A common startup issue that leads to failure is hiring the wrong people at the wrong time. Founders often misunderstand the different mentalities and skills required at each stage, from pre-seed to Series C. They may hire someone who is either too inexperienced or too ahead for the startup’s current stage, leading to a mismatch of expectations and a high turnover rate.

On your podcast, Beth will demystify the common start-up talent acquisition challenges, how to avoid them, and how to tailor your hiring strategy to fit your growth stage. Drawing from her 10+ years in start-up recruitment, your audience will learn how to strategically recruit the right talent, ensuring that each new team member meets immediate needs while also playing a key role in achieving future goals.

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One of the biggest challenges founders face is hiring for roles they have no experience in. This is especially true for first hires in a department, where there’s no one to assess the potential candidate. This lack of understanding can lead to duplication of skill sets, siloed teams, or a focus on the wrong attributes, leading to a lack of alignment and poor hiring decisions.

On your show, Beth will discuss how founders can navigate this challenge. She will examine how founders should leverage their network, talk to peers, and understand what “good” looks like in a certain role. Beth will also discuss the importance of pattern recognition and how to build it quickly before diving into the hiring process, and touch on the role of VC advisory networks and how they can help in creating assessments for potential hires.

Transitioning from being a founder to becoming a CEO can be a challenging journey filled with new responsibilities and expectations. Founders often struggle with understanding their new role, setting the direction of the company, leading a team of leaders, and managing operations at scale. The lack of alignment and stakeholder engagement can further complicate the transition.

On your show, Beth will discuss the hard and soft skills founders need to successfully navigate this challenge. She will delve into the importance of setting the right strategy and direction by codifying your mission and vision, the intricacies of managing a leadership team, and the significance of operations and scale. Beth will also highlight the importance of stakeholder engagement and managing personal effectiveness for a successful transition.