--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ... you can think about that for everyone…" description: "\"... you can think about that for everyone you hire: will I bet the future of this company on this single hire? And that's a tough bar.\" — Sam Altman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ff/sam-altman-1494_bars_you-can-think-about-that-for-everyone-yo_2596859.png" --- # ... you can think about that for everyone you hire: will I… ![“... you can think about that for everyone you hire: will I bet the future of this company on this single hire? And that's a tough bar.” quote by Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ff/sam-altman-1494_bars_you-can-think-about-that-for-everyone-yo_2596859.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ff/sam-altman-1494_bars_you-can-think-about-that-for-everyone-yo_2596859.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ff/sam-altman-1494_bars_you-can-think-about-that-for-everyone-yo_2596859.png) > “... you can think about that for everyone you hire: will I bet the future of this company on this single hire? And that's a tough bar.” [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hiring decisions carry high stakes; placing all hopes on a single employee is risky and demands rigorous evaluation. **In simple terms:** Don’t bet everything on one hire. Key Takeaway Assess risk, diversify talent. Themes hiring risk decision making Mood cautious strategic Type advice business When to use this quote - startup - corporate hiring - venture capital Key Concepts talent management company growth leadership Questions to Reflect On - How to mitigate hiring risk? - What criteria ensure a strong fit? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on one hire can jeopardize projects. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/team/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Why should a manufacturer bet his money, perhaps the future of his company, on your instinct?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/why-should-a-manufacturer-bet-his-money-perhaps-the-future-of-his/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [We're building a great company, and we're very excited about the future of the company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-re-building-a-great-company-and-we-re-very-excited-about-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [XL is dedicated to understanding shifting business dynamics and helping our clients thrive in increasingly complex and changing environments. 'The Future of the Company'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mcgavick/xl-is-dedicated-to-understanding-shifting-business-dynamics-and/) [Mike McGavick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mcgavick/) > [Every company has big data in its future and every company will eventually be in the data business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-h-davenport/every-company-has-big-data-in-its-future-and-every-company-will/) Thomas H. Davenport > [I don't believe in management by fear. I also won't sacrifice the future of a company for a quarter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-e-peterson/i-don-t-believe-in-management-by-fear-i-also-won-t-sacrifice-the/) [Sandra E. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-e-peterson/) > [Later, you should learn to hire fast and scale up the company, but in the early days the goal should be not to hire.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/later-you-should-learn-to-hire-fast-and-scale-up-the-company-but-in/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [The second part of how to hire: try not to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/the-second-part-of-how-to-hire-try-not-to/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [The cost of getting an early hire wrong is really high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/the-cost-of-getting-an-early-hire-wrong-is-really-high/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [In other restaurants you'll see employees signing to each other, since we also hire many deaf men and women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-karcher/in-other-restaurants-you-ll-see-employees-signing-to-each-other-since/) [Carl Karcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-karcher/) > [I would like to work with whoever would like to have me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/i-would-like-to-work-with-whoever-would-like-to-have-me/) [Ben Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/) > [Global poverty is the product of reversible policy failures overseen by politicians, past and present. The poorest of the poor don't vote in American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-evans/global-poverty-is-the-product-of-reversible-policy-failures-overseen/) [Hugh Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-evans/) > [I love to work with people and do what I love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-starr/i-love-to-work-with-people-and-do-what-i-love/) [Martin Starr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-starr/) > [I do focus my energy on music, but it's just the way that the industry works. I kind of have to take what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kravitz/i-do-focus-my-energy-on-music-but-it-s-just-the-way-that-the-industry/) [Zoe Kravitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kravitz/) > [When you hire me, you hire a nut who is going to work 24 hours a day for you and never, ever burn his audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-stern/when-you-hire-me-you-hire-a-nut-who-is-going-to-work-24-hours-a-day/) [Howard Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-stern/) > [I guess I've never really wanted to be anything else. I've never even thought about having another job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-farrell/i-guess-i-ve-never-really-wanted-to-be-anything-else-i-ve-never-even/) [Owen Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-farrell/) ## 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/) [Explore all 235 Sam Altman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) ## More Bars quotes > [If, for instance, they have heard something from the postman, they attribute it to a semi-official statement; if they have fallen into conversation with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/if-for-instance-they-have-heard-something-from-the-postman-they/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [The dark ages still reign over all humanity, and the depth and persistence of this domination are only now becoming clear. 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I also try and start the day with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christie-rampone/while-traveling-i-love-granola-bars-trail-mix-nuts-dry-cereal-and/) [Christie Rampone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christie-rampone/) > [3 people get stranded on a remote Island A Banker, a Daily Mail reader & an Asylum seeker All they have to eat is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-brookmyre/3-people-get-stranded-on-a-remote-island-a-banker-a-daily-mail-reader/) [Christopher Brookmyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-brookmyre/) > [Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house unless they have a well-stocked bar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/thou-shalt-not-covet-thy-neighbor-s-house-unless-they-have-a-well/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [Meanwhile after failing the bar twice, I knew some people in New York and moved here in August '71.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-quine/meanwhile-after-failing-the-bar-twice-i-knew-some-people-in-new-york/) [Robert Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-quine/) > [If you look at coffee, tea, food and juice, we think there are inherent opportunities. If you look at health bars or grab-and-go products…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-schultz/if-you-look-at-coffee-tea-food-and-juice-we-think-there-are-inherent/) [Howard Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-schultz/) > [At about 10 o'clock in the morning the sun threw a bright dust-laden bar through one of the side windows and in and out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/at-about-10-o-clock-in-the-morning-the-sun-threw-a-bright-dust-laden/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I bet a guy at a bar 50 bucks that I was more dysfunctional than he was. He raped me. So I tipped him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-bet-a-guy-at-a-bar-50-bucks-that-i-was-more-dysfunctional-than-he/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I closed my own jazz bar so I could be a man who can write novels as I like. 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