By Andrea, Vice President of Digital Marketing at Techstars and Marketing Advisor & Founder of CMO Growth Guide

When I started my marketing career, I worked at Transamerica — a massive enterprise with specialized teams and plenty of resources. One person wrote copy. Another designed emails. Someone else managed distribution. It was a well-oiled machine, and I assumed that’s just how marketing worked.

Then I joined a startup.

Everything changed.

I was the only marketer. One of the first hires. Suddenly, I was the machine — writing the copy, building landing pages, running webinars, answering support tickets, and figuring it out as I went.

Honestly? I learned more in that role than I ever did in school or at any Fortune 500 company.

And now, I’m paying it forward.

If you're a founder hiring your first marketer, or you're stepping into that role yourself, here's what you need to know. 

What Your First Marketing Hire Should Actually Do

At an early-stage startup, your first marketer isn’t a strategist sitting in meetings. They’re your customer-obsessed Swiss Army knife — building, testing, and iterating.

They should be able to:

• Write clear, compelling copy

• Design simple, on-brand visuals

• Build and optimize landing pages

• Run small paid acquisition campaigns

• Manage your social media presence

• Interview customers for insights

• Jump into community and support when needed

• Leverage AI to maximize all of the above

They won’t be a master of everything, but they’ll be willing to try anything.

7 Traits to Look For in Your First Marketing Hire

1. Founder Mentality 🔥

They act like an owner. They see a wall and find a way over it — or through it.

2. Digitally Savvy 🌐

They’ve done real things. Maybe a viral LinkedIn post, a side project, or a growing YouTube channel. They know how to move the needle online.

3. Hands-On Doer 🛠️

This isn’t someone who tells others what to do. They do the work — build the funnel, write the ad, publish the blog.

4. Clear Communicator 💬

In the chaos of a startup, they can cut through the noise. They should be able to write clearly and develop strong messaging. They update, ask for help, and shift priorities fast.

5. Coachable and Curious 📚

They love feedback. They’re always learning. And they’re not afraid to admit when something didn’t work.

6. Tech | AI-Friendly) 🤖

They should be eager and willing to use AI and other tech tools to do more, go faster and deliver high quality results.

7. Full-Stack Generalist 🧩

They can juggle email, social, paid ads, and product marketing — and know when to go deep or keep it scrappy.

How to Hire This Unicorn 

Finding this person is tough — but here’s how to increase your chances:

🔹 Mini Project

Ask them to build a 90-day marketing plan with specific growth goals and a realistic budget.

🔹 Stakeholder Presentation

Have them pitch their strategy to your leadership team. Look for clarity, confidence, and adaptability.

🔹 Execution Test

Give them small tasks — write a social post, sketch a landing page, or analyze campaign data.

🔹 Reference Check

Ask former managers about their grit, flexibility, and ability to wear multiple hats.

Final Thought

Your early hires make or break your momentum. Don’t look for pedigree — look for passion, versatility, and the ability to do.

Hire someone who’s scrappy, sharp, and ready to build. Later, when you’ve found product-market fit and have a team in place, then bring in a full-time CMO or fractional leader to scale the system.

Until then, bet on a builder.

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