The Hacker

These founders follow a modest, domestic path: public or regional schools, STEM tracks, years of code shipped, and almost no international exposure or MBA degrees. Resumes read like changelogs (repos, hackathons, freelance builds) before technical roles at local startups and, for many, at least one prior attempt at founding. They’re intensely hands-on, believe work compounds (often endorsing working nights and weekends), and tend to be, amongst many things, slow to fire. They’re the least driven by external validation and are, interestingly, more emotional, perhaps because many have endured real adversity, learning to convert it into focus.

Show working prototypes early, then iterate in tight loops to match their on-hands leadership. Make reasoning explicit and defend choices with data, not vibes. Keep your area reproducible, measurable, and not artisanal. Finally, feed their “to build” motivation: suggest small internal tools that delete toil, keep the operating cadence warm and pragmatic, and let results, reasoning, and resilience be your brand.

Brace for a longer, tougher climb. Be ruthless about who is beside you and hire senior talent sooner. Play to your strengths (building/product), hire to cover your weak spots, and correct fast. Treat cash and equity as code paths: practice real financial discipline, avoid early over-dilution, and fund on the best terms you can. Above all, get mentors and community early: don’t go on it alone. When conviction truly fades, pivot and keep building.