18 Leaders Discuss Onboarding New Employees in Startups
Startups face unique challenges when bringing new employees into their dynamic environments. This article presents valuable insights from industry leaders on effective onboarding strategies for startup companies. From immersing new hires in the company mission to implementing apprenticeship-style training, these expert-backed approaches aim to set both employees and organizations up for long-term success.
- Immerse New Hires in Company Mission
- Foster Connection Through Mentorship and Culture
- Personalize Onboarding for Long-Term Engagement
- Build Strong Foundations with Clarity
- Integrate New Employees into Startup Culture
- Implement Apprenticeship-Style Skills Training
- Equip Employees with Tools for Success
- Align New Hires with Brand Vision
- Create Meaningful Connections from Day One
- Establish Purpose-Driven Onboarding Process
- Invest in Comprehensive First Experiences
- Empower Employees with Flexible Onboarding
- Welcome Co-Creators to the Mission
- Nurture Talent with Creative Integration
- Support New Hires Through Deliberate Practices
- Structure Onboarding for Long-Term Success
- Implement Integrated Mentorship in Healthcare Startups
- Develop Clinical Skills Through Purposeful Shadowing
Immerse New Hires in Company Mission
Onboarding new employees is all about immersion and connection. We start by giving newcomers a genuine sense of why we exist—to help startups thrive—and how their role contributes to that mission. I remember one new hire telling me their first week felt like stepping onto a moving train, but in the best way, as they were surrounded by energy, direction, and support. We focus on creating an environment where everyone can contribute from day one. That means tailored onboarding journeys—unlike cookie-cutter manuals—where our team digs into what excites each person about their role and sets clear expectations.
We pair new employees with a “guiding partner,” not an official mentor, but someone they’ll naturally gravitate toward for practical tips and cultural insights. One time, our guiding partner system helped a data analyst, who felt overwhelmed, become one of our sharpest contributors just weeks after joining—it’s small gestures that build big confidence.
We also host weekly all-hands sessions, where every team member can pitch ideas and ask bold questions. It’s less about hierarchy and more about community. The result? By fostering quick acclimation and a sense of shared purpose, our retention has soared—team members feel invested in the mission, not just their tasks. Our onboarding philosophy ultimately hinges on building enthusiasm, ownership, and collaboration, making people want to stay not because they’re bound, but because they’re inspired.
Niclas Schlopsna
Managing Consultant and CEO, spectup
Foster Connection Through Mentorship and Culture
We approach onboarding as an opportunity to introduce new team members to our mission, values, and wellness-focused culture. From day one, we pair new hires with a mentor, walk them through our products like the Hyper-Cube and Theta Chamber, and involve them in team discussions so they feel part of the journey. We also take time to learn about their personal goals and how their strengths can shine within our organization. This intentional, supportive approach has created a more engaged and connected team, leading to higher retention and stronger collaboration. When employees feel welcomed and aligned with the vision from the beginning, they are more likely to stay and grow with the company.
Amber Moseley
CEO and Co-Founder, IWC
Personalize Onboarding for Long-Term Engagement
When someone new joins, I don’t hand them a stack of documents and wish them luck. Instead, I block out time to walk them through our story, why we started, what keeps us up at night, and what we’re excited about.
I remember one engineer who told me later that hearing the company’s origin, not just the product pitch, made her feel like she belonged from day one.
We’ve had our share of onboarding missteps. Once, I forgot to introduce a new hire to our customer support lead, and it showed. He spent his first week guessing who did what and felt awkward asking for help.
After that, I started making sure every new person meets each team member, even if it’s just a quick call. The difference in their confidence and willingness to ask questions was obvious.
Since getting more intentional about onboarding, I’ve noticed fewer early exits. People stick around, not just for the work, but because they feel they’re part of something real. That sense of belonging, I’ve learned, is what makes people stay.
Erin Siemek
CEO, Forge Digital Marketing, LLC
Build Strong Foundations with Clarity
We treat onboarding like setting the tone for everything that comes after—so we make it personal, clear, and useful from day one.
