In the formative stages of a startup, hiring the right talent is among the most important things a founder will have to do. And it’ll be worth considering tapping into the skills and expertise of senior professionals while they are at it.  I am reminded of the book ‘Outliers’ by Malcolm Gladwell where he notes that 10,000 hours is the magic number for greatness. That you need to have practiced and to have apprenticed for at least 10,000 hours before you get good at a task. In fact, senior professionals and retirees come having incubated their skills and talent for much longer than that. And, therefore, they are worth more for their experience than what their age accredits them with. Whether you engage them full-time or part-time, as a consultant or as a part of the in-house team, it’s certainly a good idea for young founders enroll the expertise of someone who’s navigated the deep waters of a formal organization and can guide them in their journey to building one. Perhaps I am so much in favor of this because I am aging myself! Nevertheless, with average lifespan expected to improve in the years to come - 120 years as per some estimates - we have to start thinking about longer-term productivity measures and workforce inclusion. …see more