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Scaling

Scaling a Company

Scaling

+3

How to Spot Candidates Who Actually Want to Work at a Startup (Not Just Need a Paycheck)

Apr 1, 2026

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10 min read

How to Spot Candidates Who Actually Want to Work at a Startup (Not Just Need a Paycheck)

Ask about past behavior in ambiguity, not hypotheticals. Be brutally honest about chaos. Let candidates self-select. Here's how to spot fit.

Kate York
Kate York

Company Culture

+3

Remote vs. In-Person Interviews: What Founders Need to Know Before You Schedule That Zoom Call

Mar 30, 2026

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10 min read

Remote vs. In-Person Interviews: What Founders Need to Know Before You Schedule That Zoom Call

Remote interviews expand talent pools but require platform accessibility. In-person improves assessment but limits geography. Here's when to use each.

Kate York
Kate York

Compensation & Benefits

+3

Equity Compensation for Lower Cash Salaries

Mar 27, 2026

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10 min read

Equity Compensation for Lower Cash Salaries

Offer more equity for lower cash with full transparency. CO/CA/NY require salary ranges but not equity in postings. Here's what to disclose.

Kate York
Kate York

Scaling

+4

Resume Workflow: Blind Review, Auto-Rejection, and Retention Rules

Mar 26, 2026

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12 min read

Resume Workflow: Blind Review, Auto-Rejection, and Retention Rules

Blind resume review reduces bias. Auto-rejecting based on degrees risks discrimination claims. You must keep all resumes 1+ years. Here's your resume workflow.

Kate York
Kate York

Scaling

+3

Pay Transparency in Job Postings: What You Must Disclose (And What You Should)

Mar 25, 2026

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13 min read

Pay Transparency in Job Postings: What You Must Disclose (And What You Should)

CO/CA/NY require salary ranges in job posts. Remote hiring triggers compliance regardless of your location. Here's what to disclose in each state.

Kate York
Kate York

Scaling

+3

How to Write Honest Job Descriptions That Attract Ambitious People (When You Can't Pay FAANG Salaries)

Mar 24, 2026

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13 min read

How to Write Honest Job Descriptions That Attract Ambitious People (When You Can't Pay FAANG Salaries)

Stop overselling. Ambitious people want honest job descriptions that respect their intelligence with real challenges, real learning, and real trade-offs.

Kate York
Kate York

Scaling

+3

AI in Hiring Laws 2026: What Every Founder Needs to Know Right Now

Mar 23, 2026

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14 min read

AI in Hiring Laws 2026: What Every Founder Needs to Know Right Now

AI hiring laws are in effect NOW in CA, IL, NY, CO, TX. Candidates can sue in Illinois. Fines up to $20K/violation in Colorado. Here's what you need to know for compliance.

Kate York
Kate York

Company Culture

+3

How to Celebrate Wins So Your Team Feels Valued (Not Performatively Recognized)

Mar 20, 2026

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13 min read

How to Celebrate Wins So Your Team Feels Valued (Not Performatively Recognized)

Generic "great job!" means nothing. Real celebration is specific, timely, and proportional. Here's how to make your team actually feel valued.

Kate York
Kate York

Company Culture

+3

The 5 Most Common Startup Cultures: Which One Are You Actually Building?

Mar 19, 2026

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12 min read

The 5 Most Common Startup Cultures: Which One Are You Actually Building?

Move fast, quality first, people-first, hustle, or consensus? Every startup culture has trade-offs. Here's how to choose which ones you’re cultivating.

Kate York
Kate York

Scaling

+3

Complete Startup Onboarding Template: Checklists for Managers and New Hires

Mar 17, 2026

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11 min read

Complete Startup Onboarding Template: Checklists for Managers and New Hires

Ready-to-use onboarding template with checklists for hiring managers and new employees: Day 1, Week 1, and 30/60/90 days with state compliance.

