Lessons Learned: Hire people who roll up their sleeves

Lessons learned from entrepreneur by Bambi Francisco Roizen
June 19, 2008 | Comments (2)
Short URL: http://vator.tv/n/266

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In the startup world, people are expected to work around the clock. To that end, it's important to hire people who get the job done, said Matt Greeley, CEO of Brightidea. "The biggest error I made was thinking that someone with a big fluffy resume was the best thing for our company," he said. "I tend to gravitate to people who can roll up their sleeves and get something done instead of coming from Big Company X or Big School Y." In other words, it's better to have people who can actually work rather than people who are just delegating.  

Additionally, Matt reminds entrepreneurs that if they get to those moments when they're uncertain and unclear about the direction they should go, they should think of the customer. "Some people get lost in the hype," he said. "It's about cash flow, revenue and profitability. If you're looking for truth - if you're in that moment where the world is chaotic and you're not sure what to do, if you're looking for a grain of truth... what someone is willing to pay for is the truth." 

Great advice, Matt. 

Comments

Danny McGowan
Danny McGowan, on June 19, 2008

sweat equity, trench work, boot strap, hands on, execution, experience. failure is a entrepreneurs tuition. http://www.TruthLocator.com


Kevin Flick
Kevin Flick, on June 20, 2008

Precisely right. Roll-up-your-sleeves, brown bag lunch-type employee that exhibits a healthy balance of optimism/skepticism.

Remember Darwin - survival of the fittest, the smartest, and the most practical. Your competitors are the most obsessive and idiosyncratic practitioners extant, most of whom are highly educated and possessive of greater cerebellums. You differentiate yourself by your process and routinely working harder than anyone else. For as John Maxwell wrote, “Successful and unsuccessful people do not vary greatly in their abilities. They vary in their desires to reach their potential.”

Kevin


Bambi Francisco Roizen
Bambi Francisco Roizen, on June 20, 2008

Thanks, Kevin for pointing out this quote! "Successful and unsuccessful people do not vary greatly in their abilities. They vary in their desires to reach their potential," John Maxwell


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