Hiring passionate users of your product can be advantageous, as they are often more committed and aligned with the company's mission. At Stripe, we successfully hired several early users who contributed significantly to our growth.

An ambitious vision is important for attracting talent and interest; it should evolve organically over time to keep people engaged and excited about the startup's mission.

Our strategy for hiring talent involves looking for 'insecure overachievers'—people who are hungry, humble, and eager to prove themselves.

When hiring, we look for people who have a growth mindset, are humble, and are doers who can fix problems. It's essential to have a team that can get things done and is productive.

Hiring is often inductive; I look for talented individuals I want to work with, valuing traits like hard work, integrity, creativity, and a genuine desire to build something great.

When hiring, it's crucial to find smart and humble individuals who are lifelong learners, especially in a rapidly changing tech landscape.

We look for candidates who demonstrate a deep, sometimes irrational passion for our work, as this often indicates a strong commitment and potential for impact.

In a startup, it's important to prioritize cultural fit and enthusiasm for the product over just technical expertise when hiring.

When hiring for your startup, look for candidates who demonstrate flexibility in their ideas and are willing to consider different paths, treating the startup as a problem-solving mission rather than just a job.