When we first started Forever Labs I made a bad hire. A REALLY bad hire. I hired someone that had a sketchy resume but that I thought had "something in them," that perhaps only I could see. Well, I was wrong.

Trust the resume. Look for accomplishments that cannot be fabricated and can be verified. Call references. Don't trust your gut, alone. Let several different people interview the final candidates. Have no less than 3 qualified candidates. Hire for experience, capability and most of all culture fit.

If it is a key role in the company, make sure this person has performed it before. "I think they could rise to the role," is not something you want to be saying about a candidate for a key position.

Hire better than you. Surround yourself with people more talented than you. It's good to be surrounded by "A" players. Hire givers, not takers. Hire people you trust. If something seems off, trust that. Hire people that will challenge you and will be okay when challenged back.

Hire smart and manage easy.

Good luck out there!

Onward!