Lee Heynes’ Post

#Hiring #SoftwareEngineers as an early-stage #Founder is different from hiring at later-stage startups or public tech companies. There are unique requirements & unique challenges. However, most #RecruitingAgencies partner with early-stage startups in the same way they do larger businesses. Same contract/price -- despite having less resources at their disposal. Same workflow -- despite not having a built-out TA function. Same sourcing strategy -- despite looking for more specific qualities. We built Project Method with the needs of early-stage startups in mind. Our candidate network is actively looking for Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A startups since that's all we recruit for. After a great start to 2024, we're looking for 1 or 2 more partners heading into March. Do you know anyone?

How to launch a startup without burning through all your resources 💸 Founders often face a dilemma: how to choose the right technical solution without depleting their entire budget. Does anyone even know what a “perfect” technical solution looks like? It depends on so many factors.   The secret to overcoming this hurdle is hiring a real CTO. Yes, that's right - there's just one key ingredient. 🎯 This professional will provide recommendations on your technical strategy, tech stack, and system architecture. What’s important, you don't have to employ a CTO full-time - having them on board for just a few hours a week can still propel your startup's success while saving on costs 💼💡 FastCTO is dedicated to helping startups without making a profit from them. Unlike traditional consultancies that exploit young companies, we work on an aggressively non-predatory basis. We serve businesses of all sizes, from initial ideas to established enterprises, providing expert CTO support tailored to your needs. Got a startup in need of tech guidance? We've got 200+ amazing CTOs ready to help you out. And if your CTO needs extra expertise, our whole FastCTO network is here for you: it’s like having a top-tier team focused on your success! 👥 The takeaway: competent CTO = effective team = optimal choices = cost reduction = rapid growth = winning startup 🚀 👇🏻 Discover how our mission can support your startup #FastCTO #CTO #TechStrategy #StartupGrowth #Innovation #BostonTech #StartupCommunity #BusinessStartups

Are you an early-stage or later-stage startup person? Early stage (first ~20 employees): - Generalists - Do whatever is needed - Longer hours but more flexible - Higher risk, higher reward Late stage: - Hyper specialized - Do your job and go home - Structured hours and responsibility Usually people are one or the other. The first 20 startup hires are hard to find. They will form your culture and be responsible for getting the startup off the ground. Many times these people will just start their own companies.

🚀 Choosing to join Startups and Big Tech: Which Path Fits You? 🏢 Are you at a crossroads in your career, torn between joining a startup or a big tech company? Here are some factors to consider: 🌟 Impact vs. Stability: Startups offer the chance to make a big impact early on, while big tech companies provide stability and structured career paths. 💼 Autonomy vs. Resources: Startups often offer more autonomy and flexibility, while big tech companies boast extensive resources and support. 📈 Growth Potential: Startups can provide rapid growth opportunities, but big tech companies offer established career progression paths. 💡 Innovation vs. Established Systems: Startups thrive on innovation and agility, while big tech companies have established systems and processes. Ultimately, the choice depends on your career goals, risk tolerance, and work preferences. Consider what matters most to you professionally and personally before making your decision. Which path will you choose? Let's discuss in the comments! #CareerDecisions #StartupVsBigTech 🚀🏢

Scaling the runway Early stage startup founders who have a small team, 2-10 people know the story of running lean, taking very little money out of the company, and pushing hard to go fast and launch or scale. To go a bit faster can make the difference between getting off the ground. But it is a tradeoff. Working as hard as you can. There are only so many hours in a day. And only one of you. Can't hire another head as it is another mouth to feed and causes anguish about the runway. What Razortooth can do is add a team to your team, at a fixed cost with no surprises. We can provide a mix of CTO/PM/Dev/DevOps/QA/ReleaseEngineering for a nominal monthly retainer based on the number of hours you need each month, and likely at cost of less than adding a new full time member to the team. With experience in the range of projects from mobile and embedded systems, all the way to the cloud, we can ramp up quickly for as long as you need the the team. We've worked with over 30 different startups over the years and can bring knowledge, and a network of partners and top notch talent to bring into your team. DM me us for more information and a quick discussion.

