A Beginner’s Guide to Hiring a Dedicated Developer for Your Start-up

Introduction

If you’re launching a tech start-up and you haven’t thought about hiring a dedicated developer yet, well… you’re either a developer yourself or you’re about to learn things the hard way.

Every ambitious start-up today—whether it’s a marketplace, SaaS product, mobile app, or next-gen CRM for cats—needs a developer to bring its vision to life. Not just someone to write code, but someone who lives it. Someone who can transform late-night brainstorms and napkin wireframes into functioning platforms that users (and investors) can actually engage with. In short, a dedicated developer.

This isn’t just about finding someone who knows Python or React. It’s about building a partnership. One where your developer becomes an extension of your brain, turning MVPs into scalable systems, pivoting on feedback, and fixing bugs before you even notice them (yes, those unicorns exist). And no, ChatGPT can’t replace them. Not yet, anyway.

At Kanhasoft, we’ve helped dozens of start-ups navigate the often-murky waters of hiring developers. And trust us—there’s a difference between “someone who can code” and someone who can build your business.

So before you jump into Upwork or start sliding into LinkedIn DMs, stick around. This guide walks you through everything you need to know about hiring a dedicated developer for your start-up—mistakes to avoid, questions to ask, and a few battle scars from our own journey.

Understanding the Role of a Dedicated Developer

Here’s where most start-ups trip up—they know they need a developer, but they’re not entirely sure what kind or why. Is it for a quick app build? A long-term product partner? Bug fixes? Feature enhancements? The term dedicated developer isn’t just fancy startup-speak—it means someone fully committed to your project, not juggling five other gigs while sneaking in your work during “free hours.”

A dedicated developer becomes part of your team—just without the full-time salary, HR paperwork, or office chair budget. They dive deep into your product, understand your user flows, manage your tech stack, and iterate with you as the product evolves. They’re not “task-takers”; they’re problem-solvers.

This is different from hiring a freelancer for a one-off feature or patch. A dedicated developer is there for the long haul. They help define product architecture, offer feedback on functionality, and ensure your startup isn’t building something pretty… that breaks under real-world use.

At Kanhasoft, we’ve seen how the right developer changes the game—not just by writing better code, but by asking better questions. If you’re serious about building something sustainable, you don’t just need a coder. You need a dedicated developer who’s all-in.

Start-up Needs vs Developer Skills

Start-ups are wild. One day you’re polishing your pitch deck, the next you’re scrambling to fix a broken login. That’s why hiring a dedicated developer is about more than just technical skills—it’s about aligning what your start-up actually needs with what your developer can realistically deliver.

First, map out your core requirements. Do you need someone to build a mobile app from scratch? Maintain an existing web platform? Optimize backend performance? Different needs call for different skill sets. A brilliant front-end dev might make your UI shine, but fall short when it’s time to scale your infrastructure.

Then, factor in your tech stack. If your MVP is built on Laravel and Vue.js, hiring a .NET specialist isn’t going to do you any favors (unless you’re planning to rebuild everything—which, let’s not). A great dedicated developer doesn’t just tick boxes on a skill list—they understand your ecosystem, anticipate challenges, and propose smarter solutions.

We’ve seen start-ups hire a jack-of-all-trades, only to realize they needed a specialist—or vice versa. So start by understanding your actual problems, then hire for the skills that solve them. Remember: clarity in the hiring process leads to cleaner code, faster releases, and way fewer headaches later.

Why Hiring a Dedicated Developer is Different from Freelancing

It’s a common mistake—we see it all the time. A founder goes hunting for a dev and ends up hiring a freelancer thinking they’re getting a dedicated developer. Spoiler alert: they’re not the same. Not even close.

Freelancers are great for one-off tasks—bug fixes, minor feature updates, maybe a quick UI refresh. But they usually juggle multiple clients, work in different time zones, and might disappear once the invoice is paid (we’ve got a few horror stories, but we’ll save those for another day). There’s limited accountability, little emotional investment, and often no real alignment with your long-term vision.

