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.

Lily Virden

In my second year of having employees, the most important trait for me is trust. Our tight circle of the 38° North crew is dependable, trust worthy, friendly, efficient, independent. The success of this business comes from the community surrounding it, which begins with the employees who are the face of the storefront. I’ve been fortunate to find the best help for the summer months! Read more>>

Rudy Lira Kusuma

When I first got my real estate license in 2007, it was just me—no team, no assistants, just a lot of determination and a passion for helping people in challenging situations. The timing was significant because the real estate market was in turmoil, with many distressed homeowners in need of specialized assistance. I quickly found a niche in helping these homeowners navigate their options, which led to a rapidly growing client base. Read more>>

Samantha Nardelli

Shanty Town Design has been around since 2013, and from the very beginning, I’ve had various people involved, though there were periods where it was just me at the helm. My journey started during my last year of college when I decided I wanted to start my own business. I already had the name picked out and was freelancing, which gave me a clear idea of the services I wanted to offer. I worked at another agency to learn as much as possible while freelancing on the side, and when the time came, I left that job to focus fully on my vision. Read more>>

Amanda Boleyn

One of the things I help solo business owners with is hiring their first virtual assistant. I know first hand how impactful it can be as a business owner to have support when it comes to running and growing your business. In 2014 I launched my first online business that included a podcast. With being focused on sales and marketing it was becoming challenging to spend time and energy launching a weekly episode. Read more>>

Pj Cowan

My first experience in hiring a team came over a decade ago, in my early 20s. This was at my first non-profit job out of college and one where I never expected to assume the role of program manager. I showed enough ingenuity, passion, and persistence to earn the trust of my bosses. And, after some very poor decision making by the prior program manager, I found myself being promoted, despite having never hired someone in my life. I was given some advice and tertiary support from the higher ups, and then left to my own devices, self educating and intuition. For better or worse. Read more>>

Ryan Simkhai

Like many startup businesses my business started as a one man show working out of my home and various coffee shops throughout the city. As we continued to grow so did my tasks and I needed to bring on a team to take on of various roles throughout my business. Through various employment websites and some referrals I’ve been fortunate to find such talented and committed employees to join me. Read more>>