My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
Experience Premium Hiring
Paying 2-3x more for experienced hires who have already solved similar problems rather than betting on high-potential but unproven talent
How It Works
Experienced people have already made the mistakes, know the shortcuts, and can execute immediately without learning curve costs
Components
Identify what specific experience you need
Budget 2-3x more than junior alternatives
Look for people who have done the exact thing before
Focus on results over potential
Accept higher upfront costs for faster results
When to Use
When results matter more than cost savings, when you can afford the premium, when speed of execution is critical
When Not to Use
When budget is extremely constrained, when building a learning culture, when the work is truly novel with no precedent
Anti-Patterns to Avoid
Example
“A startup CEO needs a head of marketing. Instead of hiring an ambitious MBA grad for $120K, they hire someone who scaled marketing at two previous startups for $300K, resulting in 5x faster growth”