#87: How Daniel Yanisse Scaled Checkr to $700M+ and Overcame the Post-Hypergrowth Crisis

In this episode of From Start-Up to Grown-Up, host Alisa Cohn sits down with Daniel Yanisse, co-founder and CEO of Checkr, to discuss the exhilarating rise and the challenges of sustaining a high-growth company. Checkr revolutionized the background check industry, scaling from a $1M revenue run rate in just three months to processing millions of background checks annually. But with hypergrowth came intense operational, cultural, and leadership challenges. Daniel shares how he navigated:Hiring at hyperspeed—and why some employees quit on day one.The "hangover" after hypergrowth—losing key executives and investor pressure.How to hire and retain top executives—and avoid common leadership hiring mistakes.Revising a company mission to balance fairness and safety while scaling.The "Fly High, Fly Low" leadership approach—balancing strategy and deep operational insights. This episode is packed with real-world lessons for founders, CEOs, and startup leaders facing the challenges of rapid growth, leadership transitions, and market shifts. 🎧 Listen now and learn how to build and sustain a high-growth company.  Timestamps & Key Topics 00:00 – Introduction 02:30 – The Early Days of Checkr 06:20 – The Downside of Hypergrowth 08:45 – Facing Leadership Challenges & Executive Turnover 15:30 – Hiring and Managing Executives 21:00 – Redefining Checkr’s Mission: Fairness vs. Safety 28:00 – Leadership Lessons & Overcoming Challenges 39:00 – Confidence, Imposter Syndrome & Founder Loneliness 45:00 – Final Advice for Founders Connect with Alisa! Follow Alisa Cohn on Instagram: @alisacohn Twitter: @alisacohn Facebook: facebook.com/alisa.cohn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisacohn/ Website: http://www.alisacohn.com Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon