YC
Hiring and Culture with Patrick and John Collison and Ben Silbermann (HtSaS 2014: 11)
@ Y Combinator
04/07/17
Takeaways
YC
Y Combinator Cast
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
The core pieces of culture that are most important in building out a company include who you hire and their values, the daily activities and their purpose, what you choose to communicate, and what you celebrate or punish.
YC
Y Combinator Cast
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
As Stripe has grown, we've placed a large emphasis on internal transparency, which has proven valuable for aligning everyone with the company's mission and ensuring access to information.
YC
Y Combinator Cast
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
Culture acts as a resolution to a bandwidth problem, helping maintain the core values and decision-making principles as the organization scales and becomes less manageable.
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.
YC
Y Combinator Cast
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
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.
YC
Y Combinator Cast
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
It's important to seek out great talent rather than waiting for them to come to you, especially when your company is not yet well-known or established.
YC
Y Combinator Cast
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
Having a compelling elevator pitch is essential, not just for investors but also for potential recruits, as it helps generate excitement about the company and its mission.
YC
Y Combinator Cast
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
Identifying great talent involves understanding what makes someone good at their job and consulting with experts in that field to learn about key traits and characteristics to look for during the hiring process.
BS
Ben Silbermann
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
Pre-calibrating the interview process is crucial to avoid wasting everyone's time.
BS
Ben Silbermann
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
At Pinterest, we continuously evolve our standard interview questions to assess candidate quality and fit for the company culture.
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Ben Silbermann
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
Great candidates are attracted to challenging problems, so it's important to be transparent about the difficulties they will face in the role.
BS
Ben Silbermann
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
Google's difficult interview questions attract candidates who enjoy solving tough problems, which is a strategy worth emulating.
BS
Ben Silbermann
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
As companies grow, it's essential to maintain transparency about risks and challenges to attract the right talent.
BS
Ben Silbermann
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
When recruiting, it's beneficial to be upfront about the hard aspects of the job while highlighting the amazing opportunities it presents.
BS
Ben Silbermann
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
It's important to have confidence in your interviewing style, even if you're not an expert in the field you're hiring for.
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.
BS
Ben Silbermann
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
In the early stages, we worked with our first ten hires for a week to assess their fit and capabilities before making a commitment.
BS
Ben Silbermann
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
The concept of a '10x person' can be better understood by considering if they are the best among their peers in their field.
BS
Ben Silbermann
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
Hiring is not just about the founders; the majority of a company's success relies on the contributions of all employees.
BS
Ben Silbermann
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
It's crucial to reference candidates with people who have worked with them to gain insights into their work style and effectiveness.
BS
Ben Silbermann
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
Creating artificial scarcity in references can yield more honest and useful feedback about a candidate's capabilities.
BS
Ben Silbermann
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
References can also serve as a valuable source of new recruits, so it's important to engage deeply with them.
BS
Ben Silbermann
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
To help new hires become effective quickly, we focus on their onboarding experience and ensure they understand the company's goals.
BS
Ben Silbermann
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
As the company grows, onboarding processes need to be formalized to ensure new hires are integrated effectively into the team.
BS
Ben Silbermann
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
Understanding each employee's aspirations and working style is essential for fostering a supportive and productive work environment.
BS
Ben Silbermann
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
It's important to give new hires real work quickly to help them adapt and measure their progress effectively.
BS
Ben Silbermann
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
Providing timely feedback on performance and cultural adaptation is crucial for new employees to thrive in the company.
BS
Ben Silbermann
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
As companies scale, maintaining a sense of autonomy within teams is vital to prevent them from feeling like a monolithic organization.
BS
Ben Silbermann
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
Hiring referrals become increasingly important as the company grows, serving as a key source of talent.
BS
Ben Silbermann
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
Hiring a professional recruiter early on can significantly improve the quality of hires and cultural fit within the company.
BS
Ben Silbermann
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
Managing growth effectively is crucial for a startup's success, as it can determine whether the company thrives or fails.
BS
Ben Silbermann
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
As time progresses, the planning horizon for a company should extend from short-term to long-term goals, influencing hiring decisions.
BS
Ben Silbermann
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
In the early days, hiring must focus on candidates who can contribute immediately, rather than those who may take longer to ramp up.
YC
Y Combinator Cast
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
Managing rapid growth in a company is challenging because human organizations aren't designed for it. It's important to be systematic in finding ways to handle this growth, but often, the best you can achieve is just adequate management.
YC
Y Combinator Cast
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
At Stripe, we have three meals a day at long tables to encourage human interaction. This setup significantly increases the amount of interaction among employees, which is crucial for maintaining a strong company culture as we grow.
YC
Y Combinator Cast
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
Startups are unique in that they can avoid the principal-agent problems that plague larger companies. In a startup, what's best for the individual can often align with what's best for the company, allowing for more transparency and collaboration.
YC
Y Combinator Cast
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
At Stripe, we used to BCC every employee on outgoing emails to keep everyone informed. This approach helped reduce the need for meetings and ensured that everyone was aware of ongoing activities within the company.
YC
Y Combinator Cast
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
As we scaled, we had to adapt our communication tools. We moved from relying solely on email to having weekly All Hands meetings with presentations to keep everyone updated on company developments.
YC
Y Combinator Cast
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
With increased internal information availability, we had to establish cultural norms around communication. It's important to manage how discussions happen, as many employees are now more visible in their interactions.
YC
Y Combinator Cast
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
In a startup, early hires often grow into leadership roles. However, it's crucial to recognize that not everyone is naturally good at management, and developing these skills takes time and effort.
YC
Y Combinator Cast
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
At Stripe, we encourage employees to take on challenges that may not be typical for their roles, such as managing teams. This approach allows individuals to grow and find their strengths, even if they initially struggle with leadership.
YC
Y Combinator Cast
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
When hiring, we look for ambitious individuals who are excited about our vision, even if they aren't lifelong users of our product. This allows us to bring in fresh perspectives that can help us improve and grow.
YC
Y Combinator Cast
04/07/17
@ Y Combinator
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.