Being a solo founder is incredibly hard, but let’s be honest: trying to scale a venture without the right co-pilot and foundational team is nearly impossible. Your team isn’t just a resource; it’s your single biggest competitive advantage. Yet, far too often, founders rush the decision, relying on gut feelings instead of a strategic, intentional process. This mistake is one of the biggest reasons early-stage companies stall.

Registration details

LUNCH WILL BE SERVED!

This session helps you move beyond the simple advice of “finding a developer” and provide you with a repeatable, intentional framework for building your foundational team. You will learn to shift your mindset from merely hiring to strategically partnering, structuring your team to mitigate the biggest risks to an early-stage company: burnout and founder conflict. If you’re a solo-entrepreneur contemplating a co-founder or an early-stage startup looking to build out your core team, this session is for you.

What you’ll learn

This critical session is designed to give you a strategic blueprint for team-building that will determine your growth trajectory. You will walk away knowing:

• Choosing your co-founder: A clear process for selecting the right co-founder and the essential questions you must ask to ensure alignment and shared vision.
• The first three hires: Who should your first three hires be—tech, operations, marketing? Learn how to prioritize roles based on your product and immediate needs.
• Avoiding hiring pitfalls: Discover the most common hiring mistakes early-stage founders make and how to avoid them, saving you time, money, and stress.
• Leveraging community & tech: Practical advice on leveraging free and low-cost tech and community resources (like the iF ecosystem) to fill gaps before you hire.
• Building inclusively: The importance of building diverse and inclusive teams from Day 1, and the strategic advantage that brings.
• Hiring smart: How platforms like B-Ready can provide the structure you need to make smart, strategic hiring decisions.

Who should attend

This Lunch & Learn is a must-attend for all solo-entrepreneurs actively thinking about finding a co-founder and early-stage startups looking to build out a robust, efficient core team. While products and customers are vital, having the right people in the correct roles is the difference between stalling or sustainable growth. Come and mingle with other founders who are focused on building their team the right way!

Meet the speaker

Usha Srinivasan is the Founder and CEO of BReady Talent. Usha is an expert in helping startups build their teams strategically. She understands that your first few hires set the culture and trajectory of your company, and she’s passionate about giving founders the frameworks they need to make those decisions intentionally and confidently.