March 1, 2020
This is how a Startup Factory should look like: a highly efficient, super coordinated startup building machine.
The question is: how is it possible to achieve such a level of perfection?
Well, let me say that in Startup Factories, like in every business on earth and possibly in space, perfection does not exist.
But, if any, the team should be the starting point: in fact, 32% of every startup crushes because of team issues.
On the other hand, those who reach the best skill mix will dominate the business. So the right team is one of the keys to success.
But if you think building a startup's team is hard, try making the Startup Factory's one: it's lethal. While a startup's team "only" has to focus on one product, a Startup Factory's core team should be able to fight on multiple fronts.
So - bet on it - your next question would be
The answer is, as always: it depends.
It depends on your core business, for starters. If your Startup Factory's field is digital, for example, you will probably need some very skilled nerds.
And then, of course, it depends on how much money you can spend on it: sure it would be great to have a different professional for each specific sector of your activity.
But let's be realistic, ok? In the very beginning, you'll probably be bargaining even for toilet paper.
That said, let's check some figures that definitely can't miss in your team.
In StudioHUB, we are data-maniacs. Last year, we scraped via Linkedin over 800 profiles from more than 20 of the biggest Studios around Europe, to determine which professionals were the most employed in Startup Factories.
From this activity, we learned something we want to share with you.
Most of the human capital spins around a few central areas such as business development, marketing and IT.
With this study on our mind and some years of experience in our hands, we imagined what the perfect starter-deck for a Startup Factory team could be.
Find it out!
A BARBARIAN GROWTH HACKER
With all those premises, first of all, you'll probably need somebody capable of providing your newborn startups massive growth in a short time on small budgets: that's it, an armoured growth hacker.
A PICKY DATA ANALYST
Knowledge is power, data is knowledge, so data is power. It's just a Socratic way to say you better hire an excellent data analyst to complete your team. Because, when things go wrong, nothing is more frustrating than not knowing why.
A VINTAGE MARKETER
Once you develop something good, you need the proper strategy to deliver it to the public: and when it comes to strategy, nothing is better than a hyperactive, old-fashioned marketer.
A NERDY DEVELOPER
Today everything is digital-first: so your Startup Factory certainly needs somebody able to speak the digital language (don't worry if lacks on the others). What you need here is a supernatural developer.
A STICKY SALESPERSON
Life itself is all about negotiation: why startup building should be different? On the path to success, you'll have to convince lots of people about the goodness of your ideas. Is to say: sell it. And to sell stuff, what's better than a skilled salesperson?
A GENTLE LEADER
You read it. Once I've heard that people don't quit bad jobs, but they do leave bad bosses. That means two things: your team does not need a boss, but a leader; and that this leader should be a kind person.
The team leader in a Startup Factory can be one of the previous figures, or somebody different.
"Leader" doesn't mean "manager": she or he doesn't necessarily have to be the person in charge. It is just the person the team looks at when things start to get tricky.
The professionals we just listed are a quite good way to start a generic Startup Factory. As said before, you should build the team on the specific needs of your business.
Whatever shape your team will need, when comes the moment to choose its members, keep in mind that teamwork is fundamental to survive in the startup environment.
You don't have to find the best professionals, per se. You have to find the best ones to work with you: after all, what's the matter in collecting the best talents on the market, if you're not able to make them work together?
About the Author
I put together digital and social media skills with creative writing and storytelling ones, to deliver any message in the best way.
