Picking the Right Team for Success

There are so many components to seeing success with a start up business. You need a great product, customer service, marketing strategy, strong business plan, and the list goes on. But you can make the argument that none of these can be achieved without having the right team. Making sure you surround yourself with people that are motivated to push the business forward will make or break the success of your business. And while our team at artmonious only consists of seven now, I couldn’t be happier with everyone I’m going to battle with. And based on who currently makes up the team, will only help us find more people just like them to keep the business on a successful track. So how did we find these teammates? These are some of the ways that have worked for us and hopefully can help you too.Most startups don’t start off with millions of dollars in funding. They start off with a few people who have an idea, a dream, a mission, and want to accomplish it. So how do you get other people to join you on that journey? First, you need to figure out what roles you need to fill in order for the business to work. And not only do you need to think about who you need, but also when you’ll need them.When you start a restaurant, you’ll need someone to cook the food. But is a cook the first one you need to hire in order to begin? These are the questions you have to ask. For us, since my partner and I weren’t engineers, we knew the first hire would have to be someone who can build an app. If you can find someone through a friend/family member who recommends that individual, that’s always preferred; however, ultimately it is you who needs to connect with them. Be selective and make sure you do your research and know exactly what you’re looking for. Sometimes it takes multiple hires before finding the right one. And if you can do enough due diligence in knowing who would be a good fit, it will save you time. And time is everything for a start up.There are a lot of companies out there that are similar to your startup, who have had success. Research the employees who have been there the longest. That is another good way to learn about the kind of experience of a potential employee you should look for. I recommend that you find someone who isn’t just looking for a job but believes in your business/mission. Look for someone that brings a level of excitement toward your business and wants to make a real contribution. It’s also important to hire someone you would feel good about spending a lot of time with. If you hire someone that you can’t see yourself getting along with or are tough to communicate with, than neither of you will be happy working together. They don’t need to be a best friend, but they should fit into the company culture you’re trying to create.Now let’s say you don’t have someone that comes recommended, Linkedin is a great resource. When you don’t have the money to hire a recruiter, you can source people on Linkedin with the exact experience of someone you’re looking for. Once you know what role you need to fill, and the experience that would be needed to get the job done, there should be plenty of Linkedin profiles to look at. Use the filters to help you narrow down your search and when you find someone that stands out, you have to sell them on why working for your business is an opportunity they shouldn’t pass on. And you may get rejected, but don’t be afraid to reach out. Reach out to as many people as possible because there will be someone who wants to come on the journey with you.Once you have brought people onto your team, make sure they know how valuable they are. No businesses succeeds with one person. A great product, customer service, marketing strategy, and a business plan can all get executed well when you have a team of people all contributing.