Hire for slope, not status

Early teams cannot afford passengers. The safest hire is the person who learns fast, adapts fast, and makes the team sharper.

What slope looks like

• They ask better questions than you do
• They test, ship, and reflect quickly
• They own outcomes, not tasks

Why status can mislead

Big logos often come with narrow roles. In a small team, you need builders who can move across the stack and learn in public.

Slope is the multiplier. Status is just a snapshot of the past.