DREAM TEAM

STUDIES SHOW THAT 90 PER CENT OF STARTUPS TEND TO FAIL. WITH THIS IN MIND, ENTREPRENEURIAL EXPERT ALAN MANLY DISCUSSES THE TEAM PLAYERS EVERY STARTUP NEEDS TO SECURE SUCCESS AND LONG-TERM VIABILITY.

Any dream team in business requires the right mix of technical skills and character traits. It’s a delicate balance that can propel a startup to lofty heights – or ignoble depths.

The startup entrepreneur is following a dream, and it’s only natural that, with unbounded enthusiasm, they will believe their great new idea will attract like-minded souls. But diversity is always key: too similar and all you have built is a group of yes-men and women, all viewing challenges from the same narrow perspective.

Consider the following traits to compile a dream team of which you can be proud (and your competitors jealous).

SENSE OF SELF

Often in the beginning, the startup team is comprised of one: yourself. You must be across absolutely everything in those early days, weeks, months. Make yourself the best you can be to inspire others to want to join you later on – read, learn, practise, repeat.

Then, when you’re able, make your first hire the person who can add the most value. (Don’t oversell your dream though, as the people you’d actually want to work for you won’t believe it and will walk away!)