---
title: "17 Firsts Quotes By Sam Altman"
description: "17 Firsts quotes by Sam Altman. Plus more from Sam Altman and more Firsts sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/220/sam-altman-1494_aim_i-think-as-a-rough-estimate-you-should-a_3077711.png"
---

> [I think as a rough estimate, you should aim to give about 10% of the company to the first 10 employees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/i-think-as-a-rough-estimate-you-should-aim-to-give-about-10-of-the/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/220/sam-altman-1494_aim_i-think-as-a-rough-estimate-you-should-a_3077711.png)

> [I think the best thing you can do is be aware that as a first time founder you are likely to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/i-think-the-best-thing-you-can-do-is-be-aware-that-as-a-first-time/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95e/sam-altman-1494_bad-man_i-think-the-best-thing-you-can-do-is-be_2250309.png)

> [If you can just learn to think about the market first, you will have a big leg up on most people starting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/if-you-can-just-learn-to-think-about-the-market-first-you-will-have-a/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d07/sam-altman-1494_bigs_if-you-can-just-learn-to-think-about-the_2031541.png)

> [You want to think about what is the path for my first 10 or 15 employees going to be as the company grows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/you-want-to-think-about-what-is-the-path-for-my-first-10-or-15/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eee/sam-altman-1494_business_you-want-to-think-about-what-is-the-path_2252019.png)

> [Everyone starting a startup for the first time is scared, and everyone feels like a bit of an imposter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/everyone-starting-a-startup-for-the-first-time-is-scared-and-everyone/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4da/sam-altman-1494_bits_everyone-starting-a-startup-for-the-firs_1234115.png)

> [If you compromise in the first five, ten hires it might kill the company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/if-you-compromise-in-the-first-five-ten-hires-it-might-kill-the/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9d/sam-altman-1494_business_if-you-compromise-in-the-first-five-ten_2513800.png)

> [You want an idea that not many other people are working on, and it's okay if it doesn't sound big at first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/you-want-an-idea-that-not-many-other-people-are-working-on-and-it-s/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/sam-altman-1494_bigs_you-want-an-idea-that-not-many-other-peo_2683974.png)

> [The idea should come first, the startup should come second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/the-idea-should-come-first-the-startup-should-come-second/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/585/sam-altman-1494_customer_the-idea-should-come-first-the-startup-s_2900267.png)

> [Every first time founder waits too long, everyone hopes that an employee will turn around. But the right answer is to fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/every-first-time-founder-waits-too-long-everyone-hopes-that-an/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4e/sam-altman-1494_answers_every-first-time-founder-waits-too-long_2650843.png)

> [Really dig into projects people have worked on and call references; that is another thing that first time founders like to skip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/really-dig-into-projects-people-have-worked-on-and-call-references/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac0/sam-altman-1494_first-time_really-dig-into-projects-people-have-wor_2640221.jpg)

> [Most great companies in tech have been built by personal referrals for the first...at least 100 employees and often many more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/most-great-companies-in-tech-have-been-built-by-personal-referrals/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88d/sam-altman-1494_built_most-great-companies-in-tech-have-been-b_779973.png)

> [AirBnB spent 5 months interviewing their first employee, before they hired someone and in their first year, they only hired 2 people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/airbnb-spent-5-months-interviewing-their-first-employee-before-they/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/297/sam-altman-1494_airbnb_airbnb-spent-5-months-interviewing-their_435829.png)

> [Companies that I've been very involved with, that have had a very bad first hire in the first 3 or so employees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/companies-that-i-ve-been-very-involved-with-that-have-had-a-very-bad/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa9/sam-altman-1494_company_companies-that-i-ve-been-very-involved-w_911539.png)

> [... the thing we see wrong with YC apps most frequently, is that people have not thought about the market first and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/the-thing-we-see-wrong-with-yc-apps-most-frequently-is-that-people/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bd/sam-altman-1494_apps_the-thing-we-see-wrong-with-yc-apps-most_1129662.png)

> [... if you talk to say any of the first 40 or 50 employees, they all feel like they were a part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/if-you-talk-to-say-any-of-the-first-40-or-50-employees-they-all-feel/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f30/sam-altman-1494_business_if-you-talk-to-say-any-of-the-first-40-o_1593739.png)

> [Many of the best YC companies have had phenomenally small number of employees for their first year, sometimes none besides the founders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/many-of-the-best-yc-companies-have-had-phenomenally-small-number-of/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e9/sam-altman-1494_company_many-of-the-best-yc-companies-have-had-p_2836799.png)

> [A single mediocre hire in the first five will often in fact kill a startup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/a-single-mediocre-hire-in-the-first-five-will-often-in-fact-kill-a/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f3/sam-altman-1494_customer_a-single-mediocre-hire-in-the-first-five_2441312.png)

## Other authors on Firsts

## More by Sam Altman

> [The best people know that they should join a rocketship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/the-best-people-know-that-they-should-join-a-rocketship/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

> [You really want to know your cofounders for a while, ideally years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/you-really-want-to-know-your-cofounders-for-a-while-ideally-years/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

> [Employees will only add more value over time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/employees-will-only-add-more-value-over-time/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

> [One thing I tell startups all the time is that the best way to grow is to make their product better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/one-thing-i-tell-startups-all-the-time-is-that-the-best-way-to-grow/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

> [A winning team feels good and keeps winning. A team that hasn't won in a while gets demotivated and keeps losing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/a-winning-team-feels-good-and-keeps-winning-a-team-that-hasn-t-won-in/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

> [You're either not hiring at all or it's probably your single biggest block of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/you-re-either-not-hiring-at-all-or-it-s-probably-your-single-biggest/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

> [The thing that kills startups at some level, is the founders giving up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/the-thing-that-kills-startups-at-some-level-is-the-founders-giving-up/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

> [Execution gets divided into two key questions: 1) can you figure out what to do and 2) can you get it done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/execution-gets-divided-into-two-key-questions-1-can-you-figure-out/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

> [If you want something in a deal, just ask for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/if-you-want-something-in-a-deal-just-ask-for-it/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

> [Most things are not as risky as they seem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/most-things-are-not-as-risky-as-they-seem/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

> [I prefer to invest in a company that's going after a small but rapidly growing market than a big but slow growing one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/i-prefer-to-invest-in-a-company-that-s-going-after-a-small-but/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

> [Startups are not the best choice for work-life balance, and that's sort of just the sad reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/startups-are-not-the-best-choice-for-work-life-balance-and-that-s/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

> [One of the biggest advantages that start ups have is execution speed and you have to have this relentless operating rhythm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/one-of-the-biggest-advantages-that-start-ups-have-is-execution-speed/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

> [One of the keys to focus, and why I said cofounders that aren't friends really struggle, is that you can't be focused without good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/one-of-the-keys-to-focus-and-why-i-said-cofounders-that-aren-t/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

> [Startups are very hard no matter what you do; you may as well go after a big opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/startups-are-very-hard-no-matter-what-you-do-you-may-as-well-go-after/)

[Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/)

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