There’s a secret to hiring and retaining the best talent in the creator space…and it’s probably not what you’d expect!

In this conversation, Vouch’s Marty Pesis, discusses the art of building and nurturing a pipeline of talent worth hiring–well before you’re ready to open that job posting. His secret ingredient? Employer branding. He shares his tips for making sure you’re selling your team and its culture just as much as selling your creator.

And for Marty, hiring is a science just as much as an art. He outlines his methodology that will help you stay ahead of the hiring game, even in this competitive market.

Show Notes:
Here are the key takeaways from our conversation with Marty…

Embrace a Passion-First Approach in Hiring:
Marty makes a case for hiring individuals who not only possess the necessary skills for the job but are also deeply passionate about your brand. He shares insights on how harnessing the enthusiasm and dedication of such talent pays off in the long run. Hard skills are important, but in the early days of a creator business, passion is even more crucial.


Develop a Structured Yet Tailored Hiring Methodology:
Marty outlines four steps for effectively finding and hiring top talent: promoting the job, screening applicants, conducting paid sample projects, and initiating a trial phase. This approach allows qualified candidates to showcase their skills and experience a day (or week) in the life of the role they’re exploring. Teams can tailor this approach to their specific needs, ensuring they assess the most important skills as well as cultural fit.


Focus on Employer Branding to Attract and Retain Top Talent:
Marty emphasizes the significance of a strong employer brand in attracting top talent. He shares practical steps creator businesses can take to enhance their employer branding, such as maintaining transparency in the recruitment process, managing the candidate rejection experience with care, and concertedly building a positive culture.


Jump into the Conversation:
00:00 Marty’s journey into the creator economy
13:38 Solving the talent access bottleneck
23:01 The importance of employer branding in attracting top talent
32:50 Leveling up the recruiting experience with a four-step funnel
44:23 Rejecting candidates with empathy
53:27 The people management responsibilities of a Creator COO
01:02:57 Compensating Creator COOs competitively
01:07:10 Marty’s top pieces of advice for winning top talent
01:11:29 The best time to bring in a Creator COO

Continue the conversation with these resources:
Follow Marty Pesis on LinkedIn   / mpesis