It’s Who You Hire (and Hang With)

Let’s talk hiring. Or more specifically, who you’re letting into your professional (and personal) inner circle. Because after listening to Diary of a CEO with Emma Grede, I was nodding so hard I nearly gave myself whiplash.

Emma Grede, co-founder of Good American and founding partner of Skims, dropped some truth bombs that hit home. Her biggest? The people you hire make or break your business.

We couldn’t agree more. KR Squared has always known that talent matters, but chemistry? That’s the real secret sauce. You can have all the resumes in the world, but if your team doesn’t vibe, the work won’t thrive.

The Stats Back It Up

• A study by Harvard Business Review found that 80% of employee turnover is due to bad hiring decisions.

• According to Gallup, only 10% of people have the natural talent to manage others effectively, and when you hire them, productivity increases by 48%.

• Companies with highly engaged employees outperform their peers by 147% in earnings per share. That’s not a typo. One. Hundred. Forty. Seven.

Bottom line: who you bring on board matters way more than just ticking off qualifications. You’re building culture, not just filling seats.

but let’s zoom out

This isn’t just about hiring. It’s about who you surround yourself with…period. At work, at home, at your Tuesday night trivia team, it’s all critically important. When you surround yourself with people who challenge you and genuinely want to see you win, everything gets better. Your ideas get sharper. Your energy gets higher. Your goals get bolder.

So whether you're building a company, a project team, or just trying to figure out your next move, do a major gut check.

Are you building with people who get it? Who get you? Because success isn’t a solo mission. It’s a team sport.

And just like Emma said, “it starts with the people you choose to bring along for the ride.”