Who should be the first non-engineer hired in a tech team?

This is a classic question, and there's no one-size-fits-all answer. It really depends on the stage your team and product are in, and what specific needs you have. However, generally speaking, the answer usually boils down to two types of roles: a Product Designer or Sales/Marketing personnel.

Let's discuss this by scenario:

Scenario One: If your product is for the general public (e.g., an app, a website)

Then I strongly recommend that the first non-engineer you hire is a Product Designer (UI/UX Designer).

Think about it: a team composed entirely of engineers excels at implementing features and ensuring stable, reliable code. But whether something looks good or is easy to use is often an engineer's blind spot. In today's era, a product's "face" (its appearance and user interface) is extremely important. Users might abandon a product simply because a button is hard to find or a page looks ugly.

A designer is like a "translator"; they can translate the complex code written by engineers into beautiful interfaces and smooth experiences that ordinary users can understand and are willing to use. They can help you figure out what users actually need, rather than what engineers think users need. When a product is still unknown, the product itself is the best salesperson; good design allows the product to speak for itself.

Scenario Two: If your product is sold to other companies (B2B business) or is highly specialized

Then your first hire might need to be Sales or Business Development (Sales/BD).

For such products, simply being well-made isn't enough; you need someone to "knock on doors." Engineers might be very knowledgeable about technology, but asking them to build rapport with client executives, socialize, negotiate prices, and sign contracts is essentially forcing them into an unsuitable role.

A good salesperson can not only help you find the first batch of paying "seed customers" and validate if there's real demand for your product, but more importantly, they can bring back the most authentic and valuable feedback from customers. What do customers complain about? What features are they willing to pay for? How are competitors doing things? This information is a hundred times more important than engineers building products in isolation. This person is your "scout," responsible for being on the front lines, finding food and water, so that the main force (engineers) in the rear can work with peace of mind.

To summarize

You can ask yourself this question: Is the most painful thing, the biggest obstacle preventing our team from moving forward right now, a technical problem?

• If the answer is "No, we've built something, but it looks ugly and no one wants to use it," then you need a designer.
• If the answer is "No, we think the product is decent, but we don't know who will buy it, nor how to sell it," then you need a salesperson.

As for roles like administration, HR, and operations, when the team only has a few people, the founder or other members usually just need to squeeze in some time to handle them part-time. Prioritizing hiring people who can directly help the product survive and grow is the most important thing.