“I used to say when I was starting my first company, I was much more of a recruiter than a CEO or founder.” ~ Vinod Khosla
Venture Hacks recently published an interview with Vinod Khosla. Khosla co-founded Sun Microsystems, and then went on to serve as the company’s CEO and Chairman. After leaving Sun, he became a general partner of the venture capital firm Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers in 1986 and remained there through the early 2000s. In 2004, Khosla founded Khosla Ventures to invest in start-up tech firms, particularly in the cleantech sector. When he talks, entrepreneurs listen, and with good reason: his entrepreneurial success is the stuff of Hollywood dreams.
In the interview, Khosla gives several pieces of advice for anyone starting a business, two of which I found incredibly interesting: stay true to your vision and get a good team. Entrepreneurs are by nature self-starters, non-conformists, people who enjoy going their own way. Taking the advice “find a good team” can be a challenge for independent entrepreneurs. I’ve been chewing on this conundrum all weekend, thinking about ways that entrepreneurs can and should go about finding a good team. There are countless ways to go about this tough, critical task. Here are the 5 that have worked best for me:
1.) Shout your clear, concise vision from the hilltops. If you’re clear on what you want and can articulate it succinctly and with passion, it will make it easier for your pack to find you.
2.) Don’t settle. It’s tempting to take someone who kind of fits what you’re looking for when a pile of work is looming on your desk. One of my favorite quotes from Brian is “you get what you settle for.” Good enough does not equal good, and you’ll regret the choice in the not-so-distant future.
3.) It’s okay to contract. Finding a good team takes time, though that pile of work next to you isn’t slowing down its growth any time soon. These days, contracting is a perfect way to get daily work done while searching for that perfect team. Contracting also gives you a way to test out new team members before bringing them on full-time, and it gives them a chance to check you out, too.
4.) Add only as needed. There’s a great temptation to build a team before you build a business. Get the work first, and then add staff as needed. There’s no law against taking it slow and managing your company’s growth.
5.) Multi-talented multi-taskers wanted. Usually, I’m a fan of focus over multi-tasking, however if you can find someone who has skill sets in multiple areas where you need to recruit, you can roll several positions into one superstar team member and offer extra compensation to that superstar.
What tips have helped you build stellar teams?
Published by Christa Avampato
IN BRIEF
Author, journalist, digital product manager, and licensed New York City tour guide. Creator and host of NYC's Secrets and Lies. Alumna of the University of Pennsylvania (BA), the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA), Arizona State University (Biomimicry), and the University of Cambridge (MSt in Sustainability Leadership).
I build digital media platforms, report on urban climate resilience and biodiversity, and produce live narrative experiences that connect communities to history, nature, and place.
THE DEEP DIVE
My work centers on a single thread: building systems and stories that foster deep connection to our shared world. Across digital streaming, environmental reporting, and live civic storytelling, I design experiences that help people understand complex ideas and the environments around them.
DIGITAL PRODUCT STRATEGY & MEDIA LEADERSHIP
At Carnegie Hall, I serve as Digital Product Manager, leading product strategy, operations, and technical delivery for the video streaming platform Carnegie Hall+. I translate artistic mission into scalable, high-performance streaming architecture that reaches audiences globally. Previously, I led agile product and delivery teams across operations and compliance at American Express, managed Broadway theatrical productions and national tours, and guided strategic initiatives across cultural institutions.
ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISM & AUTHORSHIP
As a freelance journalist, I investigate how living systems, urban infrastructure, and human culture intersect. My reported features on urban decarbonization, biodiversity, coastal resilience, and biomimicry appear in publications including Smithsonian Magazine, The Washington Post, Mongabay, Natural History Magazine, and Foreign Policy Magazine. In fiction, I write the Emerson Page young adult novel series, alongside upcoming historical fiction and nonfiction works on New York history, mythology, and human resilience. I also write Togetherhood, a LinkedIn newsletter focused on urban ecology and community restoration, and co-host the podcast Frameworks in the Wild.
LIVE EXPERIENCE & CIVIC STORYTELLING
As a licensed New York City tour guide and live event producer, I transform urban landscapes into shared narrative encounters. I created, produce, and host NYC's Secrets and Lies, an interactive live storytelling series staged across cultural landmarks including the New York Transit Museum, the South Street Seaport Museum, and the historic tall ship Wavertree. I also design and lead site-specific walking tours exploring coastal ecology, food history, and neighborhood evolution, often with partners at Climate Week NYC and the Natural Areas Conservancy.
DOUBLE OR NOTHING MEDIA
Through my independent production studio, Double or Nothing Media, I develop ventures across media, ecology, and public history:
Digital Products & Strategy: Architecting scalable digital platforms, streaming experiences, and operational models for mission-driven institutions.
Environmental Reporting & Publications: Delivering long-form reporting, books, and newsletters grounded in climate resilience and regenerative design.
Site-Specific Live Storytelling: Producing immersive live shows and educational walking tours that engage public audiences in community history.
CONNECT
Website & Production Hub: doubleornothingmedia.com and christaavampato.com
Newsletter: Togetherhood on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/newsletters/togetherhood-7273771832221089792/
Instagram & Threads: @christarosenyc
Emerson Page Novels: emersonpagebook.wordpress.com/
View all posts by Christa Avampato
“I used to say when I was starting my first company, I was much more of a recruiter than a CEO or founder.” ~ Vinod Khosla
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