Win with who you hire.

Congratulations! Making your first hire is an exciting step and we’ve got everything you need to make it as smooth as possible.

Making your first hire

Once you’ve decided that hiring a team member is the right move for your business, you’ll need to step back and look at the bigger picture. Hiring your first team member is more than filling a gap — it’s laying the foundation for your startup’s future culture. Before advertising the role, consider:

• What are your business’s immediate needs vs. long-term goals?

• How does this hire fit your company vision and culture?

• What strengths do you lack — and what kind of person will complement your skillset?

Did you know?

75% of UK businesses are solo-run. That means your first hire marks a real transition from founder to leader.

Create a role with purpose, not just tasks

A great team member isn’t just good at the job — they’re bought into the mission. Your job description should clearly state:

• Responsibilities and key deliverables

• Required skills and behaviours

• The impact they’ll have on the business

• How the role supports your startup’s purpose

Share the opportunity through your founder network, relevant job boards, and startup communities. If you’re interviewing alone, invite a mentor or advisor for a second opinion.

“The best thing anyone can do when hiring is to ask people who have already done it for advice.” -Nick Coates, Virgin StartUp Business Advisor and founder of Food Founders.

Top Tip: Even as a founder it can be helpful to have a role description to help you and your new team understand what you do and how it relates to them.

Calculating the costs

An important step before you begin the hiring process is to work out how much it will cost you not just to hire a new team member, but to keep them. Hiring a team means more than just salaries. Make sure you’ve factored in:

• Employer NI and pension contributions

• Equipment and onboarding costs

• Co-working space or remote setup needs

• Payroll software or HR support tools

• Time investment in leadership and development

Hiring is an investment — plan for retention, not just recruitment.

Freelancers: the secret weapon for scaling smart

Online platforms have made hiring freelancers (contractors who don’t work for you full-time) simple and easy and, for startups with tight budgets, they can be just the help you need.

There are freelancers for most tasks and this can be a great option if you need work done quickly, want to delegate so you have more time to concentrate on your (ever-growing) to-do list, want to access top talent for lower cost or need to fill missing or temporary roles. Freelancers offer:

• Speed and flexibility

• Specialist expertise

• Lower long-term commitment

• Agile support during growth spikes

From hiring to high-performing: build with intention

Having a purpose makes your brand more than just its logo or tagline, and it makes your team members motivated to show up every day. Your employees will have first been introduced to your purpose during the interview stage and again in their onboarding, but it shouldn’t stop there.

Continue to foster a sense of belonging in your team by:

• Regularly communicating your purpose

• Living your values through your workplace policies and daily decisions

• Listening to your teams

• Maintaining sustainable workplaces and practices

• Empowering your people and teams

• Focusing on wellbeing

Your first hire is just the beginning — the real magic happens when you build a team that’s aligned, empowered, and inspired to grow with your business.

Hire with purpose. Lead with clarity. Grow with heart.

“Leaders and managers shouldn’t underestimate the power of humour and building a fun working environment.” -Holly Branson, Chief Vision & Purpose Officer, Virgin.