--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You want to think about what is the path…" description: "\"You want to think about what is the path for my first 10 or 15 employees going to be as the company grows.\" — Sam Altman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eee/sam-altman-1494_business_you-want-to-think-about-what-is-the-path_2252019.png" --- # You want to think about what is the path for my first 10… ![“You want to think about what is the path for my first 10 or 15 employees going to be as the company grows.” quote by Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eee/sam-altman-1494_business_you-want-to-think-about-what-is-the-path_2252019.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eee/sam-altman-1494_business_you-want-to-think-about-what-is-the-path_2252019.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eee/sam-altman-1494_business_you-want-to-think-about-what-is-the-path_2252019.png) > “You want to think about what is the path for my first 10 or 15 employees going to be as the company grows.” [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. Planning early hiring should align roles with growth stages and company vision. **In simple terms:** Hire based on future needs. Key Takeaway Hire strategically for growth. Themes entrepreneurship team building growth strategy Mood strategic forward‑looking Type advice business. When to use this quote - startup launch - product scaling - market expansion - fundraising rounds Key Concepts role scaling company culture resource allocation Questions to Reflect On - What core functions will you need first? - How will you maintain culture as you add staff? A Different Perspective Over‑hiring early can strain finances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Employee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/employee/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [If you don't stay very close to clients and employees you're going to make the wrong decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-sweet/if-you-don-t-stay-very-close-to-clients-and-employees-you-re-going-to/) [Julie Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-sweet/) > [As the company grows and about this 25 or so employee size, your main job shifts from building a great product to building a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/as-the-company-grows-and-about-this-25-or-so-employee-size-your-main/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [If I don't have a division in the UFC, I'm going to go to another company like Rizin or Bellator or another organization where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cris-cyborg/if-i-don-t-have-a-division-in-the-ufc-i-m-going-to-go-to-another/) [Cris Cyborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cris-cyborg/) > [I have lots of sources of information about what's going on at the company. I think I have a pretty good pulse on where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/i-have-lots-of-sources-of-information-about-what-s-going-on-at-the/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [I have a strong command of what's going on in the company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-flannery/i-have-a-strong-command-of-what-s-going-on-in-the-company/) [John L. Flannery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-flannery/) > [To WWE and to everyone who owns WWE, it's a business, and if you become something to the people, you're going to become something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-michaels/to-wwe-and-to-everyone-who-owns-wwe-it-s-a-business-and-if-you-become/) [Shawn Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-michaels/) > [If you are going to keep company with me, don't embarrass me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-player/if-you-are-going-to-keep-company-with-me-don-t-embarrass-me/) [Gary Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-player/) > [ The company \[Microsoft\] really has to chart a direction in mobile devices. 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It has the potential to evolve your purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mackey/as-a-company-grows-its-purpose-grows-with-it-it-has-the-potential-to/) [John Mackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mackey/) > [Leadership development is about helping people grow, and if I can get people as individuals growing, then I've got a company that grows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcnerney/leadership-development-is-about-helping-people-grow-and-if-i-can-get/) [James McNerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcnerney/) > [As a company grows, things get stuck at the top. It can be a bottleneck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/belinda-johnson/as-a-company-grows-things-get-stuck-at-the-top-it-can-be-a-bottleneck/) [Belinda Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/belinda-johnson/) > [Be transparent about company values and adhere to them as your company grows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-koplovitz/be-transparent-about-company-values-and-adhere-to-them-as-your/) [Kay Koplovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-koplovitz/) > [It is not that we love to be alone, but that we love to soar, and when we do soar, the company grows thinner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-is-not-that-we-love-to-be-alone-but-that-we-love-to-soar-and-when/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [It's one thing to feel that you are on the right path, but it's another to think yours is the only path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/it-s-one-thing-to-feel-that-you-are-on-the-right-path-but-it-s/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) ## 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 Business quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. 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And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. 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