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Human Ventures is a startup studio with a dual mission: to create the world’s best co-founders and companies that make people’s lives better. The necessary ingredient? Truly excellent people. CEO Heather Hartnett and Chief Growth Officer Megan O’Connell have cultivated a diverse group of potential founders who aren’t just skilled and capable, but also values-driven and great to work with—not an easy feat. How’d they do it? To start, it took deliberately seeking out a wide range of voices, and making the decision to trust referrals over resumes.

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Interview with Heather Hartnett & Megan O’Connor, CEO and Chief Growth Officer at Human Ventures

During the earliest days of Compass, Co-founder and CEO Mike Wilner had one primary goal: get customers. With conventional sales tactics in mind (think: “Never take no for an answer,”) he pushed hard to get leads on the phone and turn them into happy customers. These tactics worked, for a while—but soon, sales slowed, and Mike was exhausted. So he took a step back, thought hard about what his customers really needed, and with a new, customer-focused strategy, helped Compass really grow.

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“How Our Customers Taught Us How to Sell” by Mike Wilner

The only constant at an early-stage company is change—and to consistently add value, you need to pick up new skills, develop tactics, and grow on a daily basis. No one knows this better than serial entrepreneur Anne Dwane—through launching a handful of ventures, she’s developed the skills of a constant learner, able to adjust on the fly to changing circumstances and shifting demands. According to Anne, it all boils down to three mindsets: gamer (thoughtful risk-taking), beginner (a rookie’s lack of preconceptions), and growth (mistakes and setbacks are all part of the process).

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“The ‘Adaptable Leader’ is the New Holy Grail — Become One, Hire One” by First Round Review