Indian founder hires 20-year-old fresher who dmed him on X, shares why it worked

Startup founder shared how hiring a 20-year-old with no experience paid off, sparking a debate on skills, drive, and hiring beyond credentials.

A startup founder shared how hiring a 20-year-old with no experience turned out to be one of the best decisions his company ever made—challenging the idea that credentials always matter most.

The post was shared by Tanay Kothari on X, who began by admitting how unconventional the decision sounded.

“We hired a 20-year-old engineer with no experience. It sounds insane. But it was one of the best decisions we made.”

He contrasted this with the kind of candidates they usually attract, writing, “We get inbound from staff engineers at Uber, principal scientists from Meta. Ten, twenty years of experience.”

But this particular hire came through a much simpler route: “Then this kid dm’d me on Twitter. He said he loved Wispr flow and wanted to work with us.”

What followed was anything but ordinary: “It was 10am on a Saturday. I was in the office. I replied: ‘Come by in two hours.’”