Startups are (by necessity) filled with generalists; big companies are filled with specialists. People underestimate how effective a generalist can be at things which are done by specialists. People underestimate how deep specialties can run. These are simultaneously true.
Patrick McKenzie (@patio11)
Your organisation will be small, building and searching (i.e. a startup) for a while.
You will not have separation of financial procedures and approvals into eight separate silos.
You will not have a legal department; you will not have HR procedures; you will be creating your own filing system. You will not have a fundraising and social media team.
You are unlikely to be able to leave developing the product – or customer service – or recruitment – or possibly even payroll – to a well-qualified person or team.
These things will be down to you, and the people you find to join you.
Look for committed, energetic generalists and a finance person – and choose well.
Then when everything seems half-baked*, tell yourself:
This is the way. For now, at least, this is the way.
*Try to bake your HR policies a little more each time you revisit the Googledoc.