Mary Voss on the importance of having the right talent, a cohesive leadership team, and a strong company culture

Designing Successful Startups

Summary

In this conversation, Jothy Rosenberg interviews Mary Voss, an experienced HR professional, about the importance of human resources in startups. They discuss the factors that contribute to the success of early-stage companies, such as having the right talent, a cohesive leadership team, and a strong company culture. They also touch on the importance of behavioral interviewing and the value of experience in hiring decisions. Mary shares her philosophy of hiring no bozos and the significance of trust and efficiency in a small team. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the importance of dignity in the hiring and firing process.

Takeaways

• Early-stage companies need to focus on having the right talent, a cohesive leadership team, and a strong company culture to succeed.
• Behavioral interviewing is an effective way to assess a candidate's values, motivations, and fit within the organization.
• Experience is important in the early days of a startup as it allows individuals to make informed decisions and navigate the fast-paced environment.
• Hiring no bozos and fostering trust within the team leads to efficiency and productivity.
• Dignity is crucial in both the hiring and firing process, ensuring respect and a positive experience for all individuals involved.

Sound Bites

"Caring about the people that you're bringing into the organization and spending a whole lot of time on the cultural fit."

"You have to have fun, especially when you're working that hard."

"Looking at motivation and the ability to learn and just the softer skills and how they're going to fit in with the team."

Links

Mary’s company: https://www.trivium.com/

Please leave us a review: https://www.podchaser.com/AdventuresOnTheCanDo

Tech Startup Toolkit (book): https://www.manning.com/books/tech-startup-toolkit

Jothy’s website: https://jothyrosenberg.com

The Who Says I Can’t Foundation: https://whosaysicant.org

Jothy’s TEDx talk on disability: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNtOawXAx5A

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:24 HR Factors for Startup Success

07:08 The Importance of Having Fun

08:08 The Value of Behavioral Interviewing

14:04 Hiring No Bozos: Trust and Efficiency in Small Teams

32:38 Experience and Hiring Decisions

38:56 The Power of Grit and Optimism

41:25 Closing Remarks