Despite having raised $1M, the Juicebox founders remained a two-person team. The reason wasn't just to stay lean; it was a belief that their early, "risky, unproven" company couldn't yet attract the A-player talent they aspired to hire. This self-awareness protected them from making suboptimal early hires.
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Figma's CEO reflects that despite clear signals of user demand, like a 14-page feature request after a buggy demo, he was too nervous to hire aggressively. This slowed their progress unnecessarily in the early years, a mistake he advises other founders to avoid.
The founders got into YC with a music app that had 50,000 users but poor retention, proving they could build and attract users. Their strong co-founder bond and willingness to pivot were key. YC invested in their proven ability to execute, not their specific (and flawed) initial idea.
Resist hiring quickly after finding traction. Instead, 'hire painfully slowly' and assemble an initial 'MVP Crew' — a small, self-sufficient team with all skills needed to build, market, and sell the product end-to-end. This establishes a core DNA of speed and execution before scaling.
Delaying key hires to find the "perfect" candidate is a mistake. The best outcomes come from building a strong team around the founder early on, even if it requires calibration later. Waiting for ideal additions doesn't create better companies; early execution talent does.
The number one reason founders fail is not a lack of competence but a crisis of confidence that leads to hesitation. They see what needs to be done but delay, bogged down by excuses. In a fast-moving environment, a smart decision made too late is no longer a smart decision.
