Recruiting Trail 2008

This week began some serious conversations on expanding the Tandem Learning team. We're focused now on building the custom side of the business as much as we can, and we're thinking ahead to the product development teams as well.

I've noticed a pattern in people I've been talking to. Some people are currently miserable with where they are, and Tandem seems like an opportunity that has some huge potential benefits for them.

But there are a few that are interested but not looking. Some of these people are really the ones I want. How do you convince someone to take a risk when they are comfortable and relatively happy in their current job? I think the triggers differ for each person, and a lot depends on what their underlying motivations are in general. Money, recognition, relationships are all powerful motivators. For a start up, having the opportunity to start something yourself that you can truly point to as your own accomplishment is another big motivator for some people.

Let's be honest. Some people just don't have the stomach for this kind of risk. If you think about it too much, I don't know anyone who would probably do what I'm doing. And yet, I have no doubt that this will work, that we will be successful. Personally, I can't imagine why someone WOULDN'T want to do this.

And so with that in mind, I'm continuing to check in with people who I'd like to work with, who I think will help guarantee all of our success. I hope as I'm having these conversations that I'm able to figure out what each potential rockstar needs to stop thinking about the risk and focus on the reward.