How to Hire Great People for a Bootstrapped SaaS

Hiring is one of the most critical skills for a founder. For a bootstrapped or mostly-bootstrapped company that can't compete on salary with large corporations, attracting top talent requires a different, more strategic approach.

The Core Philosophy: Be Different

Your goal is to create a compelling narrative that attracts the right kind of people—those who are motivated by more than just money.

1. Think of Your Job Description as a Sales Letter

Don't be boring: Avoid the stiff, corporate language of Fortune 1000 job descriptions. Write like a human and inject your company's personality.
Show, don't tell: Use quirky, opinionated language (e.g., "Crappy code makes you want to flip a table") to signal your culture and filter for candidates who resonate with it.
Sell the opportunity: Your job description should convince A-players that your company is a fantastic place to work and that they should apply.

2. Lean into Your Advantages

You can't offer the highest pay or the best benefits. Instead, focus on the unique advantages that only a small, fast-growing startup can provide:

Impact: "You will have a huge impact on the product and the company."
Autonomy & Ownership: "You'll work directly with the founders and have ownership over your work."
Lack of Bureaucracy: "We're a small team with no politics and no endless meetings."
Interesting Problems: "We are scaling fast, which is an interesting technical challenge."
Craftsmanship: "We view software as a craft and have an immaculate codebase."

3. Attract A-Players

Work on Interesting Problems: Top performers want to be challenged and learn new things. Highlight the intellectually stimulating aspects of the role.
Signal High Standards: Explicitly state that you are picky about who you hire. A-players want to work with other A-players.
Build an Audience (Optional but Powerful): Creating content (blog, podcast, etc.) establishes you as an expert. Top-tier talent are constant learners, and if they learn from you, they are more likely to want to work for you.

4. Hire Slow, Fire Fast

Take your time with the hiring process. A bad hire is incredibly costly for a small team.
If you have the budget, consider using a flat-fee recruiter to help source candidates.
Once you've hired someone, if it becomes clear they are not a fit, act quickly. The regret is almost always waiting too long to let someone go.

Ultimately, hiring is about selling a vision. Your ability to articulate why your company is a uniquely compelling place to work is your greatest hiring advantage.

Tags: #SaaS #hiring #recruiting #team-building #culture #founder #strategy