A business without a path to profit isn't a business, it's a hobby. - Jason Fried

Are you an envelope entrepreneur or a letter entrepreneur?

Someone who's about the container, the business on the outside, or someone who's more focused on the letter, the product inside?

You can be both, but I think most are definitely one or the other. I'm a letter guy.

Focus on reaping the great benefits and mitigating the drawbacks

When you force yourself to focus on just the person and their work, not their glorified past, you also end up giving more people a chance. There’s no GPA filter to cut out someone who didn’t care for certain parts of their schooling. There’s no pedigree screen to prevent the self-taught from getting hired. There’s no arbitrary “years of experience” cut to prevent a fast learner from applying to a senior position. Great people who are eager to do great work come from the most unlikely places and look nothing like what you might imagine. Focusing just on the person and their work is the only way to spot them.