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Design for Startups by Garry Tan (Part 2)

From Y Combinator · Published Jul 22, 2019 · Watch on YouTube

TL;DR

The video advises startups on when and how to hire designers: pre-seed/seed use a cofounder or consultant, Series A hire your first designer, Series B build a team. It provides sourcing channels (Dribbble, LinkedIn, 99designs, Fiverr, design firms like Viget Labs and Plato Design) and interview methods (phone screen for communication, walk through tradeoffs).

Key insights

  • Hiring a single designer as the only design person against 10-15 engineers is a nightmare for the designer; plan to hire a diversified team by Series B.
  • Designers comfortable at large companies are used to working with peers who share their vocabulary; startups need to offer a peer group or a clear senior role.
  • To find low-cost visual design, post a job on 99designs or Fiverr and hire 20 freelancers, then personally befriend the best performer – this uncovers talented people worldwide who are underemployed.

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