[Journal]
Notes on hiring from zero to one.
Straight talk on startup recruiting, early-stage hiring and building founding teams — from 15+ years in the trenches.
Startup hiring guide 2025: building founding teams & hiring key talent
The startup world has changed, and so has the way we need to hire. A seven-chapter guide for founders scaling smarter — and hiring right — in a leaner market.
Most people think startup recruiters just source candidates. The best ones do much more — they build momentum, protect your focus, and sharpen your hiring decisions.
A practical guide to making faster, smarter hiring calls using mental models and frameworks. Skip the guesswork and get clarity on your next critical hire.
How Sophie approaches hiring from zero to one — evaluating first-of hires, avoiding common founder mistakes, and building teams that scale from the ground up.
The early-stage landscape has shifted how startups are funded, built and grown — and with it, the need for efficiency and grit in how we approach hiring.