When Caroline Dell launched Goodword, a Brooklyn-based networking app, in 2025, she already understood the value of knowing the right people. She'd been a vice president of the women's leadership network Chief.

So when she began exploring her startup idea, she turned to someone she already trusted. While at Chief, she managed a group of engineers working on a new initiative.

"When that launch got indefinitely postponed, we had to terminate their contracts—one of the hardest parts of startup life."

She reached out to one of those engineers to help validate her new business idea from a technical perspective. He started part time at a discounted rate and eventually became her full-time tech lead after Goodword raised seed funding.

"Your network is your most valuable hiring pipeline. People will follow you from company to company if you've built genuine relationships and trust."

But that early hire didn't join just for a job, she says: "He joined because he believed in what we were building."

That sort of commitment is what Dell looks for. Four months after Chief launched, she was sorting through résumés for a midlevel operations manager. One candidate stood out because she was wildly overqualified.

"What caught my attention was her willingness to take a step back in title and compensation to get her foot in the door and contribute to a mission that spoke to her personally."

That candidate quickly rose through the ranks and is now a senior vice president.

"When someone with impressive credentials is willing to step back to join your mission, that's a signal of deep commitment. Those are the people who will grow with your company and stick around for the long haul."

Check out the full article on Inc.