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GHI Testing — A Startup Contract-Hiring Heuristic
GHI Testing is a pragmatic hiring classification model used by startups to allocate talent based on stage, budget pressure, and quality tolerance. It intentionally prioritizes economic survival over theoretical perfection.
G — God-Tier Provider
- Profile: Elite, battle-tested expert
- Quality: ~95–100% (near-flawless delivery)
- Cost: Extremely high
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Usage Strategy:
- Keep on high-demand tap, not full-time
- Engage for architecture, audits, crisis fixes, or reputation-critical deliverables
- Rule: Never waste G on routine execution
H — High-Competency Provider
- Profile: Strong professional with proven track record
- Quality: ~65–75% of G output
- Cost: Moderate and predictable
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Usage Strategy:
- Core delivery work
- Scales execution once direction is clear
- Reality: Delivers value, not perfection
I — Incremental Provider
- Profile: Early-career, low-cost, or offshore talent
- Quality: ~40–55% baseline
- Cost: Dirt-cheap
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Usage Strategy:
- Bootstrapping phase
- Prototyping, iteration, grunt work
- Rule: Optimize cash flow first; refactor quality later
The Foundational Principle (Uncomfortable but True)
In bootstrapping, money outranks quality. You can refactor code later. You cannot refactor bankruptcy.
GHI Testing explicitly rejects the myth that early startups must chase excellence everywhere. Instead, it enforces selective excellence.
When to Use Each Tier
| Startup Stage | Recommended Mix |
|---|---|
| Idea / MVP | I (80%) + H (20%) |
| Early Traction | H (60%) + I (30%) + G (10%) |
| Scale / Funding | H (50%) + G (30%) + I (20%) |
| Crisis / Rewrite | G (dominant) |
Why This Model Works
- Aligns spend with risk
- Prevents over-engineering during poverty
- Makes talent decisions explicit, not emotional
- Easy to explain to founders, boards, and investors
One-Line Definition
“GHI Testing: Use God-tier talent sparingly, high-competency talent consistently, and incremental talent unapologetically—especially when you’re broke.”