Sam Dore

On Growing Up

I was born and raised in the Seattle area. My family valued spending time outdoors; when we were younger, my younger brother and I spent most of our weekends exploring local trails with our endearingly stubborn corgi, Josie. Eventually, we started rowing to get out on the water. I took to the sport quickly and was recruited to row in college for the Stanford women’s lightweight team, where we were fortunate enough to win four national championships during my tenure with the Cardinal.

In college, I studied Political Science and International Relations. Growing up, I was interested in government policy and initially thought I wanted to build a career in DC. However, after interning with U.S. senators and spending time in the Capitol, I realized I couldn’t see myself in those roles and was back to the drawing board on what came next.

On Breaking into Tech

After graduating, I moved back to Seattle. I came across an Analyst role with an executive search firm that placed senior product and engineering leaders at early- and growth-stage startups. Despite my lack of familiarity with the VC tech ecosystem and the role of recruiters in it, I clicked instantly with the team and accepted the role. I came to appreciate our ability to influence the company's most important decisions: who, when, and how to hire. 

In my second year with the company, I worked with Madrona Venture Labs (MVL) to identify a CTO/Founder for a company the studio incubated. While the search proved difficult, I found the team incredibly bright and inspiring. I jumped at the opportunity when they approached me about a Head of Talent role at the studio. I worked with MVL for three and a half years. As the team’s first talent hire, I built the function from scratch, instilling formal founder evaluation processes, implementing an evergreen networking campaign, and building a community of over 500 future founders in the Seattle area.

Madrona decided to shut down the studio in 2024, and I took time to consider my next steps. I was introduced to Natasha through the VC talent community and was excited to learn about an opportunity to join her and Nate in their build efforts.

On Working with Amplify Companies

At Amplify, I support founders and early-stage hiring managers in finding and connecting with top talent for their teams. In early-stage companies, role requirements can often be unclear, and qualified candidates may be limited. I help these teams define the key traits and experience needed for each role and assess the size and makeup of the available talent pool. Once we’ve identified potential candidates, the next step is to engage them meaningfully, sharing the value of our product and mission in a way that resonates. 

On Recruiting Advice

As a founder of an early-stage startup, you are your brand. You are (hopefully!) enamored with what you’re building, and this company is understandably one of your life’s gravitational centers. However, while it feels all-consuming and significant to you, the reality is that most candidates in the market have never heard of what you’re building. Do the intentional work early on to articulate and define why your startup exists and why you are the right person to follow into battle. The crisper you are on this, the better.

Simple questions lead to complex answers. Ask candidates direct questions that don’t lead them to what you’re looking for. For example, instead of asking, “Tell me about a time you overcame a challenge and the outcome of your efforts,” ask, “Tell me about a challenge you encountered recently.” Listen for whether the candidate proactively brings up how they solved the challenge. You’ll learn a lot more by paying close attention to what’s said and not said.

On Life Outside of Work

Outside of work, I spend a lot of time riding my bike. I race road bikes competitively and ride gravel trails for fun. While I don’t row myself anymore, I coach high school athletes at the club where I started rowing, which has been a rewarding way to give back to the sport that shaped my identity. I enjoy playing NYT word games (my day is incomplete without Connections and the Bee), listening to music, and spending time with my family.