It was the day your great business idea was born. You decided to do a little market research and it turned out to be pretty optimistic. You moved on to your finances; it looked promising. You would have to set some money aside, but all in all, you would have a solid backing there in a relatively short period of time. And as time goes by it’s getting harder and harder to shake off that overwhelming feeling you’ve reached a turning point in your life. You’re not just thinking about it, you’re actually doing it. You are starting your business. 

Congratulations! You’re now entering the world where it’s not always about what you know, but about who you know. And if you’re thinking we will allude to certain aspects of business in this post, we most certainly will. However, this text will not be about ethically questionable achievements in the business world and how to succeed without really trying. It will be about the core of any successful business. We will be discussing how to make the right choices in creating a devoted team of people that function as a support system and help determine the path and outcome of a company.

Even if you consider yourself a highly accomplished, efficient and dedicated hard-working slave, chances are you’re not going to be able to manage your own business all by yourself. In some situations you’ll simply have to ask for help and let someone else step in. This where your circle of supporters will come in handy. So, be careful when creating your team of professionals right at the beginning, because they will be the experts you can later lean on. 

Of course, the size of your team and the members’ expertise will depend on your specific business, but these would be our ”top picks”:

LAWYER

How fluent are you in legal English? Unless your proficiency level is advanced, it might be a good thing to pick up the business card that has been lying on your desk for some time and call that legal professional. Apart from the complicated legal jargon and frustration, a lawyer will help you with all the necessary contracts, insurance policies, permits etc. and ensure you know what you’re signing and agreeing to.

TAX PROFESSIONAL

Even if you are good with numbers and you’re already thinking of using accounting software to manage your company’s finances on your own, it is always better to have an ace up your sleeve. Whether you decide to delegate all the dirty work or you just want a meeting from time to time, an experienced tax accountant in your field will help you do the thing right from the start.

VISIONARY

While a lawyer and an accountant will cover the administrative and procedural part of your business, this one (along with the rest of the members on our list) will help your ideas come to life and make your business flourish. This person should be a mix of individuality, creativity and innovation; a dreamer who sees a product that can be built even if the risks are high.

EAGLE EYE

A visionary’s best friend… or worst enemy. As a detailed oriented person, this member will work together with the creative genius to develop a plan for how to build a particular product. This person will provide all the necessary research and information to put the wheels in motion and build a shell of the future product.

CRAFTSMAN

The one with all the necessary technical skills to actually give life to your product. Since we are living in the 21st century, where one of the first associations to the term will most certainly be technology, this person would be either a developer or an engineer.  

LEADER

This is a process oriented person, who will make sure everyone else knows his/her role in the system. This is the member who makes sure the wheels in motion are running smoothly to put the concept into action and bring you the final product. It might be a good thing to search for a slightly more impatient person (if you don’t plan to assume that role yourself). Even if, at times, he or she won’t be the most popular person on the team, his/her focus on deadlines will help others not to lose track. 

SALES BEAST

This member is your brand ambassador, no matter what product or service you provide. This person is the first point of contact for all your future leads, prospects and customers and as such is an essential part of your initial team. He or she should present a combination of expertise, intelligence, charm and a bit of aggressiveness. Of course, a good salesperson will recognize the perfect timing to employ his/her bloodthirsty drive and make that sale without scaring your customers off.

Now that you have your starting lineup, you should start thinking about how they will work together. This is where things can get quite complicated – pretty quickly sometimes. 

Even with your high expectations during the selection process, people will come with a baggage of some kind. Yes, statements like “We’re all humans” and “Nobody is perfect” are such truisms these days, but with these in mind, you’ll be able to master the art of puppetry and help the members of your team complement each other. So, think about their individual personalities.

Which one of your team members can interface directly with others and which one would be an excellent buffer in case things get tricky? 

As already mentioned, these people will form a core of your business; they will be your circle of supporters. So, look for people who are passionate and who care, just as much as you do, about your future company’s vision, mission and strategy. This will undoubtedly get you off to a good start.

Author: Thomas Smallwood is an outsourcing specialist. Having worked in companies around Europe, from the support desk to the boardroom, he founded bizee.co to help small businesses grow through efficient delegation to skilled virtual assistants. He is an award-winning blogger and a passionate advocate for mental health awareness.

Connect with Tom on LinkedIn.