.png)
Fresh off a major funding round, Ember needed to scale its team rapidly to support ambitious growth goals. However, they faced a unique challenge: balancing speed with quality to avoid compromising on the calibre of their new hires.
“We had this challenge of being able to hire quickly and hire quality, and kind of get that balance of the right people in to help us really deliver on our overall goals,” explained Aaron Shaw, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Ember.
To gain insight into Ember’s experience, we interviewed Aaron Shaw, Co-Founder & Co-CEO. Aaron shared how Ember had previously tried various hiring solutions, including internal recruiters and traditional agencies. However, these options often proved too rigid or costly for their specific needs as a high-growth startup.
“We’ve had a number of different solutions over the years,” Aaron said. “We had an internal recruiter, but the challenge was when we had to ramp up quickly, the flexibility wasn’t there. We’ve also worked with external agencies, but that’s expensive and usually a one-off. We needed something that offered flexibility and support for our short-term demand.”
“We really wanted to raise the quality bar within our organisation, and we were able to move quickly with some very high-quality candidates.”
- Aaron Shaw, Co-CEO, Ember
The Hiring Challenge: Scaling Fast Without Compromising Quality
With new funding secured, Ember was on a tight timeline to bring in top talent across key roles. They needed an agile solution that allowed them to ramp up quickly without sacrificing the quality of hires. Traditional recruitment models had limitations, and Ember wanted a partner who could embed seamlessly with their team and adjust to the changing demands of a growing business.
“We knew we had this short period of time where we really needed to ramp up the team,” Aaron explained. “But we were also conscious of not bringing on the wrong people. So, it was essential to be both quality-conscious and speed-conscious because, as a startup, time is of the essence.”
Why Ember Chose Move
After exploring the market, Aaron and his team decided on Move's embedded talent partner model. Move provided more than just a single recruiter—they brought in a dedicated team that integrated with Ember’s workflow, establishing direct communication channels and collaborating closely with Ember’s hiring managers. This setup offered the flexibility and speed Ember needed, along with a higher quality of service than they’d experienced with other providers.
“What really stood out for us was the fact that Move assigned a team, not just one recruiter,” Aaron noted. “There was support around it, with an experienced lead and additional recruiters working on a continuous basis. That really sealed it for us. We spoke to four other providers, but that aspect made Move stand out.”
The Results: Quality Hires and a Smooth Process
In just a few months, Move helped Ember achieve its hiring goals, filling roles with high-quality professionals who aligned with the company’s mission. Aaron was particularly pleased with the calibre of talent, noting that Move's approach allowed Ember to raise the bar with their new hires.
“The hires we’ve made—we’re super happy with them,” Aaron said. “We really wanted to raise the quality bar within our organisation, and we were able to move quickly with some very high-quality candidates.”
Aaron also highlighted the seamless nature of the partnership. “Move’s approach was fairly pain-free. We had to invest time, of course, but not to the level we might have expected. We’ve got the hires we wanted in place, and it’s been a smooth process overall.”
Building a Strong Partnership
A key part of the collaboration was the close integration of Move’s team with Ember’s hiring managers. The shared Slack channel allowed for real-time communication, making Move feel like an extension of Ember’s team and facilitating a strong working relationship.
“It really felt like the guys were part of the team from the get-go,” Aaron shared. “We set up a shared Slack channel, and they integrated directly within the workflows we already used. That flexibility and ability to mould into our ways of working made all the difference.”
“It really felt like the guys were part of the team from the get-go,”
- Aaron Shaw, Co-CEO, Ember
Conclusion
Ember’s partnership with Move showcases the impact of a flexible, embedded hiring approach in helping startups scale quickly and effectively. By bringing in the right talent and integrating seamlessly with Ember’s team, Move played a vital role in supporting Ember’s mission to empower small business owners through simpler, smarter financial management solutions.
Looking back, Aaron reflected on what he appreciated most about working with Move: “If I look back to where we were three or four months ago, we wanted to scale up the team by 30-35%, but we didn’t have much capacity on the hiring front. Move helped us get the results we wanted with minimal friction, allowing us to focus on our growth goals.”
.png)
.png)
