In the fast-paced world of startups, securing a dependable team is essential for early-stage ventures. In this episode of Build Mode, Isabelle Johannessen converses with Isaiah Granet, the CEO and co-founder of Bland, a voice AI firm that ascended from pre-seed to Series B within a mere 10 months. Their workforce has expanded to 75 individuals, and Granet shares strategic insights on how the company uncovered hidden talent in unexpected arenas. 

With a founding team straight out of academia, Bland’s initial hires were chosen based on their enthusiasm rather than their backgrounds. 

“We spent a considerable amount of time searching for our founding engineer. The candidate we ultimately chose had only a few months of experience at an insurance firm in Iowa. Before that, he managed a Taco Bell, and prior to that, he worked on a factory floor,” Granet shared with Build Mode, noting that they discovered him via his GitHub profile. 

“What impressed me wasn’t his technical skills,” Granet remarked. “We probed him about his hobbies, and I’ve never seen someone grin so broadly. He replied, ‘I enjoy shipping code.’”

Following that hire, Bland began to prioritize individuals who were fervently dedicated to their interests and as dynamic as the company itself. The team now includes philosophy majors and beekeepers, all from outside the conventional tech landscape. 

“There are individuals who possess experiences that might not shine on résumés, but are incredibly fascinating. It highlights a level of dedication, which can be applied to any field,” Granet noted.

As the company has expanded over the past year, the leadership team has had to master not only the hiring process but also keeping the team engaged and satisfied. In the episode, Granet elaborates on how Bland established a fair compensation model and made sure all initial hires were clear about their equity. 

However, this recruitment strategy does come with challenges, he mentioned. Inexperienced scrappy talent often requires time to acclimate to their roles, which necessitates adjustments by the company. 

Bland believes that if extra resources are allocated to an employee, then that employee should reciprocate by investing effort into the company. “If outcomes aren’t being produced, we expect you to be at the office six days a week, 12 hours each day,” Granet stated. 

This hiring approach can also pose difficulties in scaling, particularly given Bland’s rapid growth. Granet explained that the co-founders maintain a very hands-on approach with the team to ensure they reach the high-performance levels needed. 

The founding team can significantly influence the fate of an early-stage startup, and Bland’s distinctive hiring practices alongside its remarkable growth illustrate the advantage of accessing unique talent. “For the most part, I believe early-stage startup founders should trust their instincts and everyone will develop their own effective hiring methods,” Granet concluded.

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Isabelle Johannessen serves as our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is managed by Morgan Little. Special gratitude to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.