A dedicated developer, on the other hand, is integrated into your start-up’s workflow. They attend your sprint meetings, brainstorm features, understand your customer pain points, and stay for the long haul. Think of them as your in-house developer—just without the office chair and benefits package.

At Kanhasoft, we often say: “You’re not hiring hands—you’re hiring a brain.” And when you’re building a product that needs to grow, scale, and pivot, you want someone who’s thinking with you—not just waiting for the next task.

When Should You Hire a Dedicated Developer?

Timing in start-ups is everything—launch too early and users panic, launch too late and competitors win. The same applies when deciding when to hire a dedicated developer. Do it too soon, and you’re burning budget. Too late? You’re patching tech faster than building it.

So, when’s the sweet spot? Here’s our rule of thumb: as soon as your product idea moves from “sketch on a napkin” to “we need a working prototype.” If you’re serious about building a scalable platform, not just validating it with no-code tools, it’s time to get a dedicated developer involved.

This also applies when:

• You’ve outgrown your MVP and need more stability.

• Bugs are outpacing features.

• Your users are demanding improvements… loudly.

• You’re spending more time fixing code than pitching to investors.

One Kanhasoft client waited until after their seed round to hire a dev team. They ended up spending six figures fixing what could’ve been built better (and cheaper) with the right developer from day one.

Pros of Hiring a Dedicated Developer

Hiring a dedicated developer for your start-up isn’t just about getting tasks done—it’s about building momentum. When you have someone who knows your product, understands your roadmap, and isn’t disappearing mid-sprint, everything moves faster (and with fewer “uh-oh” moments).

Here are the biggest advantages:

1. Long-term continuity. Your dedicated developer sticks with the product as it evolves. They know the codebase inside-out, which means fewer handovers, faster fixes, and no “What does this function even do?” moments.

2. Full control over development. You set the priorities, guide the features, and define the direction. No waiting in line behind other clients like you would with an agency or freelance dev.

3. Faster turnaround. Dedicated developers aren’t juggling multiple clients—they’re focused on you. Which means bugs get squashed faster and features ship sooner.

4. Better collaboration. They’re part of your Slack, your stand-ups, your sprint planning. They become an extension of your team, not just a name in an email thread.

5. Cost-effective scaling. You can start with one dev and build out as needed—no big upfront investments like hiring a full dev team internally.

Cons to Consider Before You Dive In

Okay, let’s take off the rose-colored glasses for a moment. While hiring a dedicated developer brings plenty of benefits, it’s not without its challenges—and if we’re going to be honest (and at Kanhasoft, we always are), you should walk in with eyes wide open.

1. It’s a long-term commitment.
You’re not hiring someone to just knock out a feature and vanish. You’ll need to invest time in onboarding, communication, and keeping them aligned with your business goals.

2. It’s not always cheap.
Good developers—especially those with startup experience—don’t come cheap. If you’re bootstrapped, the monthly cost can be a stretch. But then again, cheap devs cost more in the long run (ask anyone who’s paid to have bad code rebuilt… twice).

3. You still need to manage them.
Dedicated doesn’t mean self-managing. You’ll need to provide direction, feedback, and support—especially early on. If your expectations are vague, even the best dev can’t build magic.

4. Risk of dependency.
If your entire tech knowledge lives in one developer’s brain, it’s risky. That’s why documentation and cross-training (or agency support) is critical.

Essential Skills Your Developer Must Have

When you’re hiring a dedicated developer for your start-up, you’re not just looking for someone who can sling code. You’re hiring a strategic builder—someone who can navigate chaos, wear multiple hats, and grow with your product (and maybe even survive a last-minute feature change at midnight).

Here’s what to look for beyond the resume:

1. Tech stack alignment.
Know what your product is built on—React? Laravel? Node.js?—and ensure your developer knows it like the back of their GitHub profile. Mismatched tech is a recipe for delays, rewrites, and frustration.

2. Database know-how.
Your app is only as good as its data layer. Whether it’s MongoDB, PostgreSQL, or Firebase, your dev should know how to build data structures that scale without turning into spaghetti.

