In this episode of the ASCEND podcast, Adam Ward, Executive Recruiting Leader at Cursor, breaks down what it really takes to build a strong recruiting culture at early-stage startups.

Adam shares why founders should spend up to 50% of their time on recruiting and the three key pillars of success: scoping roles clearly, building networks early, and sharpening assessment skills. He highlights the importance of layering leadership carefully to maintain culture, the need for structured hiring systems, and why everyone at a startup—not just hiring managers—should contribute to recruiting.

Adam also explains why traits often matter more than experience when hiring, warns against the "silver bullet" mentality, and urges founders to maintain high standards throughout the growth journey.