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.

Naftuly Kraus

When I first started Blackbird Recruiting in 2021, it was just me—hands-on, grinding out every detail. It was definitely a “wear all the hats” kind of situation. But I knew from the beginning that in order to scale, I would need to build a solid team, and that’s where things got interesting. Finding my first few team members wasn’t your typical recruiting process. I was looking for people who not only had the right skill sets but who were also flexible, driven, and could thrive in a fast-paced, startup environment. I turned to my network and had a lot of personal outreach. The interview process was casual but thorough, focused on cultural fit, problem-solving abilities, and whether they could embrace the hustle of growing a business from the ground up. Read more>>

Alexis Bostrom

In the beginning, it was just me—and my husband. He was my first and only real employee for the first four seasons, and together we did it all. From early mornings to late nights, we wore every hat and built the foundation of Big Wolf side by side. It was chaotic at times, exhausting often, but always deeply meaningful. There’s something powerful about building your dream with someone who believes in it as much as you do. Read more>>

Sam Centellas

As I was growing a team, I learned the most important thing to look for in an employee or team member is their ability to be flexible and work hard. You can teach skills and specific tasks, but you can’t teach dedication and determination to get something done as a team. Then it is important that you show appreciation for all work, high skilled or other, because normally I see in teams people recognize those who use a scalpel, but not those who use a sledge hammer, and both are often needed to get the job done, so thank them both. Read more>>

Heather Hoffman

I remember finally getting the keys to Propagation I looked at my partner and said, “OK! Now I can finally tell people.” Any work team is important, but in a bar, it’s even more so. Customers are engaging with you and watching you throughout their entire experience. I had long dreamt of owning a bar, and I always kept an ongoing list of people I would be lucky to work with. It was early COVID, so everyone was in a bit of a panic. Luckily, I just zoned in on that list — and almost everyone I had on it came on board. I know it’s different when you’re the boss, but everyone on that list was someone I had worked with in one way or another. They knew I was hardworking, and I knew they were too. Read more>>