Instead of hiring designers with similar profiles for easier staffing, intentionally seek out diverse skill sets that fill existing gaps. This leads to more interesting collaboration, broader capabilities, and mutual respect within the team.
To hire a founding designer, founders need a clear theory on how design will help the company beat its competition. This strategic framing is far more compelling than simply stating that design is important.
The chaotic, underdog nature of a startup is a binary filter. Frame this reality honestly during interviews. The right candidate will be energized by the challenge, while the wrong fit will be stressed. This question quickly reveals cultural suitability.
Successful leaders often question conventions and consider that "everyone else might be wrong." Arbitrarily doing the opposite of established industry practices can unlock new ways of working and create a unique edge for your team.
A polished design system or public claims about valuing design are meaningless if the product itself is poorly executed. Candidates will always judge the company by the quality of its product, as you can't fake a good user experience.
At the beginning, a startup is just an idea. A strong brand provides a clear narrative that resonates with potential hires, helping them make a decision based on identity and shared values. This attracts a cohesive team from day one.
Scheduled critiques create bottlenecks and encourage performative feedback. A better model is to empower designers with ownership, letting them decide when to seek input. This "organic grit" model values velocity and makes feedback a tool, not a ritual.
To foster growth and create a self-sufficient organization, leaders should grant designers extreme ownership rather than directing their work. This forces them to make hard decisions, which is the fastest way to become a better designer.
Unlike feed-based social products where features compete for attention, search products allow for parallel development. Different teams can ship features with little negative impact on each other, simplifying organizational scaling.
In a competitive market, prioritizing speed forces a team to be resourceful and figure out how to maintain quality under pressure. This mindset prevents the design team from becoming a bottleneck and keeps the company's momentum high.
The most promising junior candidates are those who demonstrate self-learning by creating things they weren't asked to do, like a weekend app project. This signal of intrinsic motivation is more valuable than perfectly completed assignments.
The values and tradeoffs that help a startup achieve initial growth (e.g., "move fast, break things") become liabilities with a large user base. Rapid growth requires revisiting core principles to focus on stability and trust.