Hire for the spark, not the resume
How Callum McKeefery built Reviews.io by spotting talent in cafés and bars instead of boardrooms.
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This week’s ‘How Founders Think’ insight comes Callum McKeefery, Founder and CEO, Partner.io (and ex-Founder/CEO of Reviews.io)
When Callum was building Reviews.io, he couldn’t afford to hire experienced salespeople. So he started hiring people from everywhere else — cafés, bars, nightclubs, real estate.
He didn’t look for credentials. He looked for attitude. If someone showed genuine drive or great customer service, he’d hand them his number and say, “If you ever want a career change, give me a call.”
He could train them in sales, but not in work ethic. That had to come built in.
It worked. Many of those early hires stayed with the company until the exit.
The lesson is simple: in the early days, skill matters less than drive. You can teach someone what to do, but not how to care.