Recruiting from the Trenches: How to Find (and Win) the Right People for Growth
When your personal network is tapped and your startup’s too early for recruiters — how do you hire game-changers without wasting time or diluting your culture?
In this practical and interactive session, Dave Whelan will walk you through a field-tested recruiting playbook to help you find the right people across networks, online platforms, and recruiter relationships. You’ll leave with a clear plan and the confidence to hire with purpose — even if you’re starting from zero.
What founders will learn:
• How to identify the single most important hire for your stage
• Where to look when your network’s gone cold — and how to reignite it
• How to use platforms like LinkedIn, Slack groups, GitHub, and more to find top talent
• When (and how) to work with recruiters — without burning budget or time
• The principles and red flags that separate A-players from culture killers
• Real founder scenarios and “thought experiments” to apply these ideas to your own startup
About Dave Whelan:
Dave is a seasoned strategist, operator, and startup advisor with 20+ years of experience leading ventures across health, tech, and innovation. He’s the founder of Bespoke Strategy, the former CEO of BioscienceLA, and currently leads ecosystem development for Wavemaker 360 Health, one of the most active healthcare venture firms in the US. With deep insight into what makes teams scale — or stall — Dave helps founders make smarter people decisions that accelerate growth.