How could I build a team of like-minded people?

Context and question: Everything starts with the idea. You feel inspiration and desire to change something, make something better or just invent something new, that nobody done before. At the very beginning, you will ask yourself whether to build the project with a team or on your own. There are two different approaches. Each has its advantages/disadvantages. Imagine, you decide to work with someone, but what are your first steps? What are the things you have to start with? How to check your future colleague's values and make the expansion process is less painful?

What's on my mind about it:

Inspiration is a crucial element in generating ideas.However, let's take a practical approach.

Before thinking about the creation of a team, assess the scale of your idea and where you stand with it. How achievable is your goal? Create a plan to achieve it and break it down into smaller tasks. Evaluate what you can personally do to turn your idea into reality.

Why should you do this?

To understand your need for a team and determine the quantitative and qualitative composition of that team. Base this on your capabilities and your level of involvement in achieving your goals.

While your idea isn't generating revenue, it has negative value.

What does it mean? You're spending time and money, both yours and your team's.

So, you've determined that you need a team.

Now is the time to assemble it. For a startup, the initial team is a critical component of success. It's at this stage that many lose direction and motivation.

I mention risks for a reason. Building a high-quality team when there's synergy is challenging. That's why startup founders are exceptionally meticulous when selecting partners.

Here's my personal list of qualities for people in a perfect team:

• Transparency
• Autonomy
• Proactivity
• Willingness to collaborate and help each other
• Shared values
• Availability for communication (in a fast-paced startup environment, delays in responses can mean a lot)

Other qualities may vary.

Why didn't I include deep expertise?

Because you can leverage the services of an advisor to gain domain expertise. Autonomous and proactive individuals on your team mean they can acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to create initial product versions.

Adding context: While you don't have investments and a revenue-generating product, you're financing everything from your own pocket. People who haven't paid their team's salaries or hired contractors for their ideas may not fully understand this perspective. It's when you step onto this path that you start taking risks and look at team building differently.

So, how do you build a team? - You might ask.

We've arrived at the main question.

What your team should be like doesn't have a one-size-fits-all answer. Once you've followed the steps I mentioned earlier, you'll have an idea of the quantitative and qualitative composition your team should have.

Here's a dark secret: The culture within your team primarily depends on you. You are personally responsible for who you bring on board as partners or team members. Think about the qualities that matter to you and with whom you feel comfortable working. Also, ask yourself, 'Can people who make you comfortable help you achieve results?'

This question is not asked lightly.

In some cases, the "uncomfortable" individuals in your team may possess breakthrough qualities, and you need to consider that as well.

As for the format of building a team, it can include both formal interviews and informal interactions in a relaxed setting. It all depends on you.

My recommendation

Look at team building more broadly. You'll never guess where you'll find the best partners.

It could be a colleague you once treated to a lime in the kitchen, your mentees, mentors, or your former teacher or boss.

Collaboration can extend beyond working together. You can refine your idea through community engagement and even breathe new life into it by exploring solutions from entirely different knowledge domains.

In conclusion, finding like-minded individuals is not just a checklist of things to do. It's a whole process with numerous variables. Your personality plays a key role in this. Much depends on how extensive your network is, your communication skills, your ability to interview and make decisions, how you assess risks, and how you envision your perfect team.

The perfection is unattainable, which is why your task is to assemble a team that will help you reach your goals.