Seven years ago, heytaeg was just an idea—a fully built product in my head but nowhere else. It stayed that way until I met my business partner, who happens to be a brilliant hardware engineer. He built the hardware, and somehow—I still don’t quite know how—I built the iOS app. We took our very bulky but working prototype to Bits & Pretzels 2024, marking our first big milestone. It felt huge at the time—literally. But honestly? That was just the warm-up.
Now, we have to fine-tune the product, reduce costs, find production partners, build a professional app, and create a high-performing MVP. And for that, we suddenly (surprise!) need an extended core team—app developers, designers, tech experts, and legal & tax support.
But, it’s not like I have a stack of investor-backed contracts sitting on my desk, telling me exactly what to offer high-performing, brilliant people to get them on board. There’s no playbook for this.
Or maybe there is, and I just haven’t found it yet.
The Challenge?
We don’t have a hiring budget (yet). We don’t have shares to hand out (yet).
What we do have:
✔ A vision we believe in 100%
✔ A product solving a real, everyday pain point
✔ A market with huge potential
✔ The firm commitment that as soon as we can, we’ll make sure the people who help build this thing will take off with us.
So, I’m trying to figure out how to:
❓Attract the right talent—without empty promises. How do we offer a meaningful, future-proof incentive that ensures early team members truly benefit when we succeed?
❓Structure fair, future-proof compensation—VSOPs, ESOPs, or something else? What keeps investor conversations clean while rewarding early believers? How to avoid long-term investment roadblocks to protect the future of the company? (Still deep in the research hole on this one…)
❓Set up the right business & legal foundation—Finding the right business structure from day one isn’t just about incorporation—it’s about aligning it with tax strategy, funding goals, and long-term vision. I was told, the wrong structure is painful to undo. (Not happening with the brillant Huberta Unger)
❓Successfully build a sustainable remote-first team culture? How do we set up agile, digital and efficient processes while still creating a strong, healthy, high-performing culture? This is so much more than just picking a Slack channel—it’s about how you build loyalty, commitment and alignment from Day 1. Johanna Fink , help!
❓Figure out what our company is actually worth—before we even have a company. How do you put a number on potential?
In the End, It Takes a Dream Team to Make It
At the end of the day, getting the right people isn’t just about what’s in the contract. In order to build a successful and profitable company and a global love brand (yep, that’s the ambition) we need to find those who see the vision, believe in the journey—even before there’s a safety net. The ones who are self-driven, fueled by intrinsic motivation, and eager to create something meaningful. The kind of people who don’t just want to join the next company or startup—but want to help write the story.
So, if you’ve been here before—how did you approach this phase? 💬 What worked, what didn’t, and what do you wish you had known?
Drop your wisdom below, because I could really use it. 👇😅
