CEOs of Walkme, Zapier, Dialpad and Workable: How to Build Your First Management Team

25 Oct 2017 · 37 min
36:38

In a 2017 panel moderated by Workable CEO Nikos Moratakis, the CEOs of WalkMe (Dan), Zapier (Wade), Dialpad (Craig), and RPX’s CBO Malan share practical insights on assembling a first senior management team in fast‑growing SaaS companies. They explore when to add senior hires, how to decide between "natural athletes" (founder‑type generalists) and subject‑matter experts, and the specific triggers (headcount, product‑market fit, enterprise sales) that signal a need for roles such as CFO, VP of Sales, VP of Marketing, and CTO. The conversation covers the challenges of integrating external executives into a tight‑knit founding team, the importance of clear KPIs and performance metrics, the role of trust and cultural fit, and the pros and cons of hiring via personal networks versus headhunters. Wade describes building a fully remote organization from day one, while Craig and Dan discuss the risk of monoculture versus the comfort of hiring familiar colleagues. The panel also touches on the painful reality of senior‑level mis‑hires, the need for a “dating” period before a formal offer, and the necessity of being willing to fire under‑performing executives quickly. Throughout, the speakers stress the iterative nature of building a management team: start with the function that complements the founder’s weakness, bring in experienced leaders at the right growth stage, set measurable expectations, and continuously evaluate cultural alignment.

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