While many entrepreneurs appear as though they have built their empires alone, the truth is that most have had some help from their teams. Richard Branson, Travis Kalanick, and Elon Musk have all relied on teams of qualified people passionate about the projects they have been directed to tackle. The key to building a successful team lies in choosing those who care about the overall project as much as the owner does.
The level of dedication and mindset determines the strength of the team. Elon Musk is infamous for having potential employees answer complicated riddles and psychological questions. For Richard Branson, the team is so important that he would go above and beyond to protect his employees.
The social media entrepreneur and marketing expert Giuliano Gigliotti agrees that building a successful team is perhaps the most important building block to any successful company. “I do a lot by myself, but I love creating a team for the various tasks that come up. I make sure that everyone shares my mindset and is passionate as I am,” he explains.
The ideal team is lean. It needs to feel like everyone is one well-oiled machine focused on the same outcome. Gigliotti believes that consistency in brand voice is pivotal, and in order to achieve that, everyone on the company team needs to represent the same ideology and share the same message.
Having a strong team can be a massive pillar of support against the competition. For Giuliano, the competitors are irrelevant. He doesn’t compare himself to anyone else and stays focused on his own goals.
“I actually enjoy having competition,” he says, adding, “When I see the other guys, I continue to do my thing, but I also focus on innovation and keeping my company relevant. It keeps me on my toes!”
Relying on a strong team can help a business owner make a profit and scale faster. Gigliotti was able to build and consequently sell a business of his to a company for multiple millions of dollars. That was a huge milestone both for him and for his employees, who were happy to reap the rewards of their hard efforts.
Gigliotti feels very optimistic about the future. He strives to create a strong team and takes his time to evaluate each member. He wants to mentor people, make a difference, and scale his business, all of which requires a competent helping hand.
Even a business that appears to be entirely built on social media needs a strong team behind the scenes. Giuliano is a social media entrepreneur and has extensive knowledge in online marketing, but his team consists of real people as opposed to being fully automated.
“The human expertise and understanding of larger goals will never be replaced by algorithms,” he says. With the rise of new platforms such as TikTok and the innovation of the big three–Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook–having a sharp team that can keep up with the latest updates will absolutely be key for any startup business owner.
