Hiring the right person is only half the battle. The bigger question? How do you keep them? Retention isn’t just about perks — it’s about alignment, leadership, and systems that support long-term success.

You’ve finally hired a great leader. But what happens next? Too many companies invest heavily in recruiting, only to leave new leaders to “figure it out.” The result? Frustration, misalignment, and high turnover.

For growth-stage businesses, the first 20 hires aren’t just team members — they’re culture-setters. Get them right, and you build a foundation for scale. Get them wrong, and you’ll spend years untangling people problems instead of growing.

Every founder or COO knows the sting of a bad hire. It’s not just the salary wasted — it’s the lost time, team frustration, and the opportunity cost of momentum stalled. But what’s often underestimated is just how expensive a mis-hire really is.