Hire A-list players, not your friends
Do you want your startup to fail? Start mixing business and friendship.
This is the problem that drives most companies out of their tracks early in the process. I’ve seen countless entrepreneurs fall for it.
Just last week, I spoke to a founder who was having trouble scaling his business. He had a great idea, a talented team, and even some initial momentum. But he hit a wall.
“What is the biggest challenge you face right now?” I asked him.
He sighed. “It’s my team,” he admitted. “We’re not firing on all cylinders. We’re lacking motivation, communication is lacking… it’s affecting everything.”
As we dug deeper, it became clear that the root of the problem was his hiring strategy: he built his team primarily on friendships and personal relationships rather than skills and experience.
“I thought it would be great to work with my friends,” he explained. “I trusted them and I knew it would be fun.”
But the reality was far from his initial vision. The lines between friendship and business were blurred, creating a toxic environment where accountability was lacking and difficult conversations were avoided.