Kate York
Kate York

Company Culture

+3

Stop Bragging About 90-Second Onboarding: Why Your First Day Sets the Tone for Everything

Mar 16, 2026

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13 min read

Stop Bragging About 90-Second Onboarding: Why Your First Day Sets the Tone for Everything

90-second onboarding is just paperwork automation. Real onboarding builds connection, clarity, and commitment while determining whether people stay or leave.

Kate York
Kate York

Scaling

+3

Startup Interview 100+ Question Bank

Mar 13, 2026

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13 min read

Startup Interview 100+ Question Bank

100+ interview questions that reveal if someone will thrive at a startup, not just give polished corporate answers. Organized by role and skill.

Kate York
Kate York

Scaling

+2

Don't Ask That!

Mar 12, 2026

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13 min read

Don't Ask That!

What You Can (and Can't) Legally Ask in Interviews

Kate York
Kate York

Scaling

+3

How to Create an Interview Scorecard

Mar 11, 2026

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14 min read

How to Create an Interview Scorecard

Interview scorecards make hiring faster, fairer, and legally defensible. Here's how to create role-specific scorecards that improve hiring.

Kate York
Kate York

Scaling

+2

Who Should Interview Candidates at Your Startup: Just Founders or the Whole Team?

Mar 10, 2026

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12 min read

Who Should Interview Candidates at Your Startup: Just Founders or the Whole Team?

Should founders interview every candidate or delegate to the team? It depends on size, role, and urgency. Use this interview framework for your next hire.

Kate York
Kate York

Scaling

+2

Generalists vs. Specialists: Which Should You Hire First?

Mar 6, 2026

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12 min read

Generalists vs. Specialists: Which Should You Hire First?

Should your first hire be a generalist or specialist? It's not about company size; it's about what work needs doing. Here's how to decide.

Kate York
Kate York

Scaling

+3

Where Should You Found Your Startup? An HR Perspective on the Top 5 Entrepreneur States

Mar 5, 2026

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12 min read

Where Should You Found Your Startup? An HR Perspective on the Top 5 Entrepreneur States

Where you hire matters more than where you incorporate. Here's what CO, CA, NY, TX, and FL actually cost from an HR perspective and who wins where.

Kate York
Kate York

Scaling

+2

Termination Guide: Checklist, Conversation Scripts & Managing Team Morale

Mar 3, 2026

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13 min read

Termination Guide: Checklist, Conversation Scripts & Managing Team Morale

Termination is more than a difficult conversation. Termination is legal prep, team morale, and your own emotions. Here's the termination checklist to do it with integrity.

Kate York
Kate York

Company Culture

+2

Performance Management for Founders: How to Give Feedback That Actually Works

Mar 2, 2026

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10 min read

Performance Management for Founders: How to Give Feedback That Actually Works

Founders hire great people then don't know how to manage them. Here's how to set expectations, give feedback, and handle underperformance effectively.

Kate York
Kate York

Scaling

+2

Your First Hire: How to Decide Which Role to Fill First

Feb 27, 2026

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13 min read

Your First Hire: How to Decide Which Role to Fill First

Your first hire should unlock growth, not just cover your weaknesses. Here's how to evaluate which role to fill first based on real business needs.

Kate York
Kate York

Company Culture

+3

Decision Frameworks for Startups

Feb 26, 2026

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11 min read

Decision Frameworks for Startups

Decision frameworks eliminate decision fatigue and preserve energy for what actually matters. Here's how to create one for your startup.

Kate York
Kate York

Company Culture

+3

Good Stress vs. Bad Stress: What Startup Founders Need to Know About Their Team's Breaking Point

Feb 24, 2026

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9 min read

Good Stress vs. Bad Stress: What Startup Founders Need to Know About Their Team's Breaking Point

Good stress builds resilient teams. Bad stress burns them out. Here's how to tell the difference and cultivate the kind that makes you stronger.

Kate York
Kate York

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