April 23, 2026

Do You Really Need That Spin Off Hire?

Do You Really Need That Spin Off Hire?

Every now and again something drops into the world that makes you pause and ask a very deep question. A question about meaning, purpose and the mysterious forces that drive human behaviour.

In this case, that question was: "Who exactly asked for a Stranger Things animated interquel?"

TechRadar’s review of Stranger Things: Tales From 85 (source: TechRadar, link provided in brief) basically says what many of us suspected. It’s a fun enough distraction for newcomers, but a slightly painful experience for loyal fans who’ve invested years in the original story. It fills space, not gaps. It adds noise, not clarity.

And as I read it, I thought: this is exactly what happens inside scaling companies when someone decides they need a brand new role they aren’t ready for.

Welcome to the world of spin off hiring.

What I Mean by Spin Off Hiring

Spin off hiring happens when a founder or leadership team thinks they need a new role because:

• It sounds cool.
• A competitor just hired one.
• Someone on LinkedIn said the title is hot.
• They’re tired and want to hand off a problem they haven’t diagnosed.

But just like an unnecessary animated series, the role ends up creating more work, more confusion and more disappointment than the original issue ever did.

The Three Classic Symptoms

If your company is about to create its own Tales From 85 moment, you’ll see at least one of these symptoms.

1. The plot isn’t clear

The role exists, but no one can explain what success looks like without rambling for five minutes.

That’s a bad sign. If it needs a monologue to make sense, no candidate will nail it.

2. The timeline is off

You know when an interquel appears and you think: "Was anyone confused about this part of the story?" That’s your gut telling you the timing is wrong.

Hiring works the same way. Sometimes the business simply isn’t ready for that skillset yet.

3. The fans revolt internally

Your current team quietly rolls their eyes. They know the role won’t solve the real problem. They also know they’ll end up training this new hire on things the company should have fixed already.

Internal oxygen levels drop. Morale follows.

What You Should Do Instead

If you’re about to commission your own spin off hire, here’s a better approach.

Start with a script rewrite

Ask your leadership team:

• What is the actual business problem we’re trying to solve?
• Is this a role issue, a process issue or a prioritisation issue?
• If we could only hire one person this quarter, would it be this role?

Brutal honesty saves budgets.

Prototype the role internally

Before hiring, test elements of the role across the team. See what actually delivers value. You’ll learn what you truly need and what’s just wishful thinking.

Define the ending before you cast the character

Before crafting the job ad, define:

• What success looks like 30, 60 and 90 days in.
• What this hire must own.
• What this hire must never touch.

If you can’t do that, you’re not ready to hire.

The Real Lesson From Hawkins

The world didn’t need Tales From 85, but Netflix made it anyway. The world definitely doesn’t need your unnecessary spin off hire. The difference is that your decision impacts your budget, your team and your momentum.

When you hire with clarity and timing, everything moves faster. When you don’t, you end up with a demogorgon-shaped hole in your roadmap.

If you’re unsure whether a role is essential or just a distraction, drop me a message. I’ll tell you the truth, even if it stings a little.

Better that than unleashing another unwanted spin off into the world.

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