3. API integration skills.
Start-ups often depend on third-party services (think Stripe, Twilio, AWS). If your dev can’t plug into APIs and troubleshoot them, you’re in for some long nights.

4. Version control proficiency.
Git isn’t optional. If they can’t use Git properly, walk away slowly (and then run).

5. Communication and collaboration.
Soft skills matter—big time. A developer who can explain problems in simple English and adapt to your team’s vibe is worth gold.

Cultural Fit is a Bigger Deal Than You Think

Let’s get real—technical skills will build your product, but cultural fit will build your team. When hiring a dedicated developer for your start-up, many founders focus solely on the resume. But the truth is, a brilliant coder who doesn’t gel with your workflow (or worse, your communication style) can slow down your entire operation.

Start-ups move fast, pivot often, and survive on collaboration. You don’t have time for miscommunications, passive-aggressive Slack messages, or developers ghosting during crunch time. That’s why cultural alignment is just as critical as technical talent.

Look for someone who:

• Communicates clearly (bonus points for a sense of humor).

• Understands your start-up’s mission and shares some passion for it.

• Can work within your timezone—or at least overlap for real-time collaboration.

• Doesn’t mind wearing a few hats (because yes, even developers answer customer tickets sometimes).

• Works well under pressure and thrives in chaos (without losing their cool).

We once onboarded a dev who delivered flawless code… but refused to use project management tools. After two weeks of lost updates and misfired features, we knew it wasn’t going to work—no matter how clean their syntax was.

Where to Find Dedicated Developers

exactly do you find one that doesn’t vanish after the first sprint or write code that only they understand?

Here’s the scoop: finding great talent isn’t about luck—it’s about knowing where to look.

1. Developer Marketplaces
Platforms like Toptal, Turing, and Arc.dev specialize in vetted talent. These devs are battle-tested and project-ready—but fair warning: they often come with premium pricing.

2. Freelance Platforms (with filters!)
Upwork and Freelancer can work if you know how to filter. Look for developers with start-up experience, long-term clients, and high job success rates. Test projects are your friend here.

3. LinkedIn and GitHub
Want to go straight to the source? Check GitHub for open-source contributors in your tech stack. LinkedIn’s search tools can also help you zero in on developers open to remote work or contract roles.

4. Agencies offering dedicated developer models
Agencies (like ahem, Kanhasoft) offer dedicated developers on-demand—with the benefit of project managers, redundancy, and post-hiring support. It’s like having your own team, minus the payroll drama.

5. Developer Communities
Hang around dev-heavy forums like Stack Overflow, Reddit’s r/forhire, or Discord servers. Yes, it takes time—but these spaces are packed with passionate, engaged coders.

Hiring Locally vs Offshore

Ah, the eternal dilemma—should you hire a local developer or go offshore? If you’re building a start-up, this decision can impact not only your budget but also your product timeline, team dynamic, and even your stress levels.

Let’s break it down:

Hiring locally (think: same city, same coffee order) offers benefits like:

• Real-time communication (no midnight meetings).

• Cultural alignment, shared holidays, and familiar business practices.

• Easier legal contracts and IP agreements.

But it also comes with:

• Higher costs—especially in regions like the US, UK, or Switzerland.

• Longer hiring timelines, thanks to intense competition for top talent.

Now, going offshore (India, Eastern Europe, Latin America, etc.) can:

• Slash your development costs by 40–70%.

• Give you access to massive talent pools, often with start-up experience.

• Offer flexible engagement models through agencies or platforms.

However, it’s not all smooth sailing:

• Timezone gaps can slow feedback loops.

• Language or cultural differences might impact communication.

• Quality varies—vetting matters.

At Kanhasoft, we’ve worked with clients who tried to hire locally, got burned by delays and costs, then switched to offshore developers (like ours) and finally launched. The key isn’t geography—it’s choosing a partner that gets your goals and delivers consistently.

How to Evaluate Developer Resumes Like a Pro

Let’s be real: most developer resumes look like a scavenger hunt for buzzwords—React, Node.js, Docker, CI/CD, Kubernetes, Next.js… and a partridge in a pear tree. So how do you, a start-up founder with 15 tabs open and 3 investor calls pending, evaluate a developer resume like a pro?

