Charlie Thurstan is the co-founder and chief executive of Different Dog, a data-led ecommerce subscription platform that offers premium pet foods.
In this week’s Founder in Five Q&A, Thurston discusses the importance of having a team behind you who care about your mission, how diversity forms naturally when hiring the best people and how a passion for running helped him learn lessons in business.
What advice would you give to a first-time founder?
Surround yourself with brilliant people who genuinely care about your mission. Going solo is tough and lonely, but big founding teams can be complicated too; find what balance works for you. I co-founded my business with my wife, which isn’t for everyone, but it’s worked for us.
When building your team, hire for attitude and potential, not just experience, and never be afraid to hire people smarter than you….