Choosing between a tech startup and an established company can be a pivotal decision in your career journey. Tech startups offer a dynamic environment, rapid growth opportunities, and the chance to make a significant impact from day one. On the other hand, established companies provide stability, structured career paths, and resources to work on large-scale projects. At Broadview Technical Solutions, we understand the importance of this decision. Whether you thrive in an innovative startup culture or prefer the stability of an established company, we connect you with opportunities that align with your career goals and aspirations. Let's navigate your career path together! #TechStartups #EstablishedCompanies #CareerGrowth #BroadviewTech

Don’t join an early stage startup if… 1. You can’t adapt and pivot quickly. 2. You are expecting stable/efficient processes to be in place. 3. You must have all the best tech in your stack. 4. You need a solid recognizable brand to back you to be effective. 5. You are not willing to go the extra mile. Join an early stage startup if… 1. You are a builder and want to have a noticeable impact in the company’s growth. 2. You are a curious optimist. 3. You love working and winning as a team, but you are the underdog. 4. You are ambitious and highly driven. 5. You align with the companies values and vision. Going through my second onboarding processat a startup, especially in a GTM functions, I will always prefer to hire for character and hunger than experience. #startup #growth

🚀 Just wrapped up an exhilarating 8-month journey at a Stealth Startup! At this point I can reveal that the Startup is called: ☁️LifeCloud - Where we turned ambitious ideas into digital realities that touch hearts, especially in these difficult times. btw, I highly recommend checking it out: 🔹https://lnkd.in/dca7f345 In this intense period: I've navigated the thrilling highs and challenging lows of startup life. Spearheaded projects that pushed our limits and expanded my horizons. Collaborated with an inspiring team to innovate for a cause that matters. As I turn the page on this chapter, I’m looking to dive into my next adventure 🦾 I'm on the hunt for a role where I can bring my passion for product management, Innovation & People, and drive for impact to new heights 🛠️ Got leads? Advice? I’d love to connect and explore how I can contribute to another amazing story 📩 #opentowork #productmanagement #startuplife #newbeginnings #letsconnections #projectmanagement #innovation #lookingforajob

🌟 Why Working in a Startup is a Game-Changer Jeffrey Wang, co-founder of AI startup Exa Labs, recently went viral after posting on X about ordering office nap pods, highlighting the startup work culture where startups like Exa Labs embody hustle, innovation, and flexibility. Startup offer an environment that larger corporations lack. Here's why joining a startup could be your best career decision: 1. Close-Knit Teams: Smaller teams means stronger relationships within a collaborative workplace culture. 2. Growth Opportunities: Unparalleled learning and growth opportunities with often competitive compensation and equity, making their contributions even more rewarding. 3. Direct Impact: Contributions are directly tied to the success of the company with a huge sense of ownership and responsibility. 4. Innovation and Flexibility: Constantly experiment with new ideas and wearing different hats. 5. Dynamic Culture: Vibrant and energetic work cultures surrounded by like-minded colleagues. Check out the article from TechCrunch to read more about the hustle culture of startups! #techstartups #startuplife #techjobs

Slush Day 1 has begun, and here are some great insights from the founders of ElevenLabs and Revolut: • Velocity of shipping product is super crucial for an early-stage startup. • You can’t predict what use-cases users will create—you need constantly to learn from them as much as possible. • Finding champions within potential enterprise customers and getting them to try out the product is the first step to winning enterprise clients. • The main job of an early-stage startup is to survive. • Plans longer than one year never work at startups. • A CEO should remain hands-on, even as the startup grows big. Holistic management is the beginning of the end of startup success. • When scaling, recruiting experienced executives doesn’t help—building a team of real problem solvers who work closely with the founders is the way to succeed. • Performance management is crucial at every stage of a startup—quantify everything, set 5-7 company goals, and cascade them across all levels of the organization. • For small teams of up to 100 people, you don’t need complex processes; the CEO should know exactly what everyone is working on. • Experiment and try new things—you can achieve huge outcomes even as a small startup.