20VC: Hiring 101; The Biggest Mistakes Founders Make in the Hiring Process | Fundraising; What to Optimize for, How Profitability Changes Leverage When Raising | SMB to Enterprise; When to Move, What Changes and Dangers of Moving Too Early with Daniel Yan
Daniel Yanisse, Co-founder and CEO of Checkr, opens up about his journey with the $5 billion HR tech company and insights from his time at NASA. He dives into common hiring pitfalls founders face, including the importance of assessing ego and humility during interviews. Additionally, Daniel shares crucial advice for fundraising in today's challenging market and the significance of adapting strategies based on growth stages. His reflections on fostering company culture during transitions and the delicate balance needed in leadership dynamics are particularly enlightening.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Checkr's Origin
Checkr originated from a side project in Daniel Yanisse's living room, addressing a bottleneck in background checks for his previous startup.
This entrepreneurial journey reflects the common path of identifying a workplace problem and creating a better solution.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Delegation for Founders
Founders often struggle with delegation, especially early on.
Force yourself to delegate by focusing on high-level tasks like fundraising and customer interaction.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Hiring Mistakes
Avoid being seduced by shiny resumes; prioritize humility over pedigree when hiring.
Consider if candidates with extensive large-scale experience might be a poor fit for your current stage.
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The Science of Lean Software and DevOps: Building and Scaling High Performing Technology Organizations
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Accelerate presents the findings from four years of research, including data from the State of DevOps reports, to identify key capabilities that drive high performance in software delivery. The book focuses on 24 practices grouped into five categories: Continuous Delivery, Architecture, Product and Process, Lean Management and Monitoring, and Cultural. It provides practical guidance on how to apply these practices to improve team performance, reduce deployment pain, and enhance overall business value. The book is ideal for management at every level involved in digital transformation and software development.
Daniel Yanisse is the co-founder and CEO of Checkr, a leading HR technology company, currently valued at $5 billion. During the journey, Daniel has raised over $679M for Checkr from some of the best including Accel, Bond, Coatue, GV, Elad Gil and IVP to name a few. Prior to Checkr, Daniel was a software engineer and helped develop prototypes of the Mars Rover for NASA. Daniel has been recognized in Forbes “30 Under 30” and recently Checkr was recognized by Forbes as one of America’s best start-up employers.
In Today’s Episode with Daniel Yanisse You Will Learn:
1.) The Origins of Checkr: The $5BN Company
How did Daniel come to co-found Checkr? What was the a-ha moment?
How did Daniel's experience with his prior company impact how he thought about building Checkr?
What does Daniel know now that he wishes all first-time founders knew when they started?
2.) Hiring 101:
What are the single biggest hiring mistakes Daniel made in the early days of Checkr?
How does Daniel structure his interview process for new candidates today? How has it changed?
How does Daniel test for ego and humility in the interview process?
How does Daniel approach giving feedback today? How has it changed over time?
What does Daniel believe is the right way to let someone go? How long does one give a team member who is not performing?
3.) Fundraising 101:
How does Daniel advise founders going out to raise today in the challenging market conditions?
What terms should founders optimize for? What terms should they not optimize for?
What are the single biggest mistakes Daniel sees founders make when raising?
What does Daniel wish he had done differently with Checkr's raises?
What was the hardest raise for Checkr? Why was it so hard? What was the outcome?
4.) Going into Enterprise:
Why does Daniel believe they went into enterprise too soon? What was the result of this?
How does Daniel advise founders on when is the right time to go into enterprise?
What changes in both your company and your product when moving to enterprise?
Items Mentioned in Today’s Episode with Daniel Yanisse:
The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch 