Founders: Who and how to hire after your seed round

So, you've finally done it. You've got your startup off the ground and secured your first round of seed funding. Now it's time to grow your promising business and prepare to scale. You've probably already worked out the business fundamentals and included them in your pitch deck.

You'll know your capital requirements, target markets, logistics, and product pricing like the back of your hand. However, there are still some missing ingredients you'll need before you can take your startup to the next level.

We're talking, of course, about people. To scale up and move onto that all-important series-A funding and beyond, you'll need the right talent to help you grow. With that in mind, here is our guide on who to hire and how to hire after you wrap up your seed round.

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How to hire

Gather input

The first thing to do is ensure that all stakeholders have a say in your hiring process. This does not mean that every single person already involved in your startup needs to consent to your hiring choices. However, it does mean that key roles should be OK'd by your co-founders and investors before you send any job offers. Encourage your team to be involved in the hiring process and to take part in interviews. This way, you can find the right candidates everyone is happy with.

Research roles

You might know your business inside and out, but you probably do not know everything about the roles you know you need to fill. Do you know exactly what a Chief Technology Officer does? Or a Product Manager? Or a DevOps Specialist? If you know you need a position filled but don't know why exactly, take the time to speak to people in those roles already to find out exactly how they can add value to your company.

Be specific

As an early stage startup, you will hire for very specific roles. Now is the time to put together the core team of people who can make your growth objectives a reality. This means being specific in your job ads and hiring processes about what each role will entail at your company and what a candidate can expect to do on a day-to-day basis. This way, you will find the candidates who have the most to offer.

Create a referral system

For growing startups, referral systems are the lifeblood of successful recruitment. Let all of your new hires know they will be rewarded if they can refer the right candidates to your company. You can offer bonuses, perks, and extra holiday for successful referrals. This way, you can leverage the existing networks in your team to find the expertise you need to thrive.

Source: Unsplash

Who you need

Legal expertise

To secure your next round of funding and execute the vision for your company, you will need some highly competent legal expertise. Naturally, building an in-house legal team is difficult and unnecessary, and hiring a lawyer externally also takes a big chunk of budget. . However, thanks to the world of tech there’s an alternative route. You can opt to use a dedicated all-in-one service like SeedLegals, which will provide you with all the legal documents you need for your subsequent funding rounds and other important aspects of your business. This approach will ensure that your company is compliant every step of the way.

Co-founder support

It is important that your co-founders are not distracted from the core tasks of growing the company during this busy time. As such, you will want to hire some support for your founders who can take charge of secondary tasks and also act as assistants. Such roles are common in growth-stage startups and go by various titles, such as Chief of Staff or Venture Manager. They can take care of important tasks such as recruitment or implementing your CRM system, while the top brass focuses on growing the company.

Product manager

Not all companies need a Product Manager (PM), but most do. You might already have a Chief Technology Officer, but this role can actually be distinct from the PM role in a number of ways. A product manager is responsible for executing your product vision, while the technology officer oversees the technical aspects. A PM will oversee your product roadmap, keep tabs on the competition, and allocate development resources ahead of time. This way, you can bring your product to market faster than you thought possible.

Sales team

When you were looking for seed funding, you didn't need a sales team, since the product wasn't there yet. However, now is the time to find talented salespeople who can connect with your target customers and push a compelling vision for your product or service. Some business gurus insist that the founders themselves spend some time on the sales floor so that they can learn exactly how the customer thinks and use these insights to pick the right salespeople for the job.

Office manager

Now that your office is filling up, it's time to find someone who can make sure it all functions. This is where the all-important role of the office manager comes in. Your office manager will take care of the day-to-day running of every aspect of the office itself. They will order and issue equipment such as laptops, onboard all of your fantastic new hires, and keep the office in good shape throughout the week. When you have an office manager, you can ensure that everyone has what they need to do their jobs to the best of their abilities.

Marketing lead

When your product is ready, it's time to market it. Your marketing lead will go by any number of roles. Some companies use the term growth hacker, some use the term marketing technologist, and some even use the term growth evangelist. The choice is yours, but what you need is someone who understands your vision and knows how to deliver it to your target audience in a way that resonates. With your marketing lead in place, your company can make a name for itself.

If you follow these steps, you'll be in the perfect position to grow and prosper. See you at the top!

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes