Don’t Hire Your Friends

As a startup founder, it can be tempting to hire your friends as your first employees. You already know each other. You like each other. Heck, maybe you were together when you brainstormed the ideas that led you to where you are today. It may seem like a natural fit, skipping the hassle of writing formal job descriptions, sourcing candidates, interviewing, hiring, onboarding etc. Perfect, right? Not so fast!

Don’t get me wrong, sometimes hiring a friend works out great – IF they have the right skills. It can feel natural because you know, like and trust one another. But remember: This isn’t a school project. This is your business. More often than not, hiring friends doesn’t work. We’ve seen it again and again; the health of your business is compromised, and your friendship is left broken.

Here are some common reasons for that:

1. The skills and experience your company needs don’t line up with what they bring to the game. Hiring your best friend to be your operations (or marketing, engineering, etc.) lead may not align with their expertise or your needs.

2. Often, there is no common understanding of required skills, time commitment or expected results. If your intentions and expectations are not made clear, it’s a recipe for disaster for your business and your friendship.

3. Your friendship can impact the motivation and engagement of other employees. The optics matter. Is that person privy to information the others do not have? Is that person pulling their weight? Are you spending more time with them? What if this person was the founder’s best friend? Is it worth it?

There is risk in any hiring decision, and this is particularly true in a startup environment. It is important to be intentional in your decisions and identify the people who will deliver for you. Without this, your growth can be stifled.

You will need your friends and trusted advisors during your entrepreneurial journey. Let them play that role when you need them most. For your team that runs your business every day, let’s put together a plan to build a high-functioning and efficient team. We are here to help.