This is a Linkedin post by Jesse Pujji. Jessi a serial entrepreneur that lives in the US. He has:
- Bootstrapped to an 8-figure exist with his previous startup, Ampush
- Is currently building GatewayX, a venture studio that he plans to bootstrap to $1B+
- Executive Chairman & Founder of GrowthAssistant.com
- ex-McKinsey Consultant
Guest Author: Jesse Pujji
As a founder, there’s one role I’ve gotten wrong 95% of the time. What it is, and my 8 secrets for getting it right 👇👇👇
1/ When starting out, great teams are often made of top 1% generalists.
But as you grow, you’ll begin to have problems that require specific expertise…
You’ll want a manager who also has expertise (4-6yrs).
These folks are HARD to recruit
Here’s how I (try to) hire them…
2/ Assess Your Current Team
Do you already have the expertise in house?
Do you have someone that could substitute?
If you have a lot of very smart problem solvers, you just need a contractor with expertise to teach them.
Understand what a new hire will bring.
To do that…
3/ Figure Out What Great Looks Like
Meet the top 5 most qualified people for the job even if you can’t hire them.
Meeting them will set your bar.
Find out what matters:
+ What do they need to have?
+ What is an absolute no-go?
Figure those out, then start recruiting…
4/ For domain experts in particular, consider retained search.
Great firms can bring talent you could never dream of. They have trusting relationships with great candidates.
Sometimes, you’ll find someone who has the expertise but doesn’t fit your team’s culture.
The solution:
5/ Pair To Win
Hire a Domain Expert as a consultant and pair them with an internal owner who will become the “mid level” expert.
Make your expectations clear:
1) This is the owners top priority
2) They will be in this role after the consultant leaves
Make sure they…
6/ Prioritize The Project
Whatever project YOU make important will be important to your team.
Explain to your Owner that they’re in charge:
“The consultant will be out in 3 months. They are a resource to you but the results are your responsibility.
Ownership means:
7/ Accountability
Your internal owner/doer must show their work over time.
Check in weekly.
Ask to see a demo/deliverable. Ask about what they’ve learned.
It will let you know how things are progressing.
Sometimes this doesn’t work. In those case you may need to hire…
8/ A good VP instead.
Sometimes you don’t have the time, team, or talent to hire/train a good mid-level expert.
In those cases, hire a great VP.
Every great VP has 2-3 mid level folks who move with them. It’s a founder’s dream.
VPs cost more, but get you moving 10x faster
9/ Don’t Give Up
Hiring mid level domain experts is hard, but vital to the growth of your company.
If someone doesn’t work out, don’t get down on yourself. Consider the other options, and keep looking.
Can you pair a consultant with an internal owner?
Would a VP be better?
10/ If you enjoyed this, follow me Jesse Pujji for more and check out my weekly newsletter: https://lnkd.in/ghm3cAKn
I’m building the largest community of entrepreneurs growing off their own profits
