The Difference Between a 1x and 10x Employee & How to Hire One

When scaling your startup, one of the most vital things determining your success is your team. If you have a world-class team, there are hardly any challenges that you cannot overcome. Just look at the recent example from Walter Isaacson’s latest biography of Elon Musk. When faced with an extinction-level threat Elon enlisted his partner Antonio Gracias to turn around the supply chain issues with the production of the first Tesla Roadster. Without that team, the company would surely not exist today.

What we aim to do today is understand 1) what a 10x employee looks like, 2) what benefits they have to your organization, and 3) how to identify, attract, and hire one.

Let’s first start by defining what a 1x and a 10x employee look like.

What Does a 1x vs a 10x Employee Look Like?

A 1x Employe Gets the Job Done

If you hire a 1x employee they might look a little like the following.

• They show up on time (usually)
• Can get the job done on time (usually)
• If you’re lucky, they will follow your SOPs closely
• They generally follow orders
• In many cases, they can solve the…