What are your hiring non-negotiables??

+ Disney+'s launch and LinkedIn's remote-friendly onboarding  The Memo | Issue #34 Monday, March 15, 2021 Welcome back to The Memo! Over the past week or so, our executive team has been hard at work planning and preparing to start the hiring process for a few new roles... and it got us all thinking about our non-negotiables. You know, those key traits, attitudes, or skill sets that are must-haves for any potential applicants (for jobs, friendships, mentorships, and even partnerships). Through various conversations, we've discovered that one of our key non-negotiables is a desire to grow people. Sure, it's amazing if applicants can do the job we need them to do, but if we want our organization to grow and scale, we need leaders that can prioritize and support the growth of our employees. The more we can grow and nurture new skills and talents, the better we become as a whole! So, this week we want to know... What are some of your non-negotiables for hiring manager and executive roles? Respond to this email and let us know; we're always looking to learn and share insights from our peers! Now, let's dive in. Check in on Your Tech Stack When's the last time you reviewed your tech stack? If you've been a follower of The Memo for a while, you'll know that we've harped on this point quite a few times, and that's because... well... it matters! Unnecessary or unhelpful tech subscriptions are some of the biggest profit suckers! If the software isn't making your job easier, all it's doing is wasting your valuable money and time. So check out this article by Justin Rondeau, our resident tech wizard and the GM of our software hub, Scalable Labs. In the post, Justin shares what he considers to be the [essential tech stack elements, and some considerations when purchasing new software.]( Finding the right tech stack is like finding the perfect suit. It takes trying on a few, and a little tailoring with the help of an expert to get the fit juuust right. But once you find your perfect fit, you're operating on a whole new level. Related: [Example Tech Stacks from the Pros like Slack, AirBnB, and More...]( Insights from the World of Content-Driven Growth When it comes to content, there are a lot of different methods you can use to build a coherent strategy... But we've never seen the world of content-driven growth presented in a more easily-digestible way than Lenny Rachitsky did in his recent newsletter. He argues that there are 5 different strategies to harness the power of content, and zeroes in on [the strategy used by content giants HubSpot, Ahrefs, Intercom, and Slidebean]( which he calls "editorially-generated SEO-optimized (EGSO)." Lenny pulled out 7 insights from his talks with leaders from these 4 companies, and shared their answers to some of the more heavy-hitting questions like "How do they operationalize the content creation?" Hint: The consensus seems to be that data helps a lot... As an aside, if the product world excites you, so will [Lenny's Newsletter](... so check it out if you haven't yet. (This isn't a sponsor... we just really like what he's doing over there on Substack!) Related: [Top Content Marketing Trends 2021]( How Understanding Sales Will Help You as A CEO "What we found in the research was that amongst those 11% [of leaders who came up through sales] who were promoted into the CEO role, they were outperforming their peers that came from finance, operations, and product on 2 out of 3 key metrics; the first was growth cagr (or year-over-year growth,) and the second was EBITA performance." Every so often the advisory board for Sales Benchmark Index sits down and talks through their newest set of data and insights. The most recent sit-down featured Scott Gruher, Senior Partner and Revenue Practice Lead, and Matt Sharrers, CEO of Sales Business Index. In their chat, the two touched on some of the [big insights coming out of their research on CEO backgrounds, and how those backgrounds can influence a CEO's effectiveness.]( They also shared some key learnings on getting back to the basics in a post-pandemic world, and how to use data to shape your planning and customer journeys. Related: [How (and How Not) to Get Involved in the Sales Process]( On Disney+ Successful Launch, and What You Can Learn From It's been well over a year since Disney launched its behemoth streaming platform and gave companies like Netflix and Hulu a run for their money—not-to-mention how it further solidified streaming as a logical move for every other entertainment company. Many experts in branding and strategy have gone back to review the launch and pull out any insights they can from its success. One of those experts, Jack Appleby, creative strategist at Twitch, focused on [Disney's clever use of Twitter to aid in establishing Disney+ as a streaming giant from the get-go.]( He summarized his insights in a quick Twitter thread that we think is well worth the read. While we don't all have Disney's resources, we can recreate the tactics used in this launch with the help of some clever planning and forethought. Related: [4 Insights on Disney+ Success]( How Onboarding Has Changed in the Remote-First Workforce "I'm one of the only folks on our team who's based out of what would have been our New York office, so I would have been a head on a screen in an otherwise in-person meeting, and now [new remote-first meeting tactics] gave us the ability to, on a bi-weekly perspective, have this meeting where we all come together... people were a lot more conscious to what this was doing to... new people like me..." Ryan MacInnis, Product Marketing Lead at LinkedIn, entered a whole new world when he was onboarded into LinkedIn during the pandemic. Throughout the entirety of his hiring and onboarding process, LinkedIn never once had him step-foot in an office. In last week's episode of The Teambuilders Podcast, Ryan and host Chris Handy talk through [how LinkedIn helps their remote teams prioritize community and communication within the organization.]( Their goal is to level the communication playing field so that everyone feels connected and supported (remote or not) whether they're upper management or brand new to the team. Related: [Tips for How You Can Build a Strong Remote Culture]( One Last Thing... If you haven't taken a day off in Q1, now's the time. We're giving you permission... because we suspect you won't. See you next week, - The Scalable Team --- We hope you enjoyed this week’s issue. If you didn’t, we’ll try to do better next week. If you did, could you do us a favor and share it with 3 friends and colleagues? It would mean the world to us. Thanks. :) Share The Memo Step 1: Click the button below Step 2: Share the Memo with friends Step 3: Earn Rewards Refer 3 friends and get listed on our site as a "Founding Subscriber," plus some mystery gifts we know you'll love... :) [Share The Memo]( Or copy & paste your referral link to share directly with others: --- P.S. If you like the memo, [you’ll LOVE being an Insider](. [Click here to learn more about our premium membership]( and see how you can get instant access to our flagship training, "The Scalable Operating System" for just $10. What is The Memo (a.k.a. the thing you’re reading right now)? Every week, my partners and I send an email memo to our internal executive leaders (the people running our companies) sharing news and insights we believe they should know. Sometimes it's an interesting article...sometimes it's a new thought or idea...but it's always something timely, tactical, and actionable. Now, you can get the same memo...and you don't even have to sell us your company. 🙂 What is The Scalable Company? The Scalable Company is a collective of founders and entrepreneurs who have no idea what they’re doing, and are willing to admit it. You can read our "Accidental Entrepreneur Manifesto" [here]( and peruse our internal "wiki" of resources and best practices [here](. Unsubscribes makes us sad. :(  Sent to: {EMAIL} The Scalable Company, 4330 Gaines Ranch Loop, Ste 120, Austin, Texas 78735, United States Don't want future emails? [Unsubscribe](