Always be recruiting, w/Paul English, co-founder of Kayak

Cultural Impact

The early recruits in a startup play a pivotal role as cultural co-founders, shaping the company's values and culture. Paul English emphasizes that the first ten hires set the tone for the next thousand, highlighting their influence on the company's trajectory 1. He shares his experience of being recruited to co-found Kayak, underscoring the importance of scouting for these cultural co-founders even before a company is fully formed 1.

With any startup, the first ten people you hire are really important. Cause they set the tone for the next hundred people you hire and the next thousand people you hire.

--- Paul English

Acknowledging personal weaknesses can also illuminate recruiting needs, as Paul advises hiring individuals who complement one's shortcomings 2.

   

Inner Circle

Recruiting from one's inner circle, such as friends and family, is a common initial strategy for many entrepreneurs. Paul English learned early on the power of leveraging close connections, as seen in his collaboration with his brother Ed, a gaming celebrity, which taught him the value of recruiting talent around him 3. However, he warns against relying solely on this strategy, as it can lead to a monoculture.

Seeing the importance of recruiting happens naturally with most first time founders. When you're just starting out and your work is unproven, you reach for the people that believe in you.

--- Reid Hoffman

Instead, Paul advises expanding and diversifying one's professional network as soon as possible to enrich company culture and innovation 4.