One thing I found fascinating when I was working in a social enterprise start-up was how it was able to attract so many great people despite being a small and young company. The different heads of each department were very competent and carried strong backgrounds and knowledge in their specific area. As an example, my supply chain boss and the marketing head used to be top regional executives in a well-known multinational company. Their talents definitely helped the company move forward and become big in less than 5 years.
It’s common advice to tell start-up founders to “fake it ’til you make it”. Skills can be learned on the job and beginner’s mindset are valuable for a founder. Equally good advice is to have a strong team to back the founder. Experience still plays an important role, and having experienced people in the team is a game changer. They already know how to navigate certain scenarios and avoid common mistakes. No need to totally start from scratch.
No founder is an island. A great and strong team surrounding the founder is important.
