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1 min readMar 24, 2026
First Employees Are Not Necessarily the Best Employees
Written by Valentina Acosta Cambas.
Key takeaway
Promoting employees based on tenure rather than talent can become a silent company killer. Learn why loyalty isn't enough.
Topicsearly startup hiresscaling startup teamsfirst employeesstartup hiring
Your first hires feel like family. They hustled through the chaos, believed in your vision when no one else did, and helped you launch from zero.
But are you sure the people who got you from 0 to 1 are the ones who will get you from 1 to 10?
It feels honorable to promote your first hires out of loyalty. But promoting employees based on tenure, not talent, can become a silent killer.