Commercial
Employees & Hiring Plan
The team that builds, scales, and sustains the Tru ecosystem.
Overview
TruSelf and TruCore are designed to scale with a lean, high-impact team structure - blending core leadership, specialized contractors, and strategic advisors. This model keeps burn low while maintaining flexibility to add critical hires as traction grows.
We hire intentionally - not to grow headcount, but to multiply output.
1️⃣ Current Core Team
Name | Role | Type | Key Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
Valerie Honor Brown | Founder & CEO | Full-Time | Product vision, investor relations, brand strategy |
Lead Software Engineer (Contract) | Tech Lead | Contract | TruCore architecture, Supabase integrations |
Frontend Developer (Contract) | Development | Contract | TruCore + TruSelf UI components |
Designer (Figma / Brand) | UX/UI Design | Contract | Design system + Lovable/Figma AI pipeline |
Content Strategist | Marketing | Contract | Community content & newsletter systems |
Partnership Advisor (Strategic) | Partnerships | Advisory | SaaS / health / recovery brand partnerships |
Operational Summary:
6-person cross-functional team managing build, brand, and community in tandem.
Supported by fractional roles (legal, finance, PR) through external vendors.
2️⃣ Key Advisors (Formal / Under NDA)
Advisor Type | Background | Value Contribution |
|---|---|---|
SaaS Growth Advisor | Former SaaS startup founder / GTM expert | Advises on ARR modeling & GTM systems |
Legal & IP Counsel | Startup attorney (SAFE / IP focus) | Oversees C-Corp, SAFE agreements, trademarks |
Healthcare Compliance Advisor | Healthtech compliance background | Guides HIPAA & BAA rollout |
Finance / Operations Consultant | Fractional CFO | Prepares investor reports, burn rate models |
3️⃣ Hiring Plan (2025–2026)
Objective: Scale from core build team → growth-ready organization as TruCore launches publicly.
Quarter | Role | Type | Focus | Est. Cost (Annualized) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Q4 2025 | Product Manager | Full-Time | Oversee TruCore roadmap & beta coordination | $95K |
Q1 2026 | Senior Engineer (Backend / API) | Full-Time | API architecture + data integrations | $120K |
Q1 2026 | Marketing Coordinator | Full-Time | Manage TruCore launch campaigns & metrics | $70K |
Q2 2026 | Customer Success Manager | Full-Time | Onboard providers + manage retention | $85K |
Q2 2026 | Sales Development Rep (SDR) | Full-Time | Lead qualification & pipeline outreach | $65K |
Q3 2026 | AI / Data Engineer | Full-Time | TruAI Insights model development | $130K |
Q3 2026 | Partnership Manager | Full-Time | Co-marketing + integration partnerships | $90K |
Q4 2026 | Finance & Ops Coordinator | Full-Time | Scaling operations + Series A readiness | $80K |
Total 2026 Payroll Projection: ≈ $735K (Fully Loaded)
Hiring Philosophy: 1 key hire per 50% growth milestone - maintain 12–18 month runway.
4️⃣ Hiring Priorities by Phase
Phase | Timeline | Focus | Core Hires |
|---|---|---|---|
Phase 1 — Product Validation | Q4 2025 | Finalize TruCore beta, integrate TruSelf data | Product Manager, Sr. Engineer |
Phase 2 — Public Launch | Q1–Q2 2026 | Scale adoption + user onboarding | CSM, Marketing Coordinator |
Phase 3 — Growth Acceleration | Q3–Q4 2026 | Partner integrations, AI rollout, enterprise support | Partnership Manager, AI Engineer |
Phase 4 — Series A Readiness | Q4 2026 | Financial controls & reporting | Finance & Ops Coordinator |
5️⃣ Team Structure Diagram
6️⃣ Hiring Strategy
Strategy | Description | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
Lean Hiring | Focus on roles tied to immediate ROI and milestone completion | Maintains low burn |
Contract-to-Hire | Convert top-performing contractors to FTEs | Lowers hiring risk |
Fractional Expertise | Leverage specialized advisors (finance, compliance) | Keeps overhead flexible |
Talent Partnerships | Source talent via partner networks (Medigroup, SaaS startups) | Reduces recruiting cost |
Culture Focus | Emphasize creativity, accountability, and truth-driven work | Retains startup agility |
7️⃣ Burn & Runway Alignment
Metric | 2025 | 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Monthly Burn | ~$30K | ~$60K | Growth-stage scaling |
Cash Runway (post-raise) | 18 months | Maintain 12+ | Based on $1M pre-seed raise |
Revenue Offsets | ARR + partnerships | -25% net burn by Q4 2026 | SaaS model efficiency |
8️⃣ Key Takeaways
✅ High-output, low-overhead team - fractional + contractor blend until scaling requires FTEs.
✅ Strategic hiring cadence - one key role per milestone, aligned to product delivery.
✅ Cross-functional collaboration - product, growth, and partnerships operate as one.
✅ Runway-conscious growth - hiring plan designed for sustainability through Series A.
✅ Culture-first DNA - founded on clarity, creativity, and community.
We’re not hiring to grow headcount. We’re hiring to scale impact.
Each addition strengthens the foundation for TruSelf + TruCore’s next phase.