Most founders think hiring is about interviewing. But it’s actually about selling.
For Startup School, Juicebox co-founder & CEO David Paffenholz joins YC’s Harj Taggar to share how early-stage founders can find, pitch, and close top engineering and sales talent— from crafting better outreach to winning great hires from Big Tech— even when you’re an unknown early-stage startup.
Chapters:
0:00 – Why your first hires matter
1:17 – What great candidates actually want
4:38 – How to sell your startup to top talent
7:49 – Finding and sourcing great engineers
13:17 – Writing outreach that gets replies
20:58 – Interviewing: sell first, assess second
25:59 – Closing fast and competing with Big Tech
31:06 – Common mistakes founders make
38:52 – When (and how) to hire a recruiter
43:11 – Final thoughts
