Hello {{first_name}}!
January is almost over. The initial rush is fading, and the "Founder Reality Check" has officially set in. Youāve got the vision, youāve got the goalsābut now youāre facing the one challenge that breaks most early-stage startups: The People.
Letās be real: Hiring in the early days is a nightmare. One wrong seat at the table doesn't just slow you down; it can kill your momentum entirely. We know that for most of you, teambuilding feels like a guessing game with high stakes and zero room for error.
Weāve got your back.
We dug through the archives of the Harvard Innovation Labs and found a masterclass that is pure gold for anyone building a team right now. Since you don't have two hours to spare between shipping and pitching, weāve extracted the high-leverage "Golden Nuggets" for you.
āI can literally say with 100% truth. This is info worth money. literally.ā
If you want the full deep dive, weāve linked the 2-hour masterclass at the end. But for now, here is the 2-minute version to help you move faster this week.
š ļø Curated with care by Bartosz & Hannah ā the team behind Bootstrap Insider.
We research, vet, and deliver only the most founder-friendly opportunities.
š§ Startup Secrets: Stop hiring bodies. Start building a legacy.
Hiring is the ultimate "High Stakes" game. If you screw this up, no amount of funding can save you. Hereās the unfiltered truth from the Harvard Masterclass, stripped of the fluff:
1. ā ļø The "B-Player" Death Spiral
Most founders hire out of desperation because they have a "hole" to fill. Don't. * The Trap: A-players hire A-players because they love the challenge. But B-players? They hire C-players. Why? Because B-players are secretly insecure and donāt want anyone to outshine them.
The Math: Hire one B-player, and youāve just invited a dozen C-players to your cap table. C-players donāt just work slowerāthey dilute the culture until your best people quit. Aās bring excellence; Cās bring chaos.
2. š The "Golden Triangle": Why your CV check is failing you
If youāre just looking at LinkedIn logos, youāre playing the wrong game.
EKS (The Basics): Experience and skills are just the "entry ticket." They tell you what someone did, not what they will do in your messy startup environment.
IQ (The Danger): Obviously, you want smart people. But watch out for the "Toxic Genius." A high IQ person who can't team up is a liability, not an asset. They destroy speed.
EQ (The Dealbreaker): In a startup, youāre constantly "Speed Teaming"āforming and breaking groups around new problems every week. If someone canāt connect or adapt when you pivot from V1 to V3, they are dead weight. EQ is not "soft skills"; it's survival.
3. ā” The "Passion" BS-Detector
Michael Skokās favorite filter is dead simple: "What actually gets you out of bed?"
Reality Check: Startups are brutal. When the servers are down at 2 AM, "skills" won't keep someone in the chair. Only internal drive does.
Pro Tip: Stop trying to sell your startup to candidates. Your job is to find out if their "North Star" already points in your direction. If you have to convince them to care, theyāve already failed the interview.
š«£ You already found your A-Player, but they are based in an other country?
š Use DEEL to hire them in minutes!
Hiring in 8 countries shouldn't require 8 different processes
This guide from Deel breaks down how to build one global hiring system. Youāll learn about assessment frameworks that scale, how to do headcount planning across regions, and even intake processes that work everywhere. As HR pros know, hiring in one country is hard enough. So let this free global hiring guide give you the tools you need to avoid global hiring headaches.
š ļø Field Notes for your next Interview:
šÆ Will > Skill: You canāt train "hunger." Hire the person whoās desperate to solve the problem, then teach them the tools.
š Hunt for "Athletes": Can't find a specialist? Hire an "Athlete"āsomeone who has a track record of winning, no matter the field. They pivot faster than any "expert."
š Go "Off-Book" on References: Forget the list they gave you. Find their former peers on LinkedIn and ask: "Whatās the one thing thatās missing now that theyāre gone?" Their answer (or the silence) tells you everything.
š” The Hard Truth:
"Hire the right person, not the person right now." In a 5-person team, one bad hire wipes out 20% of your company value overnight. It feels urgent to fill the seat, but a "wrong" hire is infinitely more expensive than an empty one. Hold the line.
šExtra:
17% Time Leak: According to Apollo Technical, managers spend an average of 17% of their week (nearly one full day!) managing underperformers. Thatās time you arenāt spending on product or sales. READ MORE..
šØAre you now ready to make money, continue to grow with your start-up and look for grants and funding opportunities?
THE BOOTSTRAP INSIDER GROWTH is the solution ā¬ļø
I wish you much success with your applications!
See you next time! :)
Best,
Bartosz and Hannah
About The Bootstrap Insider
The Bootstrap Insider is a newsletter that helps startups discover and apply for pitch competitions, ensuring they never miss out on valuable opportunities. It addresses the problem of missed funding and exposure chances due to lack of information. Created by Bartosz Kajdas, an experienced entrepreneur, venture builder and Pitchtrainer, the platform leverages his expertise to provide timely and relevant updates.
Disclaimer:
This newsletter is for informational purposes only. We do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information provided. We shall not be liable for any damages arising from the use or non-use of the information provided.