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DAE discover a key hiring insight while stranded at an airport during a business trip?

I was flying back from a pitch event in Denver last week when my connection got canceled due to weather, leaving me stuck at O'Hare for eight hours. Instead of stressing, I decided to camp out at a gate area and ended up observing how different people handled the delay, from frantic travelers to calm, methodical planners. It struck me that how someone manages unexpected chaos is a huge indicator of how they might handle startup pressures, something I'd never considered in interviews before. I realized we've been too focused on technical skills and not enough on resilience and adaptability when vetting candidates. Since getting back, I've started incorporating scenario based questions about handling unforeseen obstacles into our hiring process. It's already filtered out a few candidates who looked great on paper but fell apart under pressure. I'm curious if other founders have had similar epiphanies from everyday travel situations that changed their operational approach. How do you assess for soft skills like composure in your team building?
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jakefisher
O'Hare for eight hours post-Denver gave you that insight. What's the most revealing answer you've heard to your new obstacle-handling questions?
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joel_wilson
Tbh that Denver delay reminds me of a client who solved budget issues by running payroll from a laundromat, @jakefisher.
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lilydixon
lilydixon1h ago
Wow, I've heard of using a food truck!
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