Years ago, I hired a killer Director of Finance and Ops. He was a hard charger, high potential guy. I was lucky to land him. But I also knew if I didn't show him career growth, he'd be gone in two years for something with more headroom. He ended up as COO and stayed for seven years. He grew with the company and was a huge part of our success. When you hire someone ambitious, be cautious about handing them the final title, full scope, and full team on day one. Bring them in as Director or VP. Increase their scope as they prove they're great. After a few years, a C-level title can be on the table. High-drive employees are up or out. They have options. Before you bring one on, you need to have a plan for where their career can go inside your company (and save the C-level titles for after they've proven themselves).