When someone joins my company, I make it a point to have a one-on-one meeting with them immediately. We discuss the company’s origins, its future direction, and the role they will play in it. It’s not a slideshow or a generic checklist—it’s a conversation that provides them with direct insight into why we operate the way we do. I believe people appreciate being addressed as adults rather than being “processed” through a system.
We’ve also learned that the first week should feel productive, not overwhelming. So we break things up—allowing new hires to familiarize themselves with our lighting products hands-on, spend time shadowing people across teams, and gradually assume responsibilities. One of our newer warehouse coordinators told me it was the first job where he didn’t spend his first week poring over a manual—and that he actually looked forward to returning the next day. That statement resonated with me.
The impact on retention has been noticeable. People tend to stay with the company when they feel grounded early on. They’re not guessing what’s expected of them, and they’re not left wondering whom to ask when something is unclear. It’s a simple approach, but making the effort to introduce people properly—and treat them as if they matter from day one—pays off.
Matt Little
Owner & Managing Director, Festoon House
Integrate New Employees into Startup Culture
Hiring new staff for a startup involves more than filling out paperwork and conducting handshake sessions. It’s an opportunity to build trust and meaning from day one. From my experience, effective onboarding should begin before the first day by establishing clear expectations and providing resources for new hires to feel secure as they become part of the team.
I advocate assigning every new hire a mentor, someone they can look up to in their first few weeks. This process allows the workplace to foster an environment where new employees feel comfortable asking questions and contributing ideas. It’s also important to explain how their specific job fits into the company’s broader vision. For instance, by informing them how everyone’s contributions work toward our greater purpose, employees become aware of their impact, which increases motivation and job satisfaction.
This approach has proven successful. Focusing on engagement and connection from the start has resulted in higher retention rates. Individuals are more likely to stay with a company longer when they feel valued and understand their future opportunities. Onboarding is not a one-time event but rather an ongoing process of nurturing and growth. When employees sense that their contributions matter and they’re developing alongside the organization, they tend to remain for the long term.
Brandon Aversano
CEO, The Alloy Market
Implement Apprenticeship-Style Skills Training
Our roofing company has refined an apprenticeship-style onboarding process that pairs new hires with master craftsmen for their first eight weeks. Rather than overwhelming newcomers with procedural manuals, we focus on practical skills training and company culture immersion through daily mentorship. New team members rotate through different crews, learning various installation techniques while building relationships across departments. This approach creates natural support networks and gives newcomers multiple resources for questions. We culminate the process with a “craftsmanship celebration” where new hires demonstrate a challenging roofing technique to the leadership team. Since implementing this program three years ago, our 90-day retention rate has increased from 65% to 91%, significantly reducing our recruiting and training costs.
Tony Mirzakhanyan
President, Prime American Roofing
Equip Employees with Tools for Success
Effective onboarding is like giving new hires a treasure map instead of dropping them in a jungle. A well-structured onboarding experience equips employees with the tools and knowledge to succeed quickly. It clarifies expectations, introduces company culture, and fosters a sense of belonging. This approach translates directly to higher retention rates. Employees who feel supported and prepared from day one are more likely to stay engaged and committed to the company’s mission. Like a well-marked trail, a straightforward onboarding process leads to a successful journey.
Steve Fleurant
CEO, Clair Services
Align New Hires with Brand Vision
In my business, onboarding isn’t just about handing over tasks—it’s about immersing new hires in the why behind what we do. I take a founder-led approach: every new team member starts with a deep dive into our brand voice, client experience philosophy, and proprietary frameworks like PRISM or The Instant Pricing Fix™.
Even though we’re a small team, I’ve built scalable, digital onboarding materials that reflect our culture—clear expectations, smart systems, and room for creativity. This mix of structure and autonomy sets the tone from day one.
The impact? Better retention, faster alignment, and a team that feels ownership over their role early on. When people understand the mission and see how their work contributes to the bigger picture, they stay invested—and that’s the kind of energy I want in my business.
The downside of focusing only on strengths is blind spots—especially in leadership. But overcorrecting weaknesses can make you play small. Real growth comes from acceptance paired with intention: owning who you are while building a business that supports your best operating style.
