Obviously that is optimal, but I'd say if you are a startup you should get funding that will help you get the right people on your team instead of a jack of all trades.
They're not completely separate concepts. As a programmer, I can manage my own PC and Network. A user experience designer should be able to do graphic design just as easily. Different skills, but none the less related.
> if you're a startup who can only hire 5-6 people
> you don't have that luxury.
Startups, any feedback on what has worked for you?
For many applications, design is relatively small as a portion of the project. UI, however, is ongoing.
The idea that you can hire your way into good design / good user experience is pretty tough to implement though. If your founding team doesn't have a great visual and user experience designer to begin with, how are you going to evaluate the new hire? It's like a nontechnical founder hiring a software engineer. Can be done, but fraught with danger.