I would also recommend the enlistment of the Venture Capital investors to see what contacts or recommendations they could give. Anybody who puts their money where their mouth is will give high quality referrals. The entrepreneurship major is a growing and attractive one for the best and brightest. One could and should find a great number of recruits to join in on an adventure of a lifetime. Additionally, one could use trade shows and other natural networking avenues to meet and recruit veterans who feel the need for more control and less interference in doing what they do best.
Fear tends to crop up in the absence of information, and rumor quickly replaces fact.
By taking the time to talk, openly and honestly, esteem and excitement will spread to all levels of the startup firm. Nobody likes to work for downtrodden, miserable folks. So don't be one yourself. I find that the best way to steer clear of employees that turn sour is to identify the specific needs, skills and qualities you're looking for and then find someone currently doing those things. If you need someone who understands retail, have the recruiters focus on that industry and post the position in Retail trade magazines.