Start with the essentials:

• Relevant tech stack: If your app’s built in Laravel and Vue, seeing Python and Django as core skills doesn’t help. Match tech to task.

• Project experience: Look for specifics—”Built a food delivery app with Stripe integration” > “Worked on web apps.”

• Start-up exposure: Developers who’ve worked in agile, lean teams are often better at wearing multiple hats and adapting quickly.

Now, the green flags:

• Repositories on GitHub or portfolio links.

• Longevity with past clients (3–6 months+).

• Clear, human language—less jargon, more impact.

And the red flags:

• Vagueness: “Worked on various projects” means… nothing.

• No links, no code samples.

• Resume reads like ChatGPT wrote it. (Yes, we can tell.)

At Kanhasoft, we’ve sifted through hundreds of CVs. Our advice? Skip the shiny words. Look for context, consistency, and curiosity. The best developers show what they solved, not just what they used.

Interview Questions That Actually Reveal Something

If you’re hiring a dedicated developer for your start-up, your interview questions should reveal how they think, communicate, and solve real problems—not just how well they recite documentation.

Here’s what to ask instead:

1. “Tell me about the toughest bug you’ve fixed and how you approached it.”
This shows their problem-solving process and patience under pressure.

2. “How do you manage deadlines in fast-paced environments?”
You’ll learn how they deal with typical start-up chaos (and if they’ve been through it before).

3. “If we asked for X feature in two weeks, how would you plan it?”
Now you’re seeing their planning mindset and technical judgment—not just their coding chops.

4. “How do you handle feedback or changing priorities?”
Because let’s face it, your roadmap will probably change by next Tuesday.

5. “What’s one piece of tech you love—and one you avoid?”
Reveals preferences and potential tech alignment.

Tech Tests: Do You Really Need One?

Here’s the truth: not every developer needs a tech test. But if you’re hiring a dedicated developer to build the foundation of your start-up, some form of evaluation is non-negotiable. That doesn’t mean throwing them into a five-hour timed algorithm challenge. It means giving them something real. Relevant. Revealing.

So, do you need a tech test? Probably—yes. But it should reflect the actual work they’ll do. Instead of asking them to reverse a binary tree (unless your product is a binary tree), try this:

1. A mini feature build.
Example: “Create a login screen with form validation and token storage.” Clean, clear, and gives you insight into code structure, logic, and UX sense.

2. A code review.
Hand them a messy snippet and ask, “What would you change?” You’ll learn how they think, communicate, and refactor.

3. Debug this.
Send a small app with a known issue. If they can find and fix it, they’ve got real-world skills.

4. Time-bound, not stress-bound.
Give them 48 hours—not 2. You’re hiring a developer, not auditioning for a game show.

At Kanhasoft, we use lightweight, practical tech tests that simulate actual project tasks. And guess what? The best developers love them—because they get to show what they can do, not just what they remember.

Full-Time, Part-Time, or Contract?

Not every start-up needs a full-stack ninja on a full-time salary. Sometimes, you just need a brilliant dev for 20 hours a week. Other times? You need a long-term partner who eats, sleeps, and breathes your product roadmap. So let’s break down what works when you’re hiring a dedicated developer—because not all “dedicated” models are created equal.

Full-Time Developer
Best for start-ups building a tech-heavy core product. You get their full attention, faster turnaround, and full immersion in your goals. Just be ready to commit—emotionally and financially.

Part-Time Developer
Perfect if you’re in MVP mode, maintaining an app, or still validating product-market fit. You still get continuity, just at a slower burn rate.

Contract Developer (Project-Based)
Need a landing page, API integration, or mobile app feature? Go contract. It’s efficient and no-strings-attached—but don’t expect them to stick around post-launch.

At Kanhasoft, we tailor developer engagement models to match your budget, timeline, and business stage. Because the right model isn’t the one with the most hours—it’s the one that fits your goals best.

