hiring for startups masschallenge 2010

Tips For Hiring

Jeff Bennett

Swap.com CEO

www.jeffbennett.com

Introduction

Introduction

• 25 years of experience in Technology / Internet sector

• Last 15 years as an executive and entrepreneur

• Advisor and Mentor to many emerging ventures in Boston and abroad

• Blog about innovation and entrepreneurship on www.jeffbennett.com

Keys For Building

Organization

. . . You Need To Know What

You Are Hiring For

Building A “Start Up” Is Like Building House

• Blueprint

• Materials

• Contractor

• Site Work

• Foundation

• Frame

• So on…

Keys For Building An Organization

• Strategy or Strategic Direction

• Values and Beliefs

• Work Plan and Road Map

• Resource Needs

• Organization Structure/Approach

• Evangelize, Network, Evangelize, Network, Recruit…

• Reference Checking is CRITICAL!!!

Strategy or Strategic Direction

• Every successful and sustainable venture has a strategy… or at least a strategic direction

• Strategy for start ups provides focus .. It

cant be stuck just in the Entrepreneurs head

• Important for all involved as a stake in the

ground you measure progress from– Rooted in the marketplace– Team of Founders, Investors, Employees & Partners– To serve Customers

• Work plan or road map is how you execute against the strategy

• Resource planning comes from the road map …. Human and Capital requirements come form resource planning

Values and Beliefs

• Values guide and sustain society …community …company

• Entrepreneurship is not a job… it is

a pursuit that is all encompassing

• Every entrepreneur has some set of

of values… you want your team to

share these

• Important for initial team … and those

that join as you expand the venture

Work Plan and Road Map

• Executing on a strategy or strategic direction just does not happen

• Every organization needs a work plan for how they

will deliver against the strategy

• Entrepreneurs are creative … sometimes not

disciplined … you need a plan!

• You might be the Entrepreneur … but not GOD!

• Even with the most creative and entrepreneurial

team … all the stake holders need to know what to do

• Smart people like to be part of the planning… share the results of learning… key to success is a collaborative model on developing the work plan

Resource Needs

• Strategy or strategic direction will yield road map … the Entrepreneur has to

determine how to execute on that road map

• Constant struggle is managing capital

outlay, talent and time

• Every entrepreneur needs resources to

implement the plan

• DO NOT fall into the trap that you have to

“know” everything

• Need to determine the skill sets and amount of resource you need to execute on the plan … develop an open environment with TRUST to collaborate

• Create many scenarios looking at immediate and near term needs

Organizing Resources

• Organization plans are put in place to execute on the plan today … but you should think for near term too

• Things to be cognizant of when planning for

today and tomorrow:– Talent needed – Roles and titles– Full time / part time / consultant options– Technology tools and standards

• Don’t be stymied by building Rome now…

but you have to think about today and tomorrow

• Evaluate structure, talent and approach quarterly.

• If it aint working… fix it immediately

Evangelize, Network, Recruit

• As the entrepreneur you have are “Chief Evangelizer Officer”…and more

• Create or tap into a network … MassChallenge is giving all of an awesome start at this … networking is so important to so many aspects of your business

• Tap the network for hiring

• Seek world class talent that fits the plan

• Remember the “values”

• Get many people in on the interviewing

so you can get full assessment

• Get to know as much about the candidates as is possible

Reference Checking Is CRITICAL

• Reference checking is hard work…but it is critical to successful hiring…

• We live in a virtual “MRI” today

• Ask your candidates for references….call them

• Ask those references for other references

• Utilize Facebook and LInkedIn

• Build a “full 360” on your candidates

• Hire through trusted networks whenever you can to reduce the risk

Tips For Hiring Right Team

For Your Start Up

… Need Great People

Who Get Shit Done

No HO-DinksIncapable of “Getting Shit Done”

No Low Energy InsectsIncapable Of “Getting Shit Done”

Look for Real Entrepreneurs Like You…

Look for “Non-Bureaucrats”

Talent Is Key…Look For Athletes

Look For Those Who “Think Big”

Guidelines

For Hiring

Hiring for Start Ups

Hiring for Start Ups

Q&A

Tips For Hiring

Jeff Bennett

Swap.com CEO

www.jeffbennett.com