have nothing against hiring for the right reason--when it is clear that doing so will advance critical path quicker and/or with higher probability. When that's clear I've extolled (and am practicing) inbound hiring ; when it isn't clear I think the right answer is not hiring until it is clear. Full-time designer. No, it doesn't. MORE >>

Six is a Proxy for Burn Rate. Later I realized six salespeople without revenue to match was a proxy for an out of control burn rate that now had the boards serious attention. With that initial sales “success” they began to hire and staff the sales department per the ”plan.”  At least that’s the theory. MORE >>

Hire your co-founder. Involve them in fund raising, hiring, strategy, etc. like how much burn rate), whether to sell the company, etc. Startups have high failure rates. So trust me when I tell you that you can hire incredibly talented people for 30% of your company. It’s only 3 minutes, 44 seconds. MORE >>

90 days later, I found out our games are terrible, no one is buying them, our best engineers started leaving, and with 120 people and a huge burn rate, we’re running out of money and about to crash. We hired everyone according to our plan. “What’s gone and what’s past help. Should be past grief.” Failure. MORE >>

People hire people they know, so nurture your relationship with friends already active in startups. What's the monthly burn rate? Personalities are strong, and the hiring process for good ones is tougher than big corporations. But first you should ask yourself if you are prepared for the realities. Start networking. MORE >>