3 Questions To Ask When You Are In The Start-Up Stage

If you are thinking of starting a company or have even started one and you are in the early phases, you will know that planning a strategy is no walk in the park. There are endless things to think about, from product to growth. So these three questions should be some of the first you ask yourself:

Who do you want to be?

What type of people do I want?

Why would people want to work for you over your competitors?

Who do you want to be?

Yes, you want to be profitable and have the best team and company, but small things will affect your company’s success, like the people you hire. First, you need to establish who you will need to make your company successful – what technical talent do you need? Who is going to sell your product/ service? Who will you hire to get the word out about your company?

It is essential to outline your mission and goals at the beginning so you and your team and strategically work towards them. 

Then there is the cultural side to talent sourcing. Who you will be as a company is directly affected by the people you hire and what culture you decide to create or adopt. Have a conversation with your current team to understand the type of culture you currently have and where you want to take it as you grow. Once you have established the kind of person you want in your company, you can relay this to your recruiters to ensure your team grows as you want it to. 

Your mission statement should take a significant role in the culture you decide to create. 

What type of people do I want?

It is excellent that you want to hire the best – people with 10+ years’ experience and a long list of skills; however, these people are expensive. Yes, your start-up may need a few of these critical hires; however, each person you hire needs to be able to grow with your company – people who have some experience but are willing to learn are great hires for start-ups, as they have the ability and capacity to grow with your company.

Start-ups offer a high level of self-management, learning, growing and ever-changing environments, so consider this when finding your next hire. Someone who likes a set job list and routine is likely not the best person for any job in your start-up. 

Creating a job description and assessing what type of person you want in your company is an excellent place to start. Once you have this information, expert recruiters can find the ideal person to fit the role. Therefore, recruitment planning is essential to get your first critical hires right. 

Why would people want to work for you over your competitors?

Everyone has competitors, so analysing the market before doing anything is a good idea. What do they offer their employees which makes them attractive? Why would people choose to work there? What is their culture like? Once you have made your research list, establish why people want to work for you. What makes you different?

If your list includes ‘competitive salary’ and ‘Great OTE,’ you can kiss great talent goodbye. People are looking for more than this.

According to Fractl, the benefits most valued by job seekers are health insurance, flexible hours, and vacation time, closely followed by work-from-home options, tuition assistance and paid maternity leave. These may be some of the benefits you add to your employee packages.

Despite great benefits and packages, great talent is looking for something different and to be seen as an individual valued in their workplace. So think outside the box and offer them something they can’t get elsewhere – a unique company culture!

The challenges you will face as a start-up can be complex; however, your company will flourish with careful planning, expert partners, and strategic focus.