“I don’t hire titles; I hire people I’d trust in a crisis.”
That was a statement a startup founder once shared with our recruiting team. It sounded like a bold claim at the time, but the more founders we work with, the clearer it becomes that this mindset isn’t the exception; it’s the norm.
In the fast-paced, high-stakes world of African startups, where roles are still evolving, teams are often lean, and every decision can tip the scale, titles alone don’t cut it. What matters most isn’t what’s printed on your LinkedIn profile or business card. It’s how you behave when systems falter, when timelines compress, and when you’re asked to lead with no rule book.
At Accretio Africa, we’ve had front-row seats to how today’s most promising African startups are hiring, scaling, and building bold teams across Africa and beyond. If you’re looking to join a startup or scale one, understanding this founder-first lens is your competitive edge. While technical skills might get your foot in the door, they’re rarely the reason you’re invited to stay because when a company is building from scratch, every hire counts, not only for your skill set but also for your mindset.
Why Titles Don’t Mean Much in a Startup
In traditional corporate environments, your title often reflects a set of defined tasks, a hierarchy of approvals, and a clear lane to play in. But in a startup? That playbook doesn’t apply. Startups operate in a world where change is constant; roles shift, responsibilities evolve, and reporting lines move. A title might say “Marketing Manager,” but you could find yourself running a launch campaign one week, supporting customer success the next, and leading internal onboarding the week after. Flexibility isn’t a bonus; it’s a baseline.
Because of this, founders aren’t impressed by titles; instead, they look for people who fill in the blanks, who rally teammates in times of chaos, and who bring order to uncertainty, not because it’s their job, but because they care about the mission. Leadership in a startup doesn’t wait for permission or a title; it emerges in moments of tension, in the quiet choices to act, support, or solve when no one’s watching and nothing is guaranteed.
Cracking the Founder’s Hiring Code
Over and over again, the founders we work with at Accretio echo the same hiring priorities. Spoiler alert: just a few of them show up on a résumé or badge. If you want to stand out to startup leaders, these are the traits to nurture and showcase:
1. Ownership Mentality
Startups don’t need people who wait to be told what to do. They need people who act like co-founders, even if they’re not. That’s ownership. An ownership mentality means stepping in, not stepping back. It’s about raising your hand for the hard stuff, not just your core tasks. It’s showing initiative, solving problems before they escalate, and following through with the kind of care you’d bring if your name was on the door. Ownership isn’t about perfection; it’s about accountability. And in a startup, that’s gold.
2. Curiosity
Startups are playgrounds for the curious. No process is final. No product is ever really done. The people who thrive are those who ask bold questions, seek new knowledge, and keep pushing to improve. Founders look for this hunger. They value people who read beyond their roles, who explore new tools, test fresh approaches, and actively learn from customers, peers, and competitors. Curiosity signals growth potential. And in a startup, where roles evolve and new challenges pop up daily, that’s priceless. Talents who are curious don’t wait for permission to grow; they create their own learning curve. If you’re asking “What’s next?” and “How can we do this better?”, you’re already on the founder’s radar.
3. Resilience
Let’s be honest: building a startup or working in one is not for the faint of heart. There are late nights, lost deals, failed experiments, and pivot plans. There are days when it feels like everything that could go wrong does and then some. That’s why resilience isn’t just nice to have; it’s mission-critical. Founders don’t just hire skill; they hire grit. They’re drawn to people who bounce back after failure. Those who keep pushing when motivation dips. Resilience looks like optimism anchored in reality. It’s emotional endurance. It’s continuing to show up, contribute, and lead. So if you’ve weathered storms and still kept your spark, you’re exactly the kind of talent founders fight to keep.
4. Collaborative Teamwork
In startups, silos don’t survive, and collaboration isn’t optional. Startups thrive on collaboration, not competition. Founders actively look for talent that can collaborate across teams, communicate effectively, share knowledge freely, and inspire others to work toward a common objective. Excellent startup team members are networkers, connectors, and amplifiers in addition to being individual contributors. They set a higher standard for those around them. Being the loudest person in the room is not necessary. However, you must be able to align with others, establish trust, and help the group achieve its goals. Startups will quickly recognize your value if your first instinct is to assist before being asked, listen intently, and lead with empathy.
5. Mission Alignment
Skills can be taught. Tools can be learned. But belief? That’s harder to fake. Founders want to hire people who care, not just about the role, but about the mission. People who light up when talking about the problem the startup is solving. People who say “we” before they’re even on payroll. These individuals demonstrate a genuine passion for their work. That’s why one of the biggest differentiators in the hiring process is mission alignment. Founders want to know: Why this company? Why now? Why you? When your answer comes from a place of genuine belief, founders don’t forget it.
6. Self-Awareness
Self-awareness is a quality that founders highly value but is rarely highlighted. Being able to identify both your strengths and, more crucially, your limitations is essential in a startup. Better decision-making, quicker teamwork, and healthier communication are all made possible by it. The founders expect you to know when to ask for help, when to pause, and when to change course, but they don’t expect you to know everything or to claim to be able to do things you can’t. Through emotional maturity and grounded confidence, self-aware talent elevates the team as a whole and adapts and learns more quickly.
7. Resourcefulness
Startups don’t have the luxury of excess time, money, or people. For this reason, one of the most important qualities a founder seeks is resourcefulness. Finding a way forward when the path isn’t clear is more important than simply solving problems. People who are resourceful are persistent, creative, and scrappy. With few resources, they can overcome obstacles, manage uncertainty, and stretch a budget. When things don’t go as planned, they adjust, repurpose, and figure it out instead of freezing. Resourceful talent makes things happen, whether it’s figuring out a last-minute product demo solution or negotiating a vendor discount to save the business money. And that can mean the difference between a startup’s failure and success.
8. Agility
What worked yesterday might not work tomorrow in the startup world. Because of this, learning agility, which is the capacity to assimilate quickly, apply, and modify knowledge, is revolutionary. Being teachable isn’t enough; you also need to be eager to change, quick to unlearn, and quick to reframe. Comfort zones are not something that agile learners cling to. When the playbook changes, they adjust without panic, welcome criticism, and look for stretch roles. Because startups and their employees must change quickly, founders adore this quality. Being able to pick things up quickly is frequently more valuable than knowing everything at once. Learning agility is what keeps teams going, whether it’s picking up a new tool over the course of a weekend, taking on a new role during a crisis, or transforming failure into insight.
The Intangibles Set You Apart
None of these intangible qualities, which are genuinely what make a difference in startups, rely solely on your title or formal experience. The quantifiable things like degrees, certifications, tools you’ve mastered, and places you’ve worked are easy to focus on. Even though those factors are significant, they are not the primary focus of a startup.
Startups Aren’t Just Hiring Roles. They’re Building Tribes.
Startups are looking for people whose actions send strong but subdued signals, not people who can fill boxes on an organizational chart. Therefore, don’t rely solely on credentials or bullet points if you want to stand out in the startup world. Make an investment in developing into the kind of leader who can make an impact without a title, the kind of teammate who provides clarity in a chaotic situation, and the kind of person people trust in times of crisis. Showing up as though it matters is the best thing you can do, whether you’re starting your own business or joining one. Because it really does in startups.
Let’s Build Boldly, Together.
At Accretio Africa, we help founders grow with purpose and connect great talent to startups where they can truly thrive.
Visit accretio.africa to discover talent, insights, and opportunities made for Africa’s next generation of builders.
