For me, the biggest surprise about running a startup has been how difficult it is to recruit top-notch engineers. It is shockingly, bewilderingly, impossibly difficult to find qualified web developers. Granted, my notion of "qualified" is discriminating, but it's been surprisingly difficult nonetheless.
I've tried all the traditional channels for finding developers: job boards, networking events, and my own personal network. It's time to get more creative. I'd love to hear about any clever techniques or tactics others have used to identify promising web developer candidates.