Build the Damn Thing: A Newsletter from Kathryn Finney
Build The Damn Thing
How To Build An Amazing Team
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How To Build An Amazing Team

The right team is crucial to any business and depends on its success. Knowing who to hire and when to let them go can make or break your company. One way to ensure you’re building a successful team is to identify your core needs so that you can provide all of your hires are moving your business forward. You also want to make a team with complementary skills. 

“I’ve learned that businesses are not just about money; they’re about people and relationships, particularly when working with folks.”

Creating a company where you enjoy working with the people around you is essential, especially for startups or small businesses. You should have a good working relationship with your team and understand both their needs and your needs.

“One of the things that I like about Genius Guild that really surprised me and was so revolutionary compared to other companies is our core values.” 

When Kathryn began Genius Guild, she developed core values that she thought the company should embody. Developing these values helped her solidify the people she wanted to work with and recognize who she didn't want to work with. You should think about what’s important to you in running the day-to-day operations of your company. For Kathryn, that was figuring out Genius Guild’s core values. For Ellie Bahrmasel, the CEO and co-founder of Further Faster Ventures, it was about determining processes for onboarding and frameworks around communication and norms so that once she found the right people, she could integrate them into her company seamlessly.

“Many folks want to be a startup of one because they think entrepreneurship is a solo sport. And I'm here to tell you it is not.”

The most successful people are those who have teamed up with others. You cannot do everything yourself, both because it’s physically impossible and because you need the diversity of skills and ideas that come with other people. All founders need a great team behind them to ensure that their business is strong and can weather whatever is thrown at it.

Guests 

Dr. Jeffrey Robinson: https://www.business.rutgers.edu/faculty/jeffrey-robinson

Ellie Bahrmasel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliebahrmasel/

Sharmayne Lueiza Muñoz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharmayne-lueiza-mu

Citi Medina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/medinaciti/ 

Brian Laung Aoaeh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/industrialtransformationandsupplychaintechnology/

Elisa Camahort Page: https://www.elisacp.com/ 

Discussion about this podcast

Build the Damn Thing: A Newsletter from Kathryn Finney
Build The Damn Thing
No more excuses. No more procrastination. If you’re ready to take your business, side hustle or idea to the next level, then this is the podcast for you! The podcast is hosted by Kathryn Finney, one of the most influential women in tech (INC Magazine), one of the first Black women to sell her startup, and Managing General Partner at the Chicago-based venture firm, Genius Guild.
Based on Kathryn’s bestselling book “Build the Damn Thing: How to Build a Successful Business if You’re NOT a Rich White Guy”, Build the Damn Thing is part storytelling, part mix tape and designed to teach you how to bring your business to the next level. The podcast features lessons and tips from leaders and entrepreneurs who have “Built the Damn Thing” themselves. From serial entrepreneurs to those who take risks to solve problems both abroad and locally — it's all here on the show!