Lessons Learned: Hire people who roll up their sleeves
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.
Bambi Francisco Roizen
Founder and CEO of Vator, a media and research firm for entrepreneurs and investors; Managing Director of Vator Health Fund; Co-Founder of Invent Health; Author and award-winning journalist.
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