Eben PaganDiscovery Hub

Hire Only Stars and Build Pre-Relationships Before You Need Them

In a rapidly growing company, you hire stars — full stop. Helping disadvantaged people is something you do with your time, money, and energy outside the business. Inside the business, you maintain clear standards for who goes in key positions. But the real game is building relationships with potential stars before you have an opening. Start exchanging emails with people you admire, ask for their advice, see how they think and respond over months. When you do have an opportunity, you're not interviewing a stranger — you're formalizing a relationship already in progress. Also use multi-interviewer panels: different people see different blind spots, and group debrief often surfaces consistent behavioral patterns — like habitual excuse-making — that any single interview would miss.

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In a rapidly growing company, you hire stars — full stop. Helping disadvantaged people is something you do with your time, money, and energy outside the business. Inside the business, you maintain clear standards for who goes in key positions. But the real game is building relationships with potential stars before you have an opening. Start exchanging emails with people you admire, ask for their advice, see how they think and respond over months. When you do have an opportunity, you're not interviewing a stranger — you're formalizing a relationship already in progress. Also use multi-interviewer panels: different people see different blind spots, and group debrief often surfaces consistent behavioral patterns — like habitual excuse-making — that any single interview would miss.

Relevant Clips6

  • Answer10:16

    Why Rapidly Growing Companies Should Only Hire Stars

    No. Rapidly growing companies should only hire stars and high performers. Help disadvantaged people through contributions of time, money, and energy outside your business, but maintain clear boundaries about who you put in key positions.

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  • Answer0:35

    Mentoring a Disadvantaged Entrepreneur to Refresh Your Perspective

    Find a disadvantaged entrepreneur who shows star potential and mentor them for free. They'll quickly implement what took you years to learn, giving you fresh perspective on your own development.

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    Group Interviews Expose Blind Spots Individual Ones Miss

    Look for patterns that emerge when comparing different interviewers' experiences. Group discussions often reveal consistent behaviors like excuse-making that individual interviews might miss.

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    Pre-Hire Relationship Building Before You Need Them

    Start relationship-building conversations with potential stars before you need them. Exchange emails over months, ask for advice on situations, and see how they respond and think.

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    Using Multiple Interviewers to Reveal Candidate Blind Spots

    Different people see qualities you can't perceive. Having trusted friends or team members with varied skill sets interview candidates reveals blind spots and behavioral patterns.

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    Hiring Long-Term Thinkers Who Don't Need Immediate Incentives

    Hire star performers who think long-term and understand that consistent performance will be rewarded over time, rather than those motivated by immediate incentives and rewards.

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