team-composition-analysis

Team Composition Analysis

Design optimal team structures, hiring plans, compensation strategies, and equity allocation for early-stage startups from pre-seed through Series A.

Use this skill when

• Working on team composition analysis tasks or workflows
• Needing guidance, best practices, or checklists for team composition analysis

Do not use this skill when

• The task is unrelated to team composition analysis
• You need a different domain or tool outside this scope

Instructions

• Clarify goals, constraints, and required inputs.
• Apply relevant best practices and validate outcomes.
• Provide actionable steps and verification.
• If detailed examples are required, open resources/implementation-playbook.md.

Overview

Build the right team at the right time with appropriate compensation and equity. Plan role-by-role hiring aligned with revenue milestones, budget constraints, and market benchmarks.

Team Structure by Stage

Pre-Seed (0-$500K ARR)

Team Size: 2-5 people

Core Roles:

• Founders (2-3): Product, engineering, business
• First engineer (if needed)
• Contract roles: Design, marketing

Focus: Build and validate product-market fit

Seed ($500K-$2M ARR)

Team Size: 5-15 people

Key Hires:

• Engineering lead + 2-3 engineers
• First sales/business development
• Product manager
• Marketing/growth lead

Focus: Scale prod