Founder Playbooks
💰 Finance

Making Your First Finance Hire

The essential attributes and capabilities to look for when hiring your first finance leader — the person who will lay the foundation for a scalable finance organization.

Essential Attributes for Your First Finance Hire

  1. Strategic Thinker and Business PartnerYour first finance hire shouldn't just close the books — they should help you make better decisions with the data.
    • Look for evidence they've translated financial data into actionable business recommendations
    • Ask how they've aligned financial planning with business strategy at previous companies
    • They should proactively identify opportunities for financial optimization, not just report on them
    • Assess whether they can explain complex financial concepts to non-finance stakeholders clearly
  2. Technical Proficiency and Analytical SkillsStrong technical foundations prevent costly errors and ensure you have numbers you can trust when investors ask.
    • Verify proficiency in GAAP accounting principles and financial statement preparation
    • Test their ability to build and maintain a three-statement financial model
    • Confirm experience with budgeting, forecasting, and month-end close processes
    • Look for familiarity with key SaaS metrics: ARR, CAC, LTV, gross retention, and burn rate
  3. Hands-On Experience Scaling Finance FunctionsEarly-stage finance is a build-it-yourself environment — candidates who've only worked in large, fully-staffed finance teams often struggle.
    • Look for experience as the first or early finance hire at a startup or high-growth company
    • Ask what systems and processes they built from scratch versus inherited
    • Assess their track record navigating finance challenges during rapid headcount or revenue growth
    • Confirm they're comfortable doing individual contributor work — they'll own execution, not just strategy
  4. Adaptability and Problem-SolvingEarly-stage finance priorities shift constantly — your hire needs to thrive in ambiguity rather than wait for a defined playbook.
    • Ask for examples of when they pivoted their approach in response to changing business priorities
    • Look for a solutions-first mindset — they identify and address problems before being asked
    • Assess comfort with imperfect information — early-stage finance rarely has complete data
    • Probe for resilience under pressure, especially around fundraises or board meetings
  5. LeadershipEven as a solo hire, your first finance leader needs to earn trust from the team and eventually build and develop a function around them.
    • Look for examples of influencing decisions without direct authority — they'll do this constantly
    • Assess their interpersonal style with non-finance colleagues who don't want to hear about budget constraints
    • Look for someone who has hired, mentored, or coached junior finance staff
    • Ask how they'd build the finance function over the next 12–18 months as the company scales
  6. Communication and CollaborationFinance touches every team — a hire who can't communicate clearly will become a bottleneck rather than a force multiplier.
    • Ask them to explain a complex financial concept (e.g., deferred revenue) as if talking to a non-finance colleague
    • Assess how they've partnered with sales, product, and engineering in past roles
    • Look for experience presenting financial results directly to a board or investor group
    • Confirm they can manage up — the CEO needs financial clarity, not financial complexity
  7. Tech Savvy and Continuous LearnerYour finance stack will evolve — a hire who resists new tools will slow you down at every inflection point.
    • Confirm comfort with QuickBooks, Google Sheets/Excel, and at least one FP&A or SaaS metrics tool
    • Assess their approach to evaluating and implementing new financial software
    • Look for curiosity about emerging finance tools: AI-powered accounting, modern FP&A platforms, etc.
    • Ask how they stay current with changes in accounting standards and SaaS financial best practices
  8. Integrity and EthicsYour finance leader is the guardian of financial truth — any compromise in integrity can devastate investor and board trust permanently.
    • Probe for how they've handled pressure to present numbers more favorably than reality supports
    • Assess their approach to disclosing financial issues to the board or investors before being asked
    • Look for a track record of clean audits or due diligence processes at prior companies
    • Confirm their understanding of and commitment to GAAP compliance and disclosure obligations