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WV

Werner Vogels

11/12/18

@ Y Combinator

Hiring for culture fit is essential at Amazon; a bad hire can disrupt small teams significantly, so we focus on small teams of 10 to 12 people.

Video

YC

A Conversation with Werner Vogels

@ Y Combinator

11/12/18

Related Takeaways

MT

Michael Truell

06/11/25

@ Y Combinator

Hiring the right first ten employees is critical, as they can significantly influence the company's future success and culture.

YC

Y Combinator Cast

04/07/17

@ Y Combinator

The first 10 hires are crucial because they set the tone for the company culture; each person hired can influence the next 10 people, making those initial decisions highly consequential.

SA

Sam Altman

03/18/17

@ Y Combinator

When hiring, prioritize finding the best people and be proud of how much you can accomplish with a small team, as having too many employees can lead to complexity and inefficiency.

PC

Paul Copplestone

05/14/25

@ Accel

To maintain cultural consistency as we scale, we hire people who already fit the culture we want, focusing on characteristics like intrinsic motivation and low ego.

WV

Werner Vogels

11/12/18

@ Y Combinator

Each team at Amazon has its own customer set and is expected to understand their needs, which fosters a fast-moving environment for software development.

DS

Daniel Sturman

10/24/23

@ Accel

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

BS

Ben Silbermann

04/07/17

@ Y Combinator

For early hires, working closely with candidates before hiring helps ensure they are a good fit for the team.

Lv

Luis von Ahn

05/10/25

@ Stanford Graduate School of Business

It's crucial to bring in the right people as you build a company, ensuring they are skilled in their roles and fit well within the culture.

KM

Kathryn Minshew

05/07/16

@ Y Combinator

Culture is about making tough choices, like deciding not to hire a highly skilled candidate if they don't fit well with the team.