Setting Clear Expectations from Day One

You’ve found your dream dev (high-five), and they’re onboard. Now what? Before you dive into your backlog and start assigning tasks left and right, let’s talk expectations. Because when hiring a dedicated developer, your success often depends less on what they build—and more on how clearly you both define what “done” means.

Start with a clear scope. What are their responsibilities? Are they just writing code, or also handling deployments, QA, and documentation? Be specific. Ambiguity kills momentum faster than a broken build pipeline.

Next, outline deliverables and milestones. Break the project into sprints or phases, attach deadlines, and agree on what gets delivered when. This keeps both sides aligned—and avoids the dreaded “Oh, I thought you meant…” moments.

Define KPIs and success metrics. It’s not about micromanaging—it’s about mutual clarity. Examples:

• Feature X delivered by Y date.

• Bug resolution within 48 hours.

• Code coverage above 80%.

Also, talk communication channels and frequency. Slack? Email? Weekly stand-ups or daily check-ins? Make sure they know how and when to reach you—and vice versa.

At Kanhasoft, we treat clarity like currency. When everyone knows the rules of the game, the product ships faster—and the coffee tastes better.

Onboarding Tips for Start-ups Hiring Developers

You’ve made the hire—now it’s time to roll out the (virtual) welcome mat. Because even the most brilliant developer won’t deliver their best work if they feel like an outsider in your Slack channel. A smooth, intentional onboarding process helps your dedicated developer hit the ground running—and stay.

Start with the basics:

• Access everything: Git repos, staging environments, project management tools, design assets, documentation—get it all to them on Day One. Bonus points if you’ve got a handy “Start Here” doc.

• Intro to the team: Whether it’s a 15-minute Zoom call or a few Slack shoutouts, introduce them to the team and what everyone does. Even if it’s just “this is Raj, our unofficial bug whisperer.”

Next, give them context. Share your product vision, goals, user pain points, and that one customer who sends emails in all caps (we all have one). The more they know, the more they care.

Set early wins. Assign a small, clear task they can complete within the first few days. It builds confidence, establishes process, and ensures their dev setup actually… works.

At Kanhasoft, we treat onboarding as the warm-up to a marathon. Do it right, and your developer becomes a teammate—not just another task-taker.

Tools That Make Remote Work Work

Hiring a dedicated developer remotely? Congratulations—you’ve officially entered the world of time zones, digital whiteboards, and the occasional “Can you hear me now?” moment. But with the right tools, remote collaboration doesn’t just work—it thrives. Here’s what we (and most modern teams) use to keep chaos in check.

Communication:

• Slack: The virtual office where questions get answered, bugs get flagged, and memes keep morale high.

• Zoom or Google Meet: For face-to-face check-ins, demos, or just proving you’re not a bot.

Project Management:

• Trello or Jira: Organize tasks into boards, assign priorities, track progress. Bonus: you get to drag tasks into “Done” (so satisfying).

• ClickUp or Asana also work great for teams scaling fast.

Code Management:

• GitHub or GitLab: The holy grail for version control, pull requests, and code reviews.

• Use with CI/CD tools like GitHub Actions or Jenkins to automate deployments and tests.

Documentation:

• Notion, Confluence, or even Google Docs—for knowledge sharing, architecture notes, onboarding guides, and “where’s that API key again?” moments.

Dev Collab:

• Figma for design hand-offs.

• Postman for API testing.

• Loom for quick walkthroughs without scheduling calls.

Managing and Motivating a Developer

So you’ve hired your dedicated developer, given them access to all the tools, and survived your first sprint. Great start—but here’s the thing: keeping a developer motivated in a start-up isn’t about just paying invoices and assigning tickets. It’s about creating an environment where they’re invested—not just involved.

Start with respect. Sounds simple, but acknowledging their input (especially when it saves your roadmap from disaster) goes a long way. Encourage them to question, suggest, and challenge decisions—because trust us, passive developers don’t build great products.

Next, give them visibility. Let them in on customer feedback, business goals, even investor updates. When they see the big picture, they start building with purpose, not just to-do lists.

