The Fatal Hiring Mistake

Every failed early-stage startup I’ve seen made the same hiring mistake:

They hired top-tier specialists instead of prioritizing speed and resilience.

Table of Contents

• What Startups Actually Need

• Athletes First

• Why Speed Wins

• Conclusion

What Startups Actually Need

Early-stage startups need athletes, not narrow specialists.

The person who “scaled marketing” at Google will likely crash at your 8-person company.

Scaling requires systems. Startups demand scrappiness.

Athletes First

Your first 10 hires should be able to:

• Write code and talk to customers

• Design products and run omnichannel ads

• Close deals and manage operations

Generalists thrive in chaos. Specialists need structure.

Why Speed Wins

With limited runway, versatility is your edge.

A specialist may excel in one lane, but they’ll falter when the company pivots or priorities shift overnight.

The hard-chargers who wear multiple hats are the ones who’ll carry you through uncertainty.

Conclusion

If you’ve got 18 months of runway or less, hire the athletes.

Bring in the specialists later—once you’ve earned the luxury of defined roles and stable processes.

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