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October 15, 2025

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How to Build a C-Suite That Scales, According to an Investor

Cure, Google Gemini

Overview

In this fourth of five installments in our Business Plan Essentials series, experts share why finding the right people drives your company’s strategic direction and how to build a C-suite that's poised for growth.

As the founder of a healthcare or life sciences startup, one of the most crucial decisions you will make is when and how to build your company’s C-suite—or the top C-level executives responsible for strategic decision-making, risk management, partnership building, and more. After all, when your leadership team has the right expertise, direction, and skill set, it builds confidence among your investors and stakeholders and accelerates your company’s growth. 

But putting together the right leadership team involves so much more than just looking for impressive resumes. Instead, assembling this team requires careful consideration of timing, cultural fit, and complementary skills. 

“In life sciences, the C-suite often balances scientific founders with executives who bring business acumen,” explained Dionnica Gaston, an expert in talent acquisition and managing director of talent at Rev1 Ventures. “Having the right C-suite ensures that both scientific vision and business viability are aligned, which is critical to the growth and sustainability of the company.”

In this article, Cure spoke to experts skilled in determining when and how to thoughtfully build your C-suite leadership team. They share their best advice on how to assemble a team, how to communicate it through a business plan, and what to do when it’s not working out.

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Why Building the Right C-Suite Is Important

Because your startup’s leaders set the strategic direction and operational tone for your entire organization, having the right team can foster a culture of innovation and accountability. Ultimately, if you put together a strong C-suite, this will build a foundation for sustainable growth and long-term impact.

“When looking at early-stage companies, we have consistently found that the team is the most critical differentiating factor between the companies that go on to scale and those that do not,” said Sunny Kumar, MD, MBA, a Stanford-trained physician and partner with Informed Ventures, an investor in early-stage healthcare companies. In fact, a Dropbox DocSend analysis of startup pitch deck activity found a 40 percent increase in investor focus on teams last year for seed-stage companies.

The analysis also found that the third most important slide in a pitch deck was the team slide, Kumar added. “A capable founder is essential, but no founder is able to cover every function. We look for a founder who has vision, ambition, and a strong skill set in a core domain, but also has the humility to recognize their limitations and has the ability to identify and hire the right talent to fill those gaps. Companies with strong leadership teams are three times more likely to scale successfully, as complexity increases exponentially with growth.”

How to Identify Your Leadership Team in a Business Plan

The most sophisticated business plans present a clear strategy for scaling the leadership team, while optimizing resource outlay, said Kumar. Extremes in either direction, such as suggesting that the founding team has no gaps or hiring a full professional C-suite at the Series A, will often raise a lot of questions, he said.

“Especially for an early-stage company, what I'm looking for is a realistic assessment of what the current team's strengths and capabilities are, what gaps may exist, and the target timeline for addressing those gaps,” said Kumar.

Consequently, he suggested including the following information in your business plan:

  • An honest evaluation of existing team capabilities, with specific examples

  • Gap analysis prioritized by timeline (0 to 6 months, 6 to 18 months, 18+ months)

  • A resource-optimization strategy showing how you'll phase leadership hiring

  • Budget allocation for leadership and team building that keeps general and administrative costs (G&A) under 20 percent of total spending through Series A

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How to Find and Bring in the Right People

To build your team, Gaston suggested beginning with a realistic assessment of your strengths and gaps. This will reveal where additional expertise is needed, she said. Then, look for leaders who have successfully navigated the growth stage your company is entering, and ensure they bring stage-appropriate experience. You also want to balance technical depth with cultural fit and adaptability, she said.

The right C-suite hires complement the scientific expertise of the founders, said Gaston. “When executives are able to translate a founder’s vision into a viable business, they not only enhance credibility, but also help shape company culture, accelerate decision-making, and build the essential relationships needed to move the organization forward.”

Part of the challenge when building your team, though, is knowing who is the right person for your company now and which roles need to be filled at the right time, said Kumar. He offers the following strategies for building your team:

  • Build relationships with potential candidates six to 12 months before you need them

  • Leverage your network of advisors, investors, and team members

  • Create role-specific competency frameworks that account for your current stage, as well as for the next 18 to 24 months

  • Conduct extensive reference checks for C-suite roles

“The role of a skilled founder or CEO is understanding what the needs of the company are now and in the near future and hiring appropriately,” said Kumar.

What Happens When You Don’t Have the Right People

When you don’t have the right people on board, Kumar said, at a minimum, things go much more slowly than they need to. “The original sales leader who helped the company secure their first $100,000 contract may not be able to secure a $1 million contract and typically will not have the experience to manage a large team going after those deals.”

This can cause the company to stall or lose out to competition, he said. And a severe mismatch in capabilities can cause culture issues that lead to loss of confidence in management. “Poor leadership choices can result in 40 percent to 60 percent slower growth and cost $1.5 to $3 million in direct costs, as well as six to 12 months of lost momentum.”

RELATED: 7 Networking Strategies That Will Get You Funded, Validated, and SeenHow the C-Suite Roles Evolve Over Time

Hiring the right person at the right time is essential, said Kumar. But that doesn’t necessarily mean hiring a C-suite officer now if a more junior position can cover the needs of the company. For example, a controller or vice president of finance is often sufficient during the early stages of a company, such as Seed or Series A funding, he said. It’s not until the mid-growth stages (Series B-C) that a chief financial officer is commonly sought out. Here is what Kumar recommends as a general timeline:

  • Seed: Founder(s), plus two to three specialists, and a heavy use of advisors

  • Series A: Three- to four-person leadership team, and vice president-level hires

  • Series B+: Five- to six-person C-suite, as well as department heads

Common Pitfalls to Avoid When Building Your C-Suite

A research study found that one of the core reasons why many startups fail is not because

of problems in their business model; instead, venture capitalists (VCs) indicate that failure is most often attributed to issues with the team. In fact, those in the study said that between 60 percent and 65 percent of failures are related to the startup team. Here are some other common pitfalls that Kumar said need to be avoided.

  • Hiring too fast: A Seed or Series A-stage company does not need a five- to six-person C-suite. And G&A spending should be less than 20 percent of the total spent, he said.

  • Hiring too slow: Not having enough managers is also a problem. A CEO should have five to seven direct reports, but rarely more than 10, said Kumar.

  • Not “upgrading” a position appropriately: Most fast-growing companies will find that roles can and will outgrow individuals. Create development paths and have honest conversations about role evolution, he said.

  • Spending too much (or too little) on recruiting: Ensure your recruiting costs are in line with your overall spend and budget. Budget 15 to 25 percent of first-year compensation for C-suite recruiting costs, suggested Kumar.

  • Being slow to fire: Not every hire will work out, and that's normal, said Kumar. But be quick and decisive when someone is not a good fit. For C-suite roles, by the time a PIP (performance improvement plan) is needed it's often too late, he said.

“These are critical leadership positions where poor fit becomes apparent quickly,” said Kumar. “Document deficiencies and corrective steps for legal reasons, but don't delay necessary changes.”

Overall, building a strong leadership team requires focus, intentional planning, and strategies that address common challenges while setting executives up for success, said Gaston. For this reason, you should build a diverse team, hire with milestones in mind, and communicate transparently, she said.

“By focusing on actionable strategies, founders can build a leadership team that is aligned, adaptable, and positioned to drive the company’s growth and long-term success,” said Gaston.

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