Founders’ ability to put together a team, or armar equipo, is a key factor to startup success. Founders who are able to make key hires show they can inspire and lead with a clear vision.
Building a supporting cast takes time and is expensive. It’s hard to motivate someone to leave a stable job to get paid less and work at a startup, but startups offer the chance to make an impact, have a senior leadership role, interact directly with clients, travel, and participate financially in a startup’s upside.
Here are some founders who have been able to armar equipo:
- Alvaro Echevarria, of Facturedo, hired Joel Villanueva as Country Manager Peru
- Sebastian Otero, of Freshmart, hired Gonzalo Carriquiry as Director
- Fernando D’Alessio, of Juntoz, hired Jean Diego Banon as Head of Growth Strategy
- Domenica Obando, of Talently, hired Astrid Nuestadtl as Career Success Manager
- Carlos Ganoza, of Quantum Talent, hired Luis Deza as Chief Revenue Officer
These key hires help with strategy, execute growth plans, and lead local operations as country managers, while founders spend time opening new markets or raising capital.
The small amount of the cash in a startup makes it hard to justify spending on talent. You will have to increase cash burn and give up valuable runway. In exchange, you should be able to grow or build tech that will help you scale.