Do you remember your first hire? There is so much that goes into building a company, but few things matter as much the quality of the team you assemble. Given the immense importance of team building, we wanted to create a series where we ask entrepreneurs who have been there and done that, to share their stories and lessons with the community.

Celene Dupuis

When we started Revamp Salon Company in 2014, we had a team of six talented and dedicated stylists. It was an exciting but challenging time, as we embarked on the journey of bringing our vision to life. Building a team from the beginning was crucial for us. I wanted to ensure that each stylist not only possessed the necessary skills but also shared the same passion for creating a unique salon experience. Read more>>

Rebecca Cohen

RMC Counseling started in 2018 as a solo practice before becoming a group practice in 2019. As the director, I made the decision to bring on two providers in the fall of 2019 and noticed the rising demand for therapy services in Utah. The first several providers I hired either had previously worked with me or someone I trusted had worked with them or knew them. This was a great start for RMC because I knew and trusted them right away which allowed me to safely take this leap. Read more>>

Jorge Brea

Symphonic started with me as employee 1 but quickly became something where a few close friends were involved. Originally, I wanted to focus on releasing on Vinyl and CD but just didn’t have the funds so I started releasing content digitally, that did well and then, I went ahead and helped all of the labels that worked with me on the Vinyl days to also adapt and release content digitally. Read more>>

Linsey Battle

From the start it was just me. At 18years old I gathered a few athletes that I knew and started a business called Intensity Elite Cheer. I rented space and we practiced out of a gymnastics center. It was fun but it wasn’t easy, I was overwhelmed and it became a big commitment with minimal income. Although I was young, I was determined and dedicated myself each day to make my dream of opening a business come true! Read more>>

Yolanda Wright

I was the only employee/volunteer on day one because I was not paid. And, as a nonprofit in Georgia, at minimum, you need to have three board members. That is how we started. The board consisted of the basic essential roles to get us started. The Chief Financial Officer to track the money and keep us on course. The Chief Executive Officer directed where we were going. And the Secretary to keep up with our records and plans and keep us in compliance. Read more>>

Zuko

Prior to 2015, myself and business partner Sabrina Hadfield were promoting monthly rap showcases; and periodically promoting album release parties for local acts like Trinidad Jame$, R. City, Playboy Tre and others. As a promoter, we weren’t directly connected to any of these acts. Read more>>

Keith Bourkney

When first starting employU, my wife and I were the only employees on board. As we started receiving more referrals, I quickly realized we needed some more people to carry out the services. I found people that had a passion to help but they didn’t have the experience needed. After about 6 months, I finally hired Melissa, our Employment Services Director. She had much more experience than any of us. Read more>>

Ychlindria Dolce

At the inception of my business, I worked solo to build the service I wanted to provide. It was extremely tough taking on a new business venture all by myself, and like so many other business owners starting out, there were moments I doubted myself and my ability to execute my vision, but I stood firm in my faith and stayed focus on delivering a quality product. Read more>>