Kristin Marquet
Founder & Creative Director, Marquet Media
Create Meaningful Connections from Day One
In our startup, onboarding isn’t just a checklist—it’s a narrative. We approach it as if we’re inviting someone into an unfolding story, and now they’re a key character with a real role to play. This mindset shift—from “getting someone up to speed” to “helping them see where they fit”—has made a significant impact on retention.
We start onboarding before day one. New hires receive a pre-boarding email with context: our origin story, mission, recent wins, and challenges we’re currently navigating. That transparency builds emotional buy-in early. On day one, we focus less on paperwork and more on context. Each new team member meets with leaders across departments—even if it’s not directly tied to their role—because we want them to see how their work connects to the bigger picture.
One thing that has worked really well is assigning a “day one buddy,” not just for logistics but for decoding company culture—things you won’t find in Notion or Slack. We also stagger the technical onboarding. We don’t overload new hires with systems and tools right away; instead, we walk them through real workflows tied to their first deliverables, so learning happens in context.
The impact? Our retention rate for hires past 6 months is over 90%, and I think a big reason is that people feel anchored—both in the mission and in their role—early on. They’re not floating. They know what success looks like, they know where to find answers, and they’ve built real relationships within the first week.
Bottom line: people don’t stay because of perks or ping pong. They stay because they feel seen, supported, and like what they do actually matters. Onboarding is the first and best opportunity you have to prove all three.
Patric Edwards
Founder & Principal Software Architect, Cirrus Bridge
Establish Purpose-Driven Onboarding Process
Our approach to onboarding new employees is centered around clarity, connection, and culture. In a startup environment where things move fast and roles often evolve, I’ve learned that setting the right tone in the first few weeks can make all the difference—not just in performance, but in long-term retention.
We start by giving new team members a clear picture of where they fit into the bigger vision. From day one, they’re not just learning tasks—they’re understanding how their role contributes to the company’s mission and growth. That sense of purpose builds early alignment and helps them feel like part of something meaningful, not just another hire filling a gap.
We also take the onboarding process beyond documents and training sessions. Every new hire is paired with a mentor—someone who’s been in their shoes and can guide them through not only the technical parts of the role, but the unwritten rules and team dynamics. This relationship creates a support system that goes beyond HR checklists and gives them the confidence to ask questions, make mistakes, and grow without feeling like they’re being evaluated at every turn.
Another key element is creating space for early wins. We build their first 30-60 days around achievable goals that stretch them just enough while giving them momentum. Celebrating those early contributions reinforces their value and builds engagement from the start.
The impact on retention has been significant. When people feel seen, supported, and challenged in the right ways early on, they tend to stay. Our turnover rate has remained low not because we lock people in with perks, but because we invest in their experience from the beginning. That investment pays off in loyalty, productivity, and a team culture where people genuinely want to grow together.
Onboarding isn’t a box to check—it’s the foundation of your company’s future. When you build it with intention, everything else becomes easier to scale.
Max Shak
Founder/CEO, nerDigital
Invest in Comprehensive First Experiences
We’ve built our onboarding process around the same principle that drives our entire business: making meaningful connections. I’ve learned throughout my career in the 3PL space that the first 30 days determine whether someone will thrive with us long-term.
We start with what I call our “3C” approach: Company, Culture, and Craft. New team members spend their first week understanding our mission of connecting eCommerce brands with the right 3PL partners, immersing themselves in our collaborative culture, and learning the specialized knowledge of logistics and fulfillment that drives our platform.
What makes our approach different is our “buddy system”—pairing new hires with experienced team members who’ve demonstrated excellence in our core values. This provides newcomers with both formal and informal knowledge transfer, creating natural mentorship relationships that extend beyond onboarding.
I personally hold a 30-minute coffee chat with every new hire during their first month. These conversations provide invaluable insights into our onboarding effectiveness while reinforcing our open-door leadership culture.
