Refery Journal

Blog

Insights on hiring, referrals, and building teams at VC-backed startups.

May 6, 2026·1 min read

Why Referral Hiring Outperforms Agencies for Seed-Stage Startups

Agencies charge 30% plus a retainer and source from the same LinkedIn pool. Referral hiring through operator networks finds candidates who never hit the market. Here's the math.

hiringstartupsreferral-recruiting

May 5, 2026·1 min read

How Scouts Earn $15K to $40K Per Successful Referral

Refery scouts earn 70% of the placement fee — typically $15K to $40K per hire — without quotas, monthly minimums, or recruiter responsibilities. Here's how the economics work.

scoutsreferral-recruitingcompensation

May 4, 2026·1 min read

The Real Cost of a Bad Engineering Hire at a Seed-Stage Startup

A bad engineering hire at a seed-stage startup doesn't just cost the salary you paid. It costs runway, momentum, and sometimes the company. Here's the full math.

hiringengineeringstartups