Key insights

• ⚙️ Recognized the need for deep experience in taxes and payroll
• 📈 Hired someone with decades of experience in the field
• 🌱 Emphasized the importance of a growth mindset
• 🔄 Challenged the traditional perception of a payroll company
• 🎯 Non-scalable approaches in early stage hiring
• 🌟 Focusing on building a great place to work and valuing people
• 🔍 Reaching out to potential hires on LinkedIn
• 👣 Culture of taking shoes off remains for 10 years

Q&A

• What unique aspect of the company's culture has been maintained for ten years?

  The company started in a house where everyone took off their shoes, and it became part of the culture. Employees are given slipper steins and branded socks for events, and the tradition of taking off shoes has continued for 10 years.

• What are the key priorities for Gusto in terms of building the company culture?

  Gusto prioritizes building a great place to work, emphasizing the importance of people, and setting the company culture. Celebrating and appreciating employees to make them feel valued and influential is crucial. The company's mission is to provide a great experience for both its employees and customers, while maintaining its unique culture despite misconceptions.

• What were the key strategies emphasized for hiring in the early stages?

  The speaker highlighted the importance of evaluating a person's skill set and mindset, reaching out to potential hires on LinkedIn, and the significance of adopting a long-term focus for hiring. The early stage hiring process required time, patience, and non-scalable approaches, which later yielded positive returns.

• Why did Gusto hire someone with decades of experience in taxes and payroll?

  Gusto recognized the need for deep expertise in taxes and payroll, so they hired someone with extensive experience. Emphasizing the importance of a growth mindset, the new hire relocated from Minnesota to California despite the startup's small size and location.

• Who was Gusto's second hire, and what contribution did they make?

  Gusto's second hire, Steven, brought expertise in software development methodology and introduced pair programming as a best practice. He was convinced to join through a job post on Hacker News.

• Who was Gusto's first hire, and what were their key skills?

  Gusto's first hire was Davey, a designer with a full stack mentality and the ability to work across multiple disciplines. The company valued hires who could adapt, stretch across various roles, and learn on the go.

• 00:00 Gusto's first hire, Davey, was a designer with a full stack mentality and the ability to work across multiple disciplines. The company valued hires who could stretch across multiple disciplines and learn on the go.
• 02:07 The second hire, Steven, brought expertise in software development methodology and introduced pair programming as a best practice. He was convinced to join through a job post on Hacker News.
• 04:12 The team needed expertise in taxes and payroll, so they hired someone with decades of experience and a growth mindset from Minnesota. He was convinced to join despite the small startup size and location.
• 06:22 The speaker emphasizes the importance of evaluating a person's skill set and mindset, shares the strategy of reaching out to potential hires on LinkedIn, and highlights the significance of long-term focus for hiring. The early stage hiring process required time, patience, and non-scalable approaches, which later yielded returns.
• 08:12 Focusing on building a great place to work, emphasizing the importance of people, and setting the culture are key priorities for the company. Celebrating and appreciating employees, making them feel valued and influential, is crucial to establishing the company's culture. The focus on creating a great place to work for employees reflects the company's mission to provide the same experience for its customers. Additionally, the company has maintained its unique culture despite misconceptions about its business.
• 10:11 The company started in a house where everyone took their shoes off, and it became a part of the culture. They give employees slipper steins and have branded socks for events. The culture of taking shoes off has remained for 10 years.