How to hire an entrepreneur

How to hire an entrepreneur, step by step

Here's a step-by-step entrepreneur hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an entrepreneur job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new entrepreneur
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an entrepreneur do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an entrepreneur, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an entrepreneur to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an entrepreneur that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of entrepreneur salaries for various roles:

   Type of Entrepreneur	Description	Hourly rate
   Entrepreneur	Top executives devise strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals. They plan, direct, and coordinate operational activities of companies and organizations.	$20-56
   Customer Service Manager	Customer service managers are in charge of overseeing a group of customer service associates. They ensure that key metrics are met by the employees... Show more	$16-50
   Operations Manager	Operations managers are in charge of running the main business of the organization. They ensure that the business is running smoothly from an operations standpoint... Show more	$22-59

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Kids
   • Web Design
   • Product Development
   • Business Plan
   • Financial Statements
   • Business Model
   • ROI
   • Payroll
   • Business Development
   • Market Research
   • Entrepreneurship
   • Real Estate
   • Photography
   • Facebook

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Create and manage Instagram pages for clients, which contributes to the increase in social media following.
   • Manage and find members of band; help create YouTube videos; write music and play guitar.
   • Start and manage this LLC dedicate to the seasonal retail and wholesale sale of consumer fireworks at multiple locations in Pennsylvania
   • Formulate strategy and lead resulting IP acquisition and development efforts.
   • Manage accounting, payroll, advertising, curriculum development, and business relationships.
   • Develop and maintain site features and landing pages, leveraging customize JavaScript and PHP modules/plugins.

   More entrepreneur duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your entrepreneur job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An entrepreneur can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, entrepreneurs' average salary in hawaii is 66% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level entrepreneurs 64% less than senior-level entrepreneurs.
   • Certifications. An entrepreneur with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an entrepreneur's salary.

   Average entrepreneur salary

   $70,849yearly

   $34.06 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level entrepreneur salary

   $42,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

   Average entrepreneur salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$108,513	$52
   2	California	$90,559	$44
   3	New Jersey	$87,693	$42
   4	Massachusetts	$82,756	$40
   5	Washington	$82,654	$40
   6	Michigan	$80,921	$39
   7	Ohio	$78,031	$38
   8	Delaware	$77,778	$37
   9	Maryland	$76,921	$37
   10	Pennsylvania	$65,464	$31
   11	North Carolina	$65,394	$31
   12	Georgia	$62,676	$30
   13	Colorado	$60,622	$29
   14	Texas	$60,430	$29
   15	Indiana	$54,787	$26
   16	South Carolina	$49,890	$24
   17	Florida	$45,828	$22
   18	Utah	$43,769	$21

   Average entrepreneur salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	General Catalyst	$98,217	$47.22
   2	Hewlett Packard Enterprise	$79,053	$38.01
   3	CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield	$77,639	$37.33
   4	Lightspeed	$74,903	$36.01
   5	SMS Holdings	$74,775	$35.95
   6	Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University	$72,529	$34.87
   7	Berdon	$71,485	$34.37
   8	Gundersen Lutheran Medical Foundation Inc.	$68,354	$32.86
   9	UMass Lowell	$66,133	$31.79
   10	University of Massachusetts Boston	$66,033	$31.75
   11	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	$64,617	$31.07
   12	Accenture	$64,508	$31.01	71
   13	Symmetry Financial Group	$63,536	$30.55
   14	International Rescue Committee	$63,295	$30.43
   15	Techstars	$61,481	$29.56
   16	UC Santa Barbara	$61,415	$29.53
   17	Worcester Polytechnic Institute	$60,731	$29.20
   18	VF	$59,788	$28.74
   19	PSEA	$58,618	$28.18	1
   20	Americorps	$57,193	$27.50

4. Writing an entrepreneur job description

   A good entrepreneur job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an entrepreneur job description:

   Entrepreneur job description example

   The Engine is seeking an Entrepreneur In Residence to help nurture its growing climate portfolio, diligence potential future climate-related investments, and dive into potential executive or founding roles at early-stage climate firms. This individual will provide experienced, thoughtful advice and mentorship to Engine portfolio company founders, contribute to diligence activities for potential new companies, and with success, have opportunities to join founding teams developing transformational climate technologies.
   
   We believe that by building a team that is diverse across many dimensions -- race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, educational background, thought process, and more -- we will be able to identify and support the best Tough Tech companies in the world as they solve big global challenges.
   
   Position Responsibilities:Work alongside, coach, and mentor teams within The Engine portfolio, particularly those teams in the climate change and advanced manufacturing verticals Leverage existing personal network across industry to help portfolio companies accelerate and achieve milestones, and support the Engine team in evaluating potential investment opportunities in climate sectors Create opportunities and programming that benefits portfolio companies across the Engine portfolio, and proto-founders in the broader climate-tech research enterprise Work collaboratively and closely across the entirety of the Engine team Embraces and thrives in doing work in a highly collaborative context, in a flat organization with a team of teams-approach
   
   Skills, Experience, and CapabilitiesStrong alignment with The Engine's mission to enable Tough Tech entrepreneurs to create world-changing companies Leadership experience in energy, industrials, materials science and/or climate sciences sectors Experience leading the development novel technology and scaling it up through manufacturing and commercial deployment Experience interfacing with investors Ability to operate as a generalist with specific functional domain expertise or have experience in more than one functional domain Execution-driven ability to work in a fast paced environment; high achiever; low ego Collaborative, generous but can succeed as an individual contributor Open and clear communicator; can give and receive feedback
   
   The Engine, launched by MIT, invests in early-stage companies solving the world's biggest problems through a convergence of breakthrough science, engineering, and leadership We accelerate the path to market for Tough Tech companies through the combination of capital, infrastructure, and network. Since opening its doors in June 2017, The Engine has committed resources to 28 companies and created an unprecedented framework for bringing tough tech from the lab to the commercial world. We also operate a 30,000 square foot facility of office, labs, and machine shop at our headquarters in Cambridge, MA.
   
   The Engine Fund Invests long-term capital in startups that need time to make an impact. We develop founders from technical pioneers to company leaders by providing them with capital, entrepreneurial knowledge, expertise, inspiration, and guidance.
   
   The Engine Network Facilitates the creation of long-term mutually beneficial relationships between founders, startups, corporates, government, venture capital, among others.
   
   The Engine Infrastructure Provides access to specialized labs, equipment, tools and space, both on-site and through a network of partner facilities, necessary to build transformative technologies economically and efficiently.
   We offer: -A mission-driven work environment and team, and the opportunity to work with world-class Tough Tech founders -Competitive compensation, based on experience -Health, Dental, Vision Insurance -401k matching The Engine deeply values diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We are an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants equally for employment. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, protected veteran status, religion, physical or mental disability, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, or any other basis protected by law, ordinance, or regulation.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find entrepreneurs for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any entrepreneurs they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level entrepreneurs with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your entrepreneur job on Zippia to find and recruit entrepreneur candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting entrepreneurs requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new entrepreneur

   Once you have selected a candidate for the entrepreneur position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new entrepreneur. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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