The logistics industry struggles with notoriously high turnover—warehouse workers alone see 43% annual turnover rates, costing companies about $8,500 per replacement. In contrast, our retention rates at Fulfill.com have remained above industry averages, which I attribute directly to our thoughtful onboarding.
We’ve found that team members who experience our comprehensive onboarding reach productivity milestones 40% faster than industry standards and show significantly higher engagement in our quarterly pulse surveys.
Building a startup in the 3PL space requires specialized talent, and losing good people isn’t just expensive—it’s existentially threatening to our mission of revolutionizing how eCommerce companies find fulfillment partners. That’s why we invest heavily in those critical first experiences, ensuring everyone joins with clarity, connection, and confidence.
Joe Spisak
CEO, Fulfill.com
Empower Employees with Flexible Onboarding
We see onboarding as an opportunity to establish the tone for a thoughtful and flexible employee experience. Our process combines essentials such as clear documentation, supportive mentoring, and structured first weeks with small but meaningful gestures that reflect our values.
One way we achieve this is by using our own platform to send a welcome reward to new team members. This allows them to choose the equipment or accessories that suit their needs, without being tied to a specific vendor or standard setup. It’s a simple gesture that makes a real difference, giving people autonomy from day one and helping them create a workspace that works for them.
We also use rewards to mark milestones and show appreciation. These small moments, over time, help build a sense of belonging. They’re not performance bonuses or productivity incentives. They’re about recognizing people as individuals and ensuring they feel seen.
The result is faster ramp-up and stronger retention. When onboarding reflects the kind of culture you want to build—open, human, and values-led—it creates better alignment from the very start.
Rusty Nash
Founder, Rewardable
Welcome Co-Creators to the Mission
In a startup environment, onboarding isn’t just about teaching someone how to do their job—it’s about making them feel connected to the mission from day one. When we bring someone new onto our team, especially in a lean setup like ours in the IT certification space, we approach onboarding as if we’re welcoming a co-creator, not just a new hire.
We’ve built a structured, yet personal onboarding flow. Before day one, new hires get access to a Notion-based welcome kit that outlines our vision, values, workflows, and tools. It also includes a roadmap of their first 30 days, with bite-sized learning goals and clear expectations. But more importantly, we prioritize real conversations over documents. We pair each new team member with a buddy—not necessarily in the same department—to encourage cross-functional bonding early on.
We also treat feedback as a two-way street from day one. In the first week, we ask new hires what they would improve about our onboarding. By week three, we want to hear what they think about our products, what stood out, and what didn’t make sense. This not only sharpens our onboarding process but also gives new voices a chance to shape the company early on.
The impact? Our retention has been strong—we’ve kept over 90% of our hires since formalizing this process. People feel invested because they’re seen, heard, and given space to grow from the start. In a startup, every hire matters, and when you get onboarding right, you’re not just filling a role—you’re building a culture that people want to stay and build with.
Kaushal Kishor
CEO, Clearcatnet
Nurture Talent with Creative Integration
Onboarding isn’t a one-time event—it’s a personalized journey that aligns each new hire with our creative ethos and client-centric culture. As a co-founder, I take a hands-on role in welcoming team members, ensuring they not only understand their role but also the why behind our work. Our onboarding combines structured processes with informal check-ins, shadowing opportunities, and early exposure to real projects—especially brand strategy and digital presence development, which are core to our services.
We also assign a “creative buddy” to each new joiner to foster collaboration and ease integration. This human-centered approach helps new employees feel valued from day one, not just as professionals but as contributors to a shared vision.
The impact? We’ve seen significantly higher engagement and retention—team members stay longer because they feel seen, supported, and creatively challenged. It’s not just about hiring talent; it’s about nurturing it.
Juzer Qutbi
Co-Founder, Saifee Creations
Support New Hires Through Deliberate Practices
As much as we onboard our new hires in our startup, we make every effort to ensure that the experience is as warm and seamless as possible. We begin with a warm welcome, introducing our company values and culture, so they feel like they are part of a caring team from day one. We also make sure that they have a good understanding of their role and how it contributes to the larger vision of what we are building together.