Also, recognize wins—big or small. Celebrate when a feature ships on time. High-five when bugs get squashed before they reach production. It’s not just feel-good fluff—it reinforces momentum.

Offer growth opportunities. Training budgets, time to experiment with new tech, or assigning them to lead new features—it shows you value their evolution, not just their execution.

At Kanhasoft, we’ve seen it again and again: when developers feel empowered, heard, and connected—they don’t just code better. They think bigger.

How Much Does a Dedicated Developer Actually Cost?

Let’s talk numbers—because while passion, vision, and late-night coffee-fueled brainstorms are great, hiring a dedicated developer comes with a price tag. And no, it’s not one-size-fits-all.

Here’s a general breakdown (based on current global trends):

• U.S. / Canada: $80–$150/hour or $8,000–$12,000/month

• Western Europe (UK, Germany, Switzerland): $60–$120/hour

• Eastern Europe (Poland, Ukraine): $30–$60/hour

• India & Southeast Asia: $18–$40/hour or $2,000–$5,000/month

• Middle East / UAE / Israel: $50–$100/hour, depending on experience

Of course, rates vary based on experience, tech stack, engagement model, and whether you’re hiring via a freelancer, platform, or an agency like Kanhasoft (hi there). But here’s the real cost factor: speed + quality.

A $25/hour dev who takes 100 hours costs more than a $50/hour dev who gets it right in 40.

Also factor in:

• Communication efficiency

• Rework and debugging time

• Post-launch support and scalability

Avoiding Common Hiring Mistakes

You’ve got a dream, a budget, and a roadmap. Now, the only thing standing between you and product-market fit? A developer. But before you rush in, take a deep breath—because hiring a dedicated developer comes with a few banana peels if you’re not careful.

Here are the classic traps we’ve seen start-ups fall into (and yes, we’ve pulled a few of these moves ourselves):

1. Rushing the hire.
Desperation leads to disaster. Vet thoroughly. Don’t skip interviews, references, or test tasks just to fill the seat faster.

2. Hiring purely on technical skill.
Sure, they can code in 11 languages—but can they communicate? Handle feedback? Understand users? Tech skills alone won’t carry your start-up through pivots and panic launches.

3. Not defining the role.
“Just build the app” isn’t a job description. Be clear on what you need—backend, frontend, full-stack? MVP builder or long-term partner?

4. Ignoring red flags.
Missed deadlines. Vague answers. Ghosting between messages. If it feels off during hiring—it’ll feel worse post-handoff.

5. Underestimating onboarding.
Even the best devs flounder without context. Don’t toss them into the repo and hope for magic.

Our advice at Kanhasoft? Slow down, hire right, and don’t skip the uncomfortable questions. You’re building something big—your team deserves just as much intention as your product.

Real Talk: Our Own Developer Hiring Fiasco

Yes, even we at Kanhasoft—the seasoned agency that helps others avoid tech disasters—have had our own moment of hiring regret. (Spoiler: it involves a “rockstar” developer, some misplaced trust, and a lesson we’ll never forget.)

A few years ago, we were scaling fast. Too fast. Our pipeline was packed, and we needed someone to handle a client’s backend build yesterday. Enter: Mr. Rockstar Developer. His resume sparkled—Node.js wizard, “built scalable apps,” led teams, even claimed to contribute to a popular open-source project.

So, we hired him. Skipped the test task. Fast-tracked the onboarding. Let’s just say… we got burned.

Within three weeks:

• Commit history looked like alphabet soup.

• Code wasn’t just buggy—it broke other features on deploy.

• He missed two sprint demos. His excuse? “Timezones are confusing.” (We’re still not sure what planet he was on.)

Eventually, we had to roll back 80% of his work and rebuild the module from scratch. Client? Not amused. Team? Tired. Us? Wiser.

Lesson learned: no matter how shiny a resume looks—trust your process. Always test. Always vet. And always, always follow your gut.

Scaling Your Dev Team the Right Way

Hiring your first dedicated developer is a milestone. But what happens when things take off—when your MVP gains traction, users demand features, and one dev can’t push every commit and fix every bug? Welcome to the next level: scaling your dev team. And spoiler—doing it wrong can slow you down faster than doing nothing at all.

