Are you a budding entrepreneur with aspirations of expanding your business venture, but not sure how to deal with finding the right talent?
In order to provide you with the insights and actionable advice needed to source the right team, we have spoken to a variety of successful UK startups who have shared their experiences with us.
First up we have insights from Zabetta Camilleri, the Founder and CEO of SalesGossip. SalesGossip provide up to date information on all the latest sales and promotions on desktop, tablet and mobile.
How important is your team to the success of your business?
It is the most important factor. If we hadn’t found amazing individuals who not only execute our strategy but also identify ways to grow and improve we would have never achieved the success that SalesGossip is achieving. We try hard to communicate not only where we are but the long term vision of SalesGossip and their role within that long term vision.
What advice do you have for startups looking to grow their team?
Identify early on what you REALLY expect of each individual and ensure that this is communicated and understood by both parties.
Next we have expertise from Lotta Holmberg, the Head of Marketing Communications at Toothpick. Toothpick enables users to search for NHS or Private practices in their area, read reviews and book an appointment online.
How important is your team to the success of your business?
Overall, we hire people we get on with. In such a small company, the team has to gel - and we have to have a good time. The key things we look for are flexibility, intelligence and passion. Flexibility because no two days will be the same and they will constantly be required to adapt to changing requirements, objectives and resources. They need to be entrepreneurial in that they will go out and find a solution to any given problem without needing too much support. If we have a team like this, we know we have a strong chance at winning as a business.
What advice do you have for startups looking to grow their team?
Look for intelligence, because you don't have all the answers, all the time. The most valuable team members are those who intelligently evaluates and questions what you're doing as a company, how you're doing it and why. When you grow a business, especially if you're breaking new ground, you won't have a formula, and you need input from lots of people in order to validate what you're doing is right. Although we have access to many smart and experienced people, including seasoned investors and other founders, sometimes we get answers and wisdom from the unlikeliest of places - like an intern. A good startup founder will be humble and open to insight from anyone.
Look for passion because they will have to work hard. If you are still early stage and each team member has to cover a lot of ground, they have to own that part of the business. This tends to happen naturally if the company is doing well and the journey is exciting, but if you experience a slump or a delay in seeing the success you dream of, it comes down to ploughing through and sticking with it. For that, you need dedication to the cause and intrinsic motivation.
Finally we have advice Wyatt Cavalier, the MD and co-founder of Honest Coffees. Honest Coffees provide gourmet Fairtrade coffee and commercial coffee machines for offices and trades.
How important is your team to the success of your business?
Absolutely essential. A CEO's number one job is picking the best possible team and supporting them as much as possible. They'll make or break your company. We spend a lot of time in the initial stages putting folks through their paces, which includes a paid trial project. We've got a mission that resonates with many folks looking for these sort of roles as well, which is super helpful.
What advice do you have for startups looking to grow their team?
Always trust your gut when you're hiring (or need to fire) someone. If someone doesn't feel like a good cultural or professional fit, it doesn't matter what's on their CV.
We hope that these insights have provided you with the tools you need to source and keep the talent needed to expand your business.
Author Bio: Ian Butterworth is the Director and Senior Consultant at Lucas Blake. Lucas Blake specialises in the recruitment of Sales Professionals within the Information Technology and Telecommunications sectors throughout the UK and Europe.
