David Hassell is the founder and CEO of 15Five, a performance management SaaS solution that helps companies create better managers and successful employees. Their software combines surveys, weekly check-ins, peer recognition, and people analytics all in one platform.

In this episode, David and I talk about why he decided to raise capital after bootstrapping the business for 6 years. He explains his steps to grow from 50 employees and $6M in revenue to 300+ employees and closing a Series C financing round for $52M.

We dig into his approach to company culture/core values, tactics for tracking and evaluating employee performance, hiring for fit versus skill, and more.

Key Takeaways with David Hassell

How 15Five got started and why David spent six years bootstrapping before taking on VC funding. He recently closed a Series C round for $52M.
David’s humanistic way for managing and leading people that allows his company to win, while also unlocking an employee's full potential.
Why company culture can only be influenced, not controlled—and the 4 core values David’s company stands behind.
How to create a high performing team, without sacrificing a high level of care for your people.
Tools and tactics for tracking and measuring employee performance across various roles and responsibilities.
The pros/cons of using numerical ratings when evaluating performance.
How often should you have performance reviews and check-ins?
Hiring right fit people, both in terms of culture and skill set. How do you avoid subjectivity when evaluating candidates
How the sales process changed as he grew from a 50 to 300+ person company.

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