I came across a provocative interview with LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, and it’s stirring up quite a debate. His message? If you're serious about building something big, especially in the startup world, you should forget about work-life balance.
Here’s the core of what he said:
“If I ever hear a founder talking about balance, they’re not committed to winning.”
Hoffman believes that true entrepreneurs need to be "all in"—working after dinner, weekends, late nights. At LinkedIn, the only sacred time was dinner with family, after that, it was back to work. And this mindset wasn’t unique to him. Others like Eric Wittman, CEO of VSCO, echoed similar thoughts: success means embracing pain, stress, and long nights, not just at the leadership level, but across the team.
💡 But here’s where it gets interesting for HR and recruiting:
How do we reconcile this mindset with the growing demand for mental health support, flexibility, and sustainable work cultures?
We’re already seeing talent, especially younger generations, push back against hustle culture. Yet some of the most successful founders attribute their breakthroughs to relentless intensity.
So I’m wondering:
Is this mindset outdated or still essential in high-stakes environments?
Where do we draw the line between dedication and burnout, especially when recruiting talent for startups?
Are we doing candidates a disservice by selling a culture of balance if the reality is anything but?
I’d love to hear your thoughts, especially from those working in or hiring for early-stage ventures.
Source: https://fortune.com/2025/04/02/reid-hoffman-says-the-best-founders-dont-have-work-life-balance-anything-short-means-theyre-not-committed-to-winning/
