StartUp Hiring #5 Erica Wass. Bad hires are a 2.5x salary burn.

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StartUp Hiring

Simon McSorley. Founder of StartUp Hiring and Crew Talent Advisory.

18 episodes

2 weeks ago

StartUp Hiring is a podcast about what really happens when startups grow, through the people they bring in. Each episode features someone who’s lived it: founders making early hires, operators landing roles, and people building careers inside startups. We dig into what worked, what didn’t, and what they’d do differently. If you're building a team or trying to join one, this is for you. Subscribe to the StartUp Hiring Substack for deeper dives, tools, and real stories you won’t hear anywhere else.

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StartUp Hiring #5 Erica Wass. Bad hires are a 2.5x salary burn.

StartUp Hiring

38 minutes 19 seconds

5 months ago

StartUp Hiring #5 Erica Wass. Bad hires are a 2.5x salary burn.

Scaling Product Teams with Zendesk's Former Director Erica Wass.In this episode, I sit down with Erica Wass, one of Australia's most respected product leaders and Former Director of Product at Zendesk. We dive deep into the art and science of building product teams that actually drive business outcomes.What we cover:The 3 C's every product manager must demonstrate (beyond technical skills)Why hiring the "perfect" PM might be costing you 2.5x their salaryHow to lead distributed product teams across impossible time zonesThe critical question every PM should ask before joining a startupWhy AI is happening FOR product managers, not TO themCommon mistakes startups make when hiring their first product teamKey insights:How remote leadership can create more authentic relationshipsWhy product managers need to be strategic, not just tacticalThe importance of treating hiring like product-market fit for candidatesHow to balance speed vs. quality in startup hiring decisionsErica brings over 15 years of product experience from companies like Bloomberg, Zendesk, and now as a consultant helping scale-ups build world-class product organizations. Whether you're hiring your first PM or scaling to 100+, this conversation is packed with actionable insights.Timestamps and links in the comments below.Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction and Erica's background03:15 - Evolution of product hiring across startup vs enterprise07:30 - The shift from feature factories to strategic product management12:45 - Balancing speed vs perfect hire in startup environments18:20 - The 3 C's: Capability, Customer Curiosity, and Communication23:10 - Leading distributed teams across time zones28:45 - The pizza call story: Remote leadership lessons32:20 - Common startup hiring mistakes and how to avoid them37:50 - Aligning product hires with founder expectations42:15 - The critical question PMs should ask before joining startups45:30 - Hiring retros and continuous improvement48:45 - How AI is changing product management52:00 - Closing thoughts and where to connectConnect with Erica on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericawass/