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Your First Hire: A Step-by-Step Strategy for Founders · The Science of Leading

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  Hey everyone, welcome back to The Science of Leading.
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  I'm Claire Monroe, and-yep, you guessed it-I'm here with the one and
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  only Edwin Carrington.
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  Edwin, how's it going?
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  Doing well,
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  Claire.
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  Always glad to be here-especially when we're diving into something as
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  make-or-break as... that very first hire.
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  I mean, that decision?
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  It can totally shape the future of a company-for better... or not-so-great.
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  Right?
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  And I don't think people always get how big of a deal it is.
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  Like-I remember this one founder I worked with-she hit that burnout wall,
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  and just, like, hired the first person who seemed okay.
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  Not great.
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  Just... "good enough." And yeah... that did not go well.
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  The person quit a few months in and honestly?
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  It kind of tanked her momentum.
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  Is that...
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  normal?
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  It's more common than you'd think.
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  When you're buried in tasks, running on caffeine and panic-it's easy
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  to just grab the first lifeline.
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  But hiring out of desperation?
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  That almost always backfires.
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  You might get someone competent,
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  sure-but if they're not aligned with your mission,
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  or they don't click with your way of working... it won't last.
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  OAD's research actually shows that these kinds of "panic hires" are one
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  of the top reasons new businesses stall out.
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  It's not just about capability-it's about alignment.
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  Fit.
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  Shared vision.
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  So it's not just like,
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  "Can they do the job," but more like,
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  "Are they the right person for where we're headed." That totally tracks.
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  I mean... the founder I mentioned?
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  She didn't really stop to think what kind of person would help her grow-she
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  just needed someone to take stuff off her plate.
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  But there was zero thought about values,
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  or long-term culture.
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  Is that where people usually mess up?
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  Exactly.
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  Your first hire... they're not just an extra set of hands.
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  They're the foundation of your culture.
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  Of your future team.
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  And if you rush that?
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  You risk building on, well... quicksand.
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  But if you slow down, define what you need,
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  and hire with intention-suddenly you've got something stable.
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  Scalable.
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  It's still a leap of faith... but now it's a calculated one.
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  Yeah... a calculated
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  leap.
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  I like that.
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  So okay-how do you actually make that leap without faceplanting?
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  Let's talk about what a strategic hiring process actually looks like.
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  First
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  step?
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  Hit pause.
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  Before you post anything, get crystal clear on what your business actually
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  needs.
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  What's missing?
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  What's keeping you stuck?
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  And-this part gets skipped a lot-what kind of person complements you,
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  instead of just being another you?
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  Sooo... it's not just like,
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  "Here's a list of tasks," right?
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  It's more like, "What does success in this role look like?" 'Cause yeah-I've
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  seen job descriptions that are just,
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  like, laundry lists of stuff to do.
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  But the good ones?
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  They talk about the mission.
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  The impact.
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  The why.
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  Is that the difference?
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  Spot on.
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  The best job descriptions don't just tell-they inspire.
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  They show candidates how they'll actually move the needle.
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  They talk about values.
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  About what success looks like in those first few months.
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  And they draw a clear line between must-haves and nice-to-haves.
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  That clarity?
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  It pulls in people who are excited about your vision-not just folks job-hopping.
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  Okay,
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  so let's say you've got a solid job post.
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  Now what?
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  How do you not fall into the trap of hiring the first person who looks
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  decent on paper?
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  That's where structure comes in.
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  You start with a quick phone screen-see how they communicate,
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  how they vibe.
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  Then maybe a small paid project or skill test,
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  especially for specialized roles.
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  Finally?
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  Dig deeper with interviews that use behavioral questions.
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  Ask how they've handled real challenges.
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  And of course, tools like OAD's behavioral assessments can help you see
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  what's underneath the résumé-things like decision-making style or natural
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  motivators.
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  All the stuff that makes or breaks a fit.
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  Yesss-behavioral interviews.
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  We went deep on that in Episode 1,
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  remember?
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  I love those.
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  But okay... here's something I always wonder: how do you really know if
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  someone's gonna fit your culture?
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  Is there a way to predict that-or is it just,
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  like, vibes?
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  Great question.
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  And yeah-gut instinct can help... but it only gets you so far.
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  I worked with this tiny tech startup-just the founder and one dev.
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  Super lean.
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  They kept hiring for technical skills,
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  and the turnover was brutal.
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  Finally, they stopped and said,
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  "Okay-what kind of mindset do we need?" They looked for someone adaptable,
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  mission-driven... not just skilled.
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  That person?
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  They clicked instantly.
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  Grew with the team.
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  Took initiative.
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  Total game-changer.
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  That's what happens when you prioritize alignment over credentials.
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  I
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  love that.
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  It's such a good reminder that your first hire isn't just about plugging
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  a hole-it's about choosing the kind of company you're trying to build.
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  Okay-so you find that person.
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  You make the offer.
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  Now what?
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  'Cause I know that's when the legal stuff starts sneaking in...That's where
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  the fun begins.
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  So-once you've got your yes, it's time to get official.
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  First, grab your EIN from the IRS.
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  Make sure you're classifying the role right-are they an employee or a
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  contractor?
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  Register with your state's tax agency.
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  Set up payroll.
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  And in most states, you'll also need workers' comp insurance... even if
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  it's just one person.
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  Miss one of these?
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  You could get hit with fines or delays.
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  So yeah-it's worth slowing down and doing it right.
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  Okay,
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  wow.
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  I had no idea it was that involved.
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  I always thought onboarding was,
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  like, "Here's your laptop, coffee's over there,
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  good luck!" But... there's way more to it,
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  huh?
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  Oh, definitely.
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  Onboarding is where you build momentum-or lose it.
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  It's your chance to set expectations,
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  explain the culture, and show someone how their role fits into the big
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  picture.
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  Clarity matters.
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  So does mentorship.
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  Frequent check-ins.
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  Early feedback.
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  All those little touchpoints add up.
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  And when onboarding's rushed?
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  Even the best hire can flounder.
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  But when it's thoughtful-it builds trust.
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  And retention.
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  That really surprised me when I started reading about all
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  this.
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  Like-I always thought people left jobs because of money,
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  or workload.
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  But turns out... if you don't feel supported?
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  Or you're just confused all the time?
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  You're way more likely to peace out.
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  So what about after that initial onboarding?
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  How do you keep people moving forward?
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  It's all about structured feedback
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  and growth.
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  Set goals early.
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  Check in often.
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  Ask where they need support.
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  Offer challenges-new projects,
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  learning tools.
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  And keep checking your hiring playbook.
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  Your needs evolve as you scale.
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  That first hire?
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  Just the beginning.
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  But if you keep investing in their growth,
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  and your process stays intentional... you're setting the foundation for
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  a team that actually sticks.
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  That's such a great note to wrap up on.
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  So yeah-if you're out there and you're about to make your first hire,
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  remember-it's not just about getting some help.
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  It's about, like... building your future.
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  Edwin, thank you-as always-for being our hiring Yoda.
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  Thank you,
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  Claire.
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  And thanks to everyone listening.
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  If you want to dive deeper-or see how tools like behavioral assessments
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  can actually simplify all this-check out o-a-d-dot-a-i.
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  That's OAD.
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  ai.
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  You can book a free demo and see how it all works.
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  Do it!
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  It's seriously cool.
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  Alright-we'll see you next time.
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  Take care!
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  Goodbye, Claire.
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  Goodbye, all.