Podcast: This Founder Shares Why the Philosophy 'Don't Hire 'Til It Hurts' Went Horribly Wrong for His Company In the latest episode of 'Problem Solvers,' the co-founder of software company Zapier talks about not only knowing how to hire a stellar team but when to onboard people.
By Jason Feifer
Introducing our new podcast, Problem Solvers with Jason Feifer, which features business owners and CEOs who went through a crippling business problem and came out the other side happy, wealthy, and growing. Feifer, Entrepreneur's editor in chief, spotlights these stories so other business can avoid the same hardships. Listen below.
Many entrepreneurs struggle with how to hire the right people. But they don't always think about when to hire those people.
That can lead to disaster.
Wade Foster knows this well. He's the co-founder and CEO of a software company called Zapier. As the company began growing, it followed a philosophy he calls "don't hire "til it hurts." Basically, he didn't hire a new person until he absolutely needed to. But when Zapier hit a growth spurt, it was in desperate need of new staffers -- and there was no system in place to find them. "And now," Foster remembers thinking, "it really, really hurts, because we're half as big as we need to be."
Related: Podcast: Her Cookie Company Went Viral, Which Meant A Bouncer and 4-Hour Lines
This experience led Foster to completely rethink how and when he hires new people, and to build a system that ensures his staff grows at the same pace his company does. How did he do it? We explore his process in this new episode of Problem Solvers.
Listen to the show below, or subscribe on iTunes, Google Play or wherever you get your podcasts.
About our sponsors:
Freshbooks makes cloud accounting software for freelancers and small businesses: Manage your invoices, track your expenses, even keep track of your work down to the minute so you can accurately and easily bill clients. And their customer service system is built to be fail-proof: If a user calls between 8 am and 8 pm ET, and nobody in customer service can pick up after four rings, every phone in the company starts ringing. It's a freelancer's dream: Someone is guaranteed to answer their call.
Best Self makes products to help entrepreneurs perform at their highest level, and that includes smart tools like a dry-erase 13-week wall calendar. Their most popular product is a beautiful journal, which entrepreneurs can use to help organize their time, set and achieve goals, and so on. Best Self's co-founders suggest devoting five minutes every morning to it, to create the habit of thinking about your day, your needs, your time, and your goals. The journal helps you step back.
