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.

Emmie Nostitz

When Zach and I founded Tivity in 2021, it was just the two of us, driven by a simple goal: to build the largest network of private Chefs and book them for private events at homes across the country. We simply wanted to make booking Chefs seamless. In the early days, we did it all—accounting, booking, PR, and even giving each other pep talks when things got tough. Looking back, those hands-on experiences were invaluable. We not only learned where and how we wanted to grow but also gained a deep understanding of every role within Tivity. We were a true team, and that spirit has been the driving force behind our success. Read more>>

Elizabeth Tufegdzich

When I joined The Leadership Agency, I was the first employee aside from our Founder. I didn’t fully understand what I was getting into—what recruitment really involved or how startups operated. I had a steep learning curve ahead of me. I believe building a team is about recognizing people’s potential and seeing the bigger picture. We often overcomplicate hiring, trying to fit everything neatly into a perfect box, but the best hires rarely happen that way. Read more>>

Kathleen Batalden Smith

For the first few years, it was only Justin and I working on and in the business. About two years in, we decided it was time to hire our first woodshop assistant. I’ll never forget interviewing our soon-to-be-new hire. Justin welcomed him into our kitchen and proceeded to eat a bowl of cereal while asking Bryan about his life and work experience. (Bryan was a great fit, by the way!) We’ve found that when you’re genuine, transparent, and understanding of people’s life experience and their unique personal circumstances, it’s usually fairly simple to attract and hold on to the type of employees best for your business. Read more>>

Kenedi Felicia

When I started my business storiesbyken back in March of 2020, It was just me running everything and teaching myself the in and outs about entrepreneurship. Being in my shoes means wearing a lot of different hats. As an author and a small business owner, I’m responsible for nearly every aspect of my business. From writing, editing, content creating, marketing, and social media management to handling finances, customers, and more, there’s a constant balancing act. As of January 2024, I now work closely with my illustrator and graphic designer, who bring my vision to life visually, but ultimately, I oversee the entire process. I met my illustrator and graphic designer in college, were all students majoring in completely different fields. Read more>>

Chris Taborn

When I started Tiger Goalkeeping, I was primarily responsible for the day-to-day office work, but I had what I would consider on-field partners—individuals who were just as passionate about the game of soccer, and more specifically the goalkeeper position. However, they had full-time jobs, which understandably didn’t give them the opportunity to be as hands-on. As a business owner, I’ve always enjoyed the process of meeting different individuals and hearing their stories, as well as their reasons for being excited about the opportunity to join our program. Everyone’s background is unique; some love the game so much that when they finally retire, they see coaching as a way to stay involved in the sport. Others might have started doing private training in college just to make some extra cash and found enjoyment in it. Then there are those who were inspired by a single coach or mentor, motivating them to give back in the same way. However, hearing the backstories about why someone loves coaching soccer isn’t enough for me as a business owner. During the staff recruiting process, you must also consider what each individual brings not only on the field but also to the program and the rest of the staff. Read more>>

Rashad Charles

In the beginning it was just one person. I did all I could to try and find other like-minded individuals who shared that drive and passion for finding very good music. Imagine having to swap between 5-6 different Instagram accounts in order to make posts and interact with comments while also simultaneously cross sharing content in order to maximize exposure. That was my job during my 9-5. Getting the first few new team members came naturally. From interested parties who reached out based on what they saw the label was doing. We started getting messages from people who genuinely wanted to make a positive impact in the music industry for themselves and artists around them. That’s what we’re all about at Very Good Music Group. Keeping it “VG.” Over the next few months of meeting our newest A&Rs they both already had spent numerous years in the music industry so it was nothing but additional boost to what we were doing and we wanted to serve as an awesome resourceful home for their endeavors and dreams Read more>>

Rob Colon

Hiring staff for a brand new business is the most important thing you will do in the startup process. In order to set the tone for your clients about who you are as a business, you have to have the right people on your team. As a small business owner, you may plan to be there all day every day and be able to monitor and influence the experience provided by your staff in every interaction. This is a normal and necessary plan. It is, however, crucial that you are spending more time contributing to the experience rather than correcting it. Read more>>