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Gustaf Alströmer

06/27/19

@ Y Combinator

I often see companies getting pressured to hire a VP of Marketing too soon, which can lead to misalignment in growth strategies if the foundational work isn't established first.

Video

Advice on Organizing and Running Growth Teams from Dan Hockenmaier and Gustaf Alströmer

@ Y Combinator

Advice on Organizing and Running Growth Teams from Dan Hockenmaier and Gustaf Alströmer

06/27/19

Related Takeaways

Y Combinator Cast

05/20/22

@ Y Combinator

It's common for founders to want to hire an executive team prematurely, influenced by the success stories of established companies, but this can be misguided without product-market fit.

Dan Hockenmaier

06/27/19

@ Y Combinator

Most companies can go longer without a VP of Marketing than they think, as there are not many experienced team builders who fit the VP Marketing profile.

Dan Hockenmaier

06/27/19

@ Y Combinator

Hiring the perfect VP of Marketing is tough; it's often better to disaggregate the responsibilities and hire individual people for specific challenges instead.

Brad Flora

02/13/25

@ Y Combinator

Hiring for sales or marketing before achieving product-market fit can be a mistake; founders should focus on learning these roles themselves first.

Vinod Khosla

01/09/19

@ Y Combinator

When hiring, focus on how a VP of Marketing can improve the quality of your VP of Engineering; this nonlinear thinking is essential.

Yotam Segev

05/09/25

@ The Logan Bartlett Show

I learned that hiring a VP of sales won't solve your problems; as a founder, you must be deeply involved in driving the go-to-market strategy.

Brad Flora

07/08/22

@ Y Combinator

Many founders mistakenly believe that spending on marketing, especially through ads, will guarantee growth, but this often leads to wasted resources without learning valuable lessons.

Y Combinator Cast

05/07/22

@ Y Combinator

It's important for founders to understand that the perception of needing to grow rapidly can lead to poor decision-making, such as overspending or neglecting financial health.

Y Combinator Cast

03/22/24

@ Y Combinator

Founders often forget to focus on acquiring their first customer, instead preparing for scaling and hiring prematurely.