Start small, but think big. Your first dev might handle both frontend and backend, but as your product evolves, so should your structure. Consider:

• Frontend specialist for speed and UX.

• Backend dev for performance and integrations.

• QA engineer (seriously, save your sanity).

• Project manager to herd the digital cats (your developers).

But here’s the key: don’t hire in panic mode. Scale your team intentionally—based on workload, product stage, and feedback cycles.

Also, bring in people who complement your existing team. If your current dev is great at architecture, maybe your next hire should shine in UI. Think puzzle pieces, not duplicates.

At Kanhasoft, we help clients grow from a solo dev to a full-fledged product squad—without breaking the budget or the product.

When to Let Go (And How to Do It Well)

Let’s get brutally honest for a sec—not every hire is a match made in product-launch heaven. Even when you follow every hiring best practice, sometimes letting go of a dedicated developer is the only smart move left. And yes, it sucks. But hanging on too long? That’ll cost you more than awkward goodbyes.

Here are the signs:

• Repeated missed deadlines—without valid reasons or learning from mistakes.

• Resistance to feedback—especially when it’s constructive and crucial.

• Communication breakdown—long response times, unclear updates, or full-blown ghosting.

• Code quality concerns—you find yourself rewriting more than reviewing.

• Lack of ownership—if every issue is “someone else’s fault,” you’ve got a red flag, not a teammate.

Here’s how to handle it:

1. Document everything. Feedback, delays, issues—keep it professional and trackable.

2. Give clear feedback—and a chance to improve. Sometimes, people rise to the occasion.

3. Set a timeline. If things don’t improve in X days or sprints, it’s time.

4. Be kind but firm. No burning bridges. Just clean exits with clarity.

At Kanhasoft, we’ve helped clients through tough transitions. And guess what? The right replacement often shows up right after you make space for them.

Conclusion

There you have it—your comprehensive, no-fluff, Kanhasoft-style guide to hiring a dedicated developer for your start-up. We’ve covered it all: where to find them, how to vet them, what to pay them, and when to let them go (gently, if needed). And if you’ve read this far—congrats! You’re already miles ahead of most founders still trying to duct-tape their MVP together.

Here’s the thing: your product is only as good as the people building it. A dedicated developer isn’t just a “resource” (ugh, we hate that word)—they’re your partner in turning ideas into interfaces, visions into features, and bugs into beautiful fixes. And in a start-up, where every decision can make or break your momentum, having the right developer can mean the difference between a successful launch… and a long list of “we almost made it.”

At Kanhasoft, we’ve helped start-ups in the U.S., UK, Israel, Switzerland, and the UAE scale fast—with developers who don’t just code, but care. And we’re not just here to build products—we’re here to build partnerships.

FAQs

What’s the difference between a dedicated developer and a freelancer?
A dedicated developer is committed exclusively (or mostly) to your project long-term—working like a team member. A freelancer often juggles multiple gigs and may not be available for ongoing collaboration or fast pivots.

Can I hire a dedicated developer part-time?
Absolutely. Many start-ups begin with part-time engagement, then scale up as needs grow. Just ensure your scope is clear and they’re available during your working hours (or at least overlap for communication).

How long does it take to hire a dedicated developer?
With a proper vetting process and a partner like Kanhasoft? Anywhere from 3 to 10 business days. Without a process? It could take months—and that’s if you get it right the first time.

Do I need technical knowledge to hire and manage a developer?
Not necessarily. You should understand your product’s goals and workflows. A technical co-founder or project manager helps, but clear communication, feedback, and trust go a long way.

How do I protect my intellectual property (IP)?
Use clear contracts with IP clauses, NDAs, and hire from reputable platforms or agencies. Always ensure you own the code, data, and assets from day one.

Is hiring from an agency better than hiring directly?
For many start-ups—yes. Agencies provide pre-vetted developers, built-in support systems, project oversight, and flexibility to scale up or down. Plus, no HR headaches.