It really is true that you become an average of the people you spend the most time with.
Most great companies in tech have been built by personal referrals for the first...at least 100 employees and often many more.
... you can think about that for everyone you hire: will I bet the future of this company on this single hire? And that's a tough bar.
Most things are not as risky as they seem.
The thing that kills startups at some level, is the founders giving up.
You have to be decisive. Indecisiveness is a startup killer.