Excitement Convergence: Timing Your Offer Right
We’re aggressive when it comes to closing A+ talent.
Internally, we talk a lot with our founders about excitement convergence: the art of closing at exactly the right time.
So, what is excitement convergence? At its core, it’s about timing. The visual above shows how a candidate’s excitement (dashed line) and founder’s engagement (dotted line) builds over time, together. The key is to strike when both converge at the same time.
Of course, timing only matters if it’s the right fit. Your job isn’t just to sell, it’s to find the people who genuinely belong at your company and people you are inspired to work with. But an equally tricky part of a search is knowing when the time is right to make the offer. The honest (and slightly self-serving) answer is that if you’re working with us, we’ll help you time it. But if you want to be your company’s best recruiter, you’ll need to develop this instinct yourself.
Two Big Mistakes
Founders tend to get timing wrong in two ways:
“Continuous Buy Mode” – taking too long to build conviction, dragging out the process, and failing to signal real enthusiasm. If a candidate doesn’t feel wanted, they move on. This is one of the most heartbreaking mistakes in recruiting. Realizing too late that you want someone badly, only to find out they’re already gone. And once that happens, it’s almost impossible to recover. My biggest advice? Selling and closing happen at every meeting. You can’t wait until the end to start making someone feel like they belong. Humanize the process. Be genuinely curious about them, not just as a hire, but as a person.
Going Too Early – making an offer before the candidate is truly ready. This comes off as inauthentic, rushed, and lacking self-awareness. Strong A+ players want to know they earned the role. The good news? This mistake is much more recoverable than being in continuous buy mode. Candidates value conviction, and as long as there’s a relationship there, we can mend this.
The best time to make your move is when both people are feeling the momentum at the same time, that’s what we mean by excitement convergence.
The Dating Analogy
Let’s use a dating metaphor to visualize this:
Imagine you’re on a great date. The conversation is flowing, the chemistry is there, and you can feel momentum building.
If you ask for commitment too early (e.g., “Do you want to meet my mom?”), it feels rushed and desperate (among other things).
If you wait too long, they start wondering if you’re even serious, and they move on.
The best time to make your move is when enough rapport, time and attention have been building in parallel. That’s when saying “Let’s do this” feels effortless.
That’s excitement convergence.
But How Do You Know It’s Time?
First, watch their actions:
Are they responding quickly, rearranging their schedule, and eager for the next conversation?
Have they started thinking about timelines? Are conversations about resigning coming up? Have they asked about start dates?
Are they offering to engage early, like joining an all-hands, SKO or sitting in on a key meeting?
Then, pay attention to how they validate their decision:
Have they looped in trusted friends, mentors, or past colleagues to gut-check the opportunity?
Are they quietly back-channeling you and the team?
Do they accept your offer to meet your investors?
Has their partner or significant other entered the conversation?
Finally, listen to how they talk about the role:
Are they asking thoughtful, forward-looking questions about the business?
Have they shifted from evaluating compensation to negotiating it?
Are they already saying “we” instead of “you”?
Timing an offer isn’t about rushing or forcing a close. It’s about recognizing when there’s mutual conviction and meeting them there.
When the excitement is high and the signals align, don’t hesitate—go all in.
