How Carma found their perfect Founding Engineer on Paraform
Tony, Carma’s Head of Engineering joined me on a Friday to talk about how he discovered Paraform, what it’s like to wrangle a two-sided marketplace in the automotive repair world, and—most importantly—how he managed to hire their founding software engineer, Elliott.
Below is the story of why Carma needed that key person, how they navigated agencies, and what finally led them to seal the deal through Paraform.
Who is Carma?
Carma isn’t a typical startup. They provide a B2B fleet management solution that connects companies with top-rated service centers and certified technicians. From landscapers to HVAC and construction crews, businesses rely on Carma to minimize vehicle downtime, avoid lost revenue, and keep operations running smoothly—all with trusted, professional repair partners.
They built a marketplace that thrives on quality. They personally vet shops in each area. They won’t sign up just anyone. They know if a bad repair job happens, Carma takes the reputation hit.
Very similar to our own approach — both when it comes to the recruiters we onboard, as well as the companies who hire through us.
“It’s a numbers game”
Before turning to Paraform, Tony had plenty of recruiting experience:
- Managed an engineering team of 11 at Splunk.
- Joined a FinTech startup called Ansa as a founding engineer.
- Tried big agencies and small ones, with mixed results.
They knew that when you’re searching for a founding engineer, it’s different from just filling a standard position. You need someone who:
1/ Sees the mission.
2/ Buys into the vision.
3/ Can wear multiple hats.
4/ And has the technical chops to build from the ground up.
“It’s almost romantic. You have to fall in love with the potential of where the team could go. And that’s tough, because the best potential co-founders or founding engineers often start their own thing. So you have to crank the volume just to get a chance at meeting the right person.”
Tony describes it as a “numbers game”—hundreds of resumes and endless phone screens.
That alone is a massive headache for any busy startup.
Then he saw a LinkedIn post…
When Tony spotted LinkedIn posts mentioning Paraform, he thought “We need a pipeline solution that scales. Let’s give it a shot.”
Right away, he noticed something different (that he didn’t get from agencies he’s worked with):
Detailed onboarding Paraform asked exactly what Carma was looking for.
“Tell us about the must-haves, the dealbreakers, your work culture. They made me articulate what an ‘ideal candidate’ looks like. That clarity actually helped with our other recruiters, too.”
High volume of vetted recruiters Instead of a single agency with a limited network, Paraform connected him to multiple vetted recruiters.
“It’s like the quality bar for recruiters was already raised. Plus we could see way more resumes than we got from outside agencies.”
Rapid iteration He noticed new Paraform features rolling out quickly—sometimes weekly.
The moment he found Elliott
“Five minutes in, I knew this could be it. He had the technical background, asked questions that cut to the heart of our product, and you could just see how well he’d fit with our team. Once we moved him through the pipeline and extended the offer, it felt like a huge relief.”
Elliott started at the beginning of January.
“We knew how crucial this role was—founding engineers aren’t just an addition to the team; they’re multipliers. Given the importance of this position, we were genuinely excited about what Elliott could bring to the table. Now that he’s here, I don’t know how we managed without him.”
He calls him the “perfect partner.” Elliott is the kind of person who puts his name to something, he gets it done. For a lean, ambitious startup like Carma, that’s pure gold.
Early hires shape everything about a startup—culture, product direction, values, and even how future hires perceive the company.
Pick the wrong person at this stage, and the damage can linger for years.
Pick the right person—like Elliott—and you set a standard of excellence that every new team member will try to match.
Treat recruiters like partners
Tony’s biggest piece of advice for other hiring managers:
It’s always a numbers game
“Don’t underestimate the volume you need, especially for specialized roles like a founding engineer. Even if your role is unique, you can’t meet only 5 or 10 people and hope one is a fit.”
Invest early in recruiter relationships
“I liked hopping on quick calls with recruiters—telling them exactly what we wanted, how we operate, and what our boundaries are. The more you invest in that relationship, the better they can pitch the role to potential candidates.”
Stay patient (and keep the pipeline flowing)
“We had times we almost paused the pipeline because we had an offer out. Don’t. There’s so much emotional up-and-down. Keep talking to candidates until you have that person fully on board.”
What’s next for Carma (and Paraform)
Carma’s team is growing, and they plan to keep using Paraform. They’ve introduced friends who also found success on the platform.
“My friend Sam hired through Paraform, too. It’s my pleasure recommending you. You’ve earned it by delivering great candidate volume and top-tier support.”
They’re also excited to see how Paraform’s tech evolves.
(So are we!)
Why talent is everything 🙂
For Carma, finding that perfect founding engineer was a mission-critical task.
Elliott joined, got ramped up fast, and already feels irreplaceable.
Carma credits much of that success to Paraform’s approach:
- Offer a high volume of well-vetted candidates.
- Stay hands-on and responsive to feedback.
- Keep improving the tech to streamline the search.
“The best part is, I could focus on identifying the right hire, not just ‘somebody who knows how to code.’ It’s that intangible spark you see in a candidate, and it’s what defines early-stage success. When we found Elliott, it just made everything click.”
If you’re a hiring manager on the hunt for that elusive “perfect fit,” Carma’s story is a reminder:
- Cast a wide net.
- Treat recruiters like partners.
- Keep your standards high.
- Don’t overlook the human side of hiring.
Start your search today.
Speak with our team to learn more about how Paraform can help you fill your difficult positions