Building a framework for hiring a founding team

As we were getting started, I researched the best practices and non-obvious things to look for in hiring our founding team.

This collection curates key content that shaped our hiring framework focused on velocity, quality, and cultural fit.

Core insights:

• Small teams win: Patrick Collison advocates for 2-10 people pre-PMF to maintain rapid iteration
• Barrels vs Ammunition: Keith Rabois's framework for identifying rare, high-impact contributors who execute end-to-end
• See people clearly: Graham Duncan emphasizes references are 5-10x more valuable than interviews—what people say vs. how they actually operate daily
• T-shaped talent: Deep expertise in one area, competent across many—perfect for startup ambiguity
• Prevent mediocrity: Ben Horowitz warns organizations naturally drift toward average without safeguards

My favorite tactic: the anti-pitch. Tell candidates why they SHOULDN'T join. The right people lean in harder.

The collection challenges conventional hiring wisdom with actionable frameworks for building exceptional founding teams.

Have questions about these frameworks or how to apply them? Ask this curated collection.