When building an early-stage startup at breakneck speed, hiring can make or break your company. Isaiah Granet, CEO and co-founder of voice AI firm Bland, shares his unconventional approach: hiring those with burning passions, not just top academic records.

Their founding team, fresh out of college, sought candidates based on their zeal rather than job history. One engineer was plucked from a few months at an insurance company in Iowa and a stint managing Taco Bell. He was chosen because he loved shipping code, Granet says.

This philosophy has led Bland to build a diverse team from unexpected backgrounds—philosophy majors, beekeepers included. Granet believes such passion is invaluable: ‘People out there have things that are not valuable on résumés but are incredibly cool,’ he notes.

While this approach is rewarding, it also poses challenges. Scrappy talent may lack experience, needing time to develop into roles. Bland expects employees to invest heavily in the company and be present six days a week, 12 hours a day if they fail to deliver outcomes.

The key, Granet suggests, is trusting your gut on early hires. 'Early-stage startup founders should go with their gut,' he advises, acknowledging that finding the right pattern of hiring can make all the difference in lightning-fast growth.