The first ten hires at a startup are not just employees. They’re co-architects of the chaos. They set the tone, build the muscle, and-if you choose wrong-bake in the dysfunction that takes years to unpick. This article will explore hiring without headhunters.
Most founders know this. But they still default to headhunters, referral begging, or worse, the “spray and pray” LinkedIn job post. The result? A pile of resumes and very little clarity.
Hiring without headhunters isn’t just cheaper. It’s smarter. It forces focus, clarity, urgency, and could be done strategically. And when done right, it gives you a team that actually believes in what you’re building-not just collecting equity like it’s a loyalty card.
“I hire people brighter than me and I get out of their way.”
– Lee Iacocca
(Easy to say. Slightly harder when your new head of growth is 24 and wants to replace your funnel with memes.)
Why Ditching Headhunters Can Be a Superpower
- You learn how to sell the vision
- You understand what good candidates actually care about
- You stay close to culture before it calcifies
- You avoid paying 25 percent of first-year salary to someone who doesn’t understand your product
Headhunters have their place, especially in late-stage or specialized roles. But for the first ten? You need missionaries, not mercenaries.
Tip: A Smarter Approach to Early Hiring
- Write “jobs to be done,” not job descriptions
Instead of listing ten tools and five years of experience, write the three outcomes this person must own. “Ship onboarding flow v2,” “stand up outbound process,” “close Series A.” This filters fluff fast. - Use your network-but better
Don’t just post. Personally message 15 people who aren’t looking but should be. Share the vision. Ask who they’d hire if they couldn’t hire themselves. - Treat interviews like product discovery
Your job isn’t to test them. It’s to learn: how they think, how they’ve solved similar problems, and how they’d adapt to the ambiguity of your environment. - Hire slope over y-intercept
A person’s trajectory matters more than their current title. You want steep learners who can grow with the company, not just someone who looks good on paper.
Table: Headhunter-Driven vs. Founder-Driven Hiring
| Trait | Headhunter-Driven | Founder-Driven |
| Speed | Fast resume flow | Slower but more curated |
| Fit | Based on keywords | Based on lived experience and values |
| Vision alignment | Weak | Strong (if founder can sell it well) |
| Cost | High upfront fee | Low cost, high time investment |
| Culture signal | Often shallow | Deep insight from early conversations |
FAQ
Q: Isn’t it a waste of time for founders to be this deep in hiring?
A: Only if you think team quality isn’t a growth lever. For early-stage companies, every hire either multiplies momentum or subtracts it.
Q: What if I don’t have a big network?
A: That’s fine. Build one deliberately. Join founder groups. Speak at niche events. Write about your journey. Smart people are drawn to clarity and energy.
A Joke (Slightly Painful)
Startup CEO: “We’re looking for a unicorn.”
Candidate: “I’m looking for fair compensation and healthcare.”
Startup CEO: Sweats profusely
An Open Question
If you couldn’t rely on inbound or recruiters, who would you call first?
Who’s one level away from your ideal hire that you haven’t messaged yet?
Hiring without headhunters isn’t a shortcut. It’s a long-term investment in clarity, culture, and conviction. Because the resumes don’t build the company. The people do.
Make the early ones count.
