Hooked on FRIQ: Building a Recruiting Machine (Part 5 of 6) - Issue 51
Part 5 of our Founder Recruiting Intelligence Series
“If you build it, they will come.”
-Field of Dreams (1989)
Cute idea. But in recruiting? Pure fiction.
If you really want top talent to come knocking, you don’t just build - you build on purpose. Otherwise, all you’ve got is a ghost town with a jobs page.
What’s Going On?
You do have a recruiting machine. It’s just… reactive.
Most early-stage hiring systems aren’t designed. They’re duct-taped together in a rush. Sound familiar?
-Job posts going live without a strategy.
-Random Slack intros turning into interviews.
-Offers made on gut feel.
-Onboarding held together by vibes and Google Docs.
That’s not a machine. That’s controlled chaos.
Why It Matters
A solid system makes great hires inevitable. Without one, every win feels like luck, and every loss, like someone else’s fault.
Systems turn mess into motion. They let you scale what’s working and fix what’s broken. That’s how you stop hiring like a headless chicken and start operating like a founder who gets it.
What Do Others Think?
“Recruiting isn’t something you delegate. It’s a system you design.”
-Vivek Sodera, angel investor and Co-founder of Superhuman, on the Outlier Academy podcast
What Do We Think?
Preach, Vivek! Great recruiting isn’t outsourced. It’s architected.
A recruiting machine isn’t a funnel. It’s a flywheel. ♻️
Great hires →
Better output →
Stronger culture →
Sharper brand →
Predictable closes →
Great hires →
Momentum compounds. By design. And guess who fuels it? Yep: you.
What Great Founders Do Differently
We’ve seen it over and over: founders with high “Recruiting IQ” nail four things:
+Learning Mindset
You’re a learn-it-all. Feedback is your friend. Every miss makes your next hire smarter.
+Relentless Hustle
You are your talent brand. You're recruiting when you're hiring - and when you're not.
+Clarity on WGLL (What Great Looks Like)
You hire to an absolute bar, not a fancy logo. You spec roles tight and hire for trajectory.
+Recruiting Machine
You don’t wing it. You build it.
Ready to Build It Right?
1. Design with First Principles
The machine should reflect your values and hiring & compensation philosophy.
Use these levers:
Declare Your Hiring Philosophy
Are you hiring for floor (ready now) or ceiling (grows fast)? Align filters, scorecards, and your pitch accordingly.Codify What Great Looks Like
Define greatness on your terms. Don’t chase unicorns—spot them. Hire for values, traits, and upward trajectory.Create Flow, Not Friction
You’re not ticking boxes—you’re optimizing motion. Batch interviews, kill slow debriefs, tighten handoffs.
2. Be the Engine
Your energy = the flywheel's fuel. Don’t delegate.
Here’s how:
Source weekly
Three high-signal convos a week = 156/year. That’s good math.Always Be Closing
Conviction > compensation. Use every touchpoint to pitch: Why now. Why you. Why this team.Turn Hires into Magnets
Great people attract great people. Put them on panels. Feature them in public. Let the talent tell your story.
3. Think Like a Systems Builder
Every hire = a feedback loop.
Good hire? → Culture lift → Easier close next time
Bad hire? → Drag + rework → Harder recovery
Ask: “What would make this easier next time?” Then build that—sharper JD, cleaner rubric, tighter close.
Bonus: A Word About AI
AI is a power tool—not a magic wand.
Chaos + ChatGPT = fast chaos.
Design first, build, test, then optimize with AI = great outcomes.
Recommended Resources
Want to build a world-class recruiting engine? Start here:
Thinking in Systems by Donella Meadows
The Fifth Discipline by Peter Senge
Hooked on Founder Recruiting IQ - Building a great team is something you think about ALL THE TIME. Yet even though it’s a top priority, translating team-building intention into action isn’t always straightforward.
Hooked on Founder-Led Recruiting - Who and how you hire are the most predictive and controllable inputs to your company's success
Hooked on Getting Lucky — Create luck with a prepared mind and a strategic approach to acquiring talent.
Scaling Through Chaos - Hiring People, by Index Ventures
State of Talent Report 2025 - by SignalFire - which AI Labs are producing the best talent.
Recruiting isn’t a side task—it’s your founder superpower.
This post is the fifth of six in our Hooked on FRIQ'n Awesome series.
About Madrona
Madrona is a venture capital firm that helps entrepreneurs build companies of consequence. Hooked, by Madrona is a series about startup talent, careers, and founder stories, interpreted by a curious and skeptical VC + playbooks, tools, and templates to help company builders thrive.
Who creates Hooked?
The Talent Team @ Madrona Venture Group:
Shannon Anderson, Talent Scout, Director
Audra Aulabaugh, Talent Scout, Partner
Matt Witt, Talent Scout, Partner