But it’s not just about paperwork and processes—it’s about building relationships. We encourage open communication and help our new hires feel comfortable asking questions, sharing ideas, and seeking assistance as needed. We also pair them with a buddy or a mentor to guide them through the first few weeks so that they feel supported.
The results have been outstanding. New employees who feel accepted from day one and receive adequate training become active members of the team who choose to remain long-term. Organizations that devote time to deliberately designed onboarding practices that reduce staff departures ultimately build fundamental organizational success through team integration and motivational support for team involvement.
Alex Saiko
CEO & Co-Founder, MiraSpaces
Structure Onboarding for Long-Term Success
Pre-Onboarding (Before Day 1):
1. Send a welcome email with essential information (start time, dress code, schedule).
2. Provide access to tools and software in advance.
3. Assign a buddy or mentor for informal support.
Day 1-3: Foundation Building
1. Introduce company mission, vision, values, and culture.
2. Facilitate team meetings (in-person or virtual introductions).
3. Conduct basic IT setup and tools walkthrough (Slack, project management tools, etc.).
4. Assign a small, achievable task to build confidence and familiarity.
Week 1-2: Role Integration
1. Provide a deep dive into team-specific goals and workflows.
2. Arrange shadowing sessions with teammates.
3. Schedule regular one-on-one check-ins with manager or founder.
First 30-90 Days: Long-Term Enablement
1. Set clear OKRs or KPIs for their role.
2. Implement continuous feedback loops (weekly check-ins, monthly reviews).
3. Organize learning and development sessions (using internal or external resources).
Culture Touchpoints
1. Include new employees in team rituals—standups, demo days, virtual coffees.
2. Celebrate small wins (shoutouts in Slack, team huddles).
Paramjeet Kummar
Propatylo Business Developer, PROPATYLO
Implement Integrated Mentorship in Healthcare Startups
As someone who launched my own medical practice in 2022 after a decade in established healthcare systems, I’ve learned that onboarding in healthcare startups requires extraordinary care. We implement what I call the “integrated mentorship” model—pairing new team members with experienced staff not just for technical training, but to absorb our unique approach to patient-centered care.
Our onboarding focuses heavily on our philosophical approach. New hires don’t just learn procedures; they understand why we emphasize emotional well-being alongside medical expertise. This roots them deeply in our practice’s values rather than just its processes. We’ve maintained 100% retention since opening our doors.
Cross-training has proven invaluable for both retention and patient satisfaction. Every team member learns aspects of different roles, creating a more resilient team and better patient experiences. When my office manager temporarily left for family reasons, our medical assistant stepped in seamlessly because she understood the workflow holistically.
The most successful element has been our “voice development” program. New staff observe me with patients for their first week, then we collectively analyze recorded interactions (with patient permission). This builds confidence quickly and ensures consistent messaging. This upfront investment has eliminated the communication-related patient complaints that often plague new practices.
Dr. Cheryl Twu
Obgyn, Wellness OBGYN
Develop Clinical Skills Through Purposeful Shadowing
As a dentist who became the third owner of our 50+ year practice, I’ve developed a unique onboarding approach centered on clinical shadowing with purpose. New team members don’t just observe procedures; they participate in post-appointment discussions where we analyze patient interactions and treatment decisions, creating meaningful learning moments.
We also implement what I call “values-first training” where new hires spend their first two days exclusively learning our practice philosophy before touching any operational systems. This has dramatically reduced our turnover—we’ve maintained our core clinical team intact for over 3 years while the industry average in dental practices hovers around 30% annual turnover.
The most impactful element has been our “relationship mapping” exercise. New hires document existing patient relationships they observe during their first month, helping them understand our non-corporate, personalized approach. This translates theory into practice and accelerates their integration into our culture.
Critical to retention has been our continuing education emphasis. Unlike many practices that view CE as a requirement, we build personalized development plans for each team member. When Stephanie, our hygienist, showed interest in advanced periodontal treatments, we sponsored specialized training that both improved our service offerings and reinforced her commitment to our practice.
Dr. Chris Cerasaro DMD
Owner, Crown Point Family Dentistry
