The Flywheel

Rocket Fuel Ep #10 – Building Your Dream Team: Hiring for Startup Success In this episode of Pitch Please, Mike Thibodeau explores one of the most crucial aspects of startup growth: assembling your dream team. Joining him is Farial Karbasi, founder and CEO of HRXconnect, a seasoned expert in hiring and team-building for startups. Together, they dive into the strategies, challenges, and frameworks that can help founders hire their first employees, attract top talent, and retain them to scale their ventures. With insights drawn from over a decade of experience, Farial shares actionable advice for startups navigating the early stages of hiring, from defining roles to ensuring cultural alignment. They discuss key considerations like when to hire generalists vs. specialists, how to leverage contractors, and the importance of building an environment where employees thrive. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: • Early-Stage Hiring Tips: How to define roles, avoid misalignment, and set the foundation for a strong team. • Generalists vs. Specialists: Deciding which type of hire is best for your startup’s current needs. • Attracting Top Talent: Practical strategies for standing out as a startup and competing for the best candidates. • Employee vs. Contractor: When to hire full-time employees, work with contractors, or outsource. • Retention Done Right: How to onboard and keep employees motivated, even in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment. Chapters 00:00 - Assembling the Dream Team 02:30 - Defining Roles and Expectations 04:17 - Qualities to Look for in Hires 07:35 - Avoiding Unrealistic Expectations 11:31 - Hiring Employees vs. Contractors 15:12 - Clarity and Communication in the Hiring Process 18:58 - Transitioning from Founder-led Hiring 21:30 - Choosing Between Employees, Contractors, and Outsourcing 26:08 - Attracting and Retaining Talent 29:02 - Avoiding Pitfalls in Retention 33:00 - Taking Care of Mental Health 35:42 - Continuous Iteration for Success More About Farial Karbasi Farial has always been passionate about helping businesses thrive by creating stronger, higher-performing and more engaged teams and cultures.  She has spent the past 8 years building the proven frameworks and strategies to achieve this and decided to launch her own business, HRXconnect, to really help more businesses who are looking to significantly improve their HR strategies, grow their business, and improve overall company culture but don't have this expertise internally.  More About HRXconnect HRXconnect works with owner-operated businesses that have grown to the point where building a solid HR foundation is essential to attract and keep top talent, strengthen their team and culture, and achieve long-term success. Relying on finance or other departments to manage HR is no longer practical. Many of these businesses don’t have the time or expertise to create a proper HR function, so they hire us to not only design and manage an HR strategy that fits their needs but also to act as their HR team. Whether it’s navigating complex employment issues, developing workplace policies, or fostering inclusive environments, HRXconnect provides hands-on support and strategic guidance. Our goal is to empower organizations with the tools and expertise needed to build a thriving workforce while focusing on long-term, sustainable growth. Want to Connect? Farial: https://www.linkedin.com/in/farial-k/ HRXconnect: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hrxc/ Want to Learn More? Struggling to build your dream team? HRXconnect offers personalized hiring and HR solutions to help startups navigate early-stage growth. From defining roles to implementing retention strategies, their team works with you to create the foundation for long-term success. Visit HRXconnect to learn more about their startup-focused services.