experts they need to overcome their biggest challenges and focus on doing what they love - without killing their runway to do so. #startup #hiring #founder

A question I get a lot from founders is, 'What's the #1 thing to look for in a new hire?” The one trait I prioritize most is: Hustle. In a previous life, before becoming a VC and later co-founding @Kyber Knight Capital, I was a startup founder. Over the years, I’ve hired hundreds of people across different companies and teams. Here’s why I see “hustle” as the most critical predictor of success: 1) Hustle is about outcomes, not effort. This term has taken on negative connotations, implying being constantly “on” and grinding long hours. The opposite is true. The best hires work smarter, not harder, and let their results do the talking. 2) Hustle means leaning in before being asked. At early-stage startups, everyone has to wear many hats. Great hires spot opportunities and take initiative instead of waiting around. 3) Hustle is about focus, not busywork. These types of hires know how to prioritize what moves the needle, and have the discipline to say no to what doesn’t. I’ve come to learn that hustle is a mindset, not a skillset. It’s the rare combination of resourcefulness, focus, and resilience – qualities that can’t be taught but can uplift teams. What’s the #1 trait you look for in hiring? #HiringTips #Startups #Founders