November 9, 2025

Welcome Back,

Hi there

Good morning! In today’s issue, we’ll dig into the all of the latest moves and highlight what they mean for you right now. Along the way, you’ll find insights you can put to work immediately

— Ryan Rincon, Founder at The Wealth Wagon Inc.

Today’s Post

Building Your First Startup Team: Finding the Right People to Build the Dream

You’ve got your idea. You’ve built your MVP. You’ve validated that someone out there actually wants what you’re offering.

Now comes one of the most exciting (and nerve-wracking) parts of startup life — building your first team.

Your early hires aren’t just employees. They’re co-builders. Culture shapers. The people who’ll help turn your idea into a real company.
And the truth is, getting this part right can make or break your startup.

Let’s walk through how to build your first great team — without breaking your budget or your sanity.

1. Hire for Mission, Not Just Skill

Early-stage startups don’t have layers of management, fancy perks, or predictable days.
What you do have is a mission — and that’s what your first hires must believe in.

Look for people who are excited by the problem you’re solving, not just the paycheck.

Ask questions like:

• “What excites you most about this space?”

• “Would you still want to work on this if it gets hard?”

• “What kind of problems do you love solving?”

You want people who light up when they talk about your vision — because in the early days, passion is what keeps the lights on.

“Hire missionaries, not mercenaries.” — Ben Horowitz, a16z

2. The Three Roles Every Startup Needs Early

When you’re small, every hire must count. You can’t afford redundancy or narrow specialists yet.

In most early-stage startups, you’ll need three key types of people:

🧠 The Builder (Product/Tech)

This is your technical backbone — the person who can help you build the thing.
Whether it’s an engineer, developer, or product designer, they turn ideas into working products.

💬 The Seller (Growth/Customer)

This person brings in users, customers, and revenue. They understand marketing, sales, or partnerships — and aren’t afraid to test ideas, pitch, and learn fast.

⚙️ The Operator (Execution/Process)

Startups can be chaos. You’ll need someone who can organize, manage projects, and make sure things actually get done.

Early on, these roles might overlap — one person might wear two or three hats.
That’s normal (and even healthy). The key is hiring people who can wear multiple hats without ego.

3. Hire Generalists Who Can Learn Fast

You don’t need a VP of Marketing when you’re still figuring out your market.
You don’t need a “Head of Operations” when your operations are a shared Google Sheet.

What you do need are smart generalists — people who can adapt, learn quickly, and build systems from scratch.

Great early hires:

• Take ownership, not orders.

• Are curious and self-driven.

• Don’t mind a little (okay, a lot of) uncertainty.

In short: hire people who can grow with the company, not just work for it.

4. Build Culture From Day One

Culture isn’t ping-pong tables or Slack emojis. It’s how you work when no one’s watching.

Even with just three people, you’re setting the tone for how your startup will operate as it grows.

Ask yourself:

• How do we make decisions?

• How do we give feedback?

• What do we value more — speed or perfection?

Write it down early. Even a simple one-page “team manifesto” helps align everyone.

Example values you might include:

• “We move fast, but we stay thoughtful.”

• “We take ownership and act like founders.”

• “We care more about progress than politics.”

“Culture isn’t what you say — it’s what you tolerate.”

Get this right early, and it becomes your startup’s immune system against dysfunction later.

5. Don’t Hire Too Fast (Even When You Can)

It’s tempting to fill seats the moment you have funding or traction. But early hires are multipliers. The wrong one can slow you down more than help.

A few golden rules:

• Hire slow, fire kind but fast.

• Run trial projects. Pay potential hires for short test work — see how they think, communicate, and collaborate.

• Trust your gut. If someone’s energy feels off, it usually is.

Remember, your first 10 hires will define your company’s DNA — and that DNA will attract (or repel) every future hire.

6. Equity Over Salary (At First)

If you’re bootstrapping or pre-funding, you can’t always pay top dollar. That’s okay.

The right people will trade short-term salary for long-term ownership — if they believe in the vision.

Offer clear, fair equity packages. Be transparent about risk and reward.
People respect honesty far more than inflated promises.

Pro tip: Use simple equity tools like Carta, Pulley, or AngelList to structure early ownership fairly.

7. Lead Like a Founder, Not a Boss

Early on, leadership isn’t about managing — it’s about inspiring, communicating, and listening.

You’ll make mistakes. You’ll have messy days. That’s part of the journey.
But if your team trusts your vision and feels heard, they’ll stick through the tough times with you.

“Your job as a founder isn’t to have all the answers — it’s to build a team that can find them.”

Final Thought

Your first team will make or break your startup.
Hire for hunger over hype.
Hire people who believe in the mission, not just the valuation.
And remember — startups don’t fail because of bad ideas. They fail because of bad teams.

So build your team like your product: carefully, intentionally, and with purpose.

Because the right people don’t just help you grow your company — they help you build it. 🚀

That’s All For Today

I hope you enjoyed today’s issue of The Wealth Wagon. If you have any questions regarding today’s issue or future issues feel free to reply to this email and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Come back tomorrow for another great post. I hope to see you. 🤙

— Ryan Rincon, CEO and Founder at The Wealth Wagon Inc.

^_Disclaimer: This newsletter is for informational and educational purposes only and reflects the opinions of its editors and contributors. The content provided, including but not limited to real estate tips, stock market insights, business marketing strategies, and startup advice, is shared for general guidance and does not constitute financial, investment, real estate, legal, or business advice. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information provided. Past performance is not indicative of future results. All investment, real estate, and business decisions involve inherent risks, and readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence and consult with qualified professionals before taking any action. This newsletter does not establish a fiduciary, advisory, or professional relationship between the publishers and readers.