Parents might be your best employees

My hiring philosophy is quite simple: find people who raise the bar. In practice, many of those people turn out to be parents. That’s not a coincidence, but it does require a deliberate choice about what you’re actually optimizing for, because the default settings of most high-growth companies screen parents out before they ever get a chance to prove what they can do. AI changed what great performance looks like Being great at your job is no longer about who can put in the most hours. It’s about who can identify the highest-priority problems, use AI to accelerate execution, and drive work to completion with exceptional judgment and taste. The people who excel in that environment operate independently, move quickly, and deliver outcomes without heavy overhead or team coordination. They are comfortable owning processes end-to-end and willing to start from scratch. Parents are often very good at this because they’re forced into prioritization in a way most people aren’t. They focus on what matters, cut what doesn’t, and bring genuine ownership to whatever they take on. Parents also tend to bring a different level of focus and urgency because they have clearer priorities. Many are thinking explicitly about long-term outcomes: long-term financial security, future-proofing careers, and staying close to where the world is going. That often translates into higher ownership and stronger follow-through. Working parents are an advantage, but you have to design your company to actually support them. Over a quarter of my team are parents, and that’s taught me three key lessons about what works. 1. Offer benefits that support a full life Benefits matter because they are a tangible reflection of your commitment to supporting your employees. They are giving so much to building a business, and this is one way to show that appreciation back. Beyond the baseline benefits like healthcare and paid family leave, the most valuable benefits are the ones