Paul forster

Zero to a Thousand

How to scale your team at internet speed

Paul Forster

Indeed employees

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Dec,2005

Dec,2006

Dec,2007

Dec,2008

Dec,2009

Dec,2010

Dec,2011

Dec,2012

Dec,2013

June,2014

2005

Stamford, Austin map by Pindrop

2010

+ Mountain View

2011

+ New York, London

2012

+ Dublin, Toronto

2013

+ Tokyo, Sydney, Dusseldorf, Amsterdam

2014

+ Seattle

Lessons?

Choose co-founders wisely

Keep the Board simple

Don’t focus on advisors

How should you hire people?

Hire slowly

Use online services

Interviews

• Multiple employees (focus on good ones!)

• Behavioral interviewing

• Job longevity

• Character (motivation, persistence)

• Attention to detail

• Objective testing

Reference checking

• Don’t delegate it

• Google them

• Talk to them

“In what areas does ___________ need support?”

Find hiring sweet spots

Executive search is a last resort

How should you fire people?

Fire quickly

Make the tough calls

How can you make employees happy?

Pay market compensation

Don’t avoid performance reviews

Set quantitative goals

Promote from within

Be careful with stock options

Stock option grant example

• Senior hire

• £200k per year salary

• Option grant equivalent to 0.25x salary

• i.e. £50k in stock options

• £50m is latest valuation of company

• i.e. Grant equivalent to 0.1% of company

• 4 year vesting schedule, 1 year cliff

No more offices than necessary

Be collaborative

Harness purpose & passion