You're at a critical turning point in your hiring strategy as your team scales rapidly, requiring you to take calculated risks on candidates who don't tick all the boxes but have promise and potential. Early hires are crucial for shaping your team's culture, so it's essential to find people who can thrive under pressure, love chaos, and work independently while also being part of a scrappy team. As you scale, prioritize coaching and mentoring, expanding your bandwidth to support those with potential, rather than lowering your bar or diluting your culture. Establishing a list of "must haves" versus qualities that are coachable will help you determine when it's time to take this leap, ensuring you hire for both short-term needs and long-term growth, as hiring for potential is not about lowering the bar but widening the criteria in certain attributes where your team can offer support.