As An Entrepreneur, How Can We Get It All Right?

We're screwed! Yep, we are. I am calling it out loud. It's impossible to be everything to everyone. 

But there is a catch. Hire the right people and you spread the workload and the talent reach.

There is no moment in business that doesn't come with inherent challenges. Even getting sales, has a challenge. It's not all fun and games, but it should be. Unfortunately, life isn't like that. It takes work, and more work, along with compassion, love and a thirst for "making shit happen".

One of the big challenges that Marketing Eye faces is hiring the right people. We are forever thinking this through and in some ways we have over-thought the process. At the moment we have an exceptional team in place that we wouldn't change for quids. However, things change and are often out of our control - like growing. That means we need more people, but they have to fit the culture and be able to work as part of the team.

Every single time I have over-written the team on a "hire call" when they have spoken up on company culture, I have been wrong. I hate writing that, but it's true and they say, good leader admit it when they are wrong.

I introduced a new person to the team last week and when I did my spiel, off the cuff of course, I realized that what I was saying was so true: 

"Every person on the team brings something unique to the table. They are better than anyone else on the team at their particular talent. With this skill they are able to turn around and teach others. This is the value of Marketing Eye. The ability to learn and collaborate with others. Additionally, every single person has each other's back. You won't find too many companies quite like that."

When I said it, I realized just how true of a statement it is and how important it is to our company going forward. We will struggle to find people who fit our culture:

• No overtime policy: you should be able to do all of your work during the day and your job is designed for that. No-one is given too many clients. It's all about managing your time.
• We celebrate everyone's birthday's regardless of how busy you think you are.
• If someone is struggling, everyone has to put their hands up and help out. We are a team through and through.
• Be happy, smile often, crack jokes and learn to have as much fun at work as you do personally.
• Like the people you work with, because if you do, you will work better in the environment you are in.
• Collaborate and share ideas. Give feedback.
• Don't be precious. Rather than beating around the bush - tell it how it is in 160 letters like on Twitter, not as a novel that kind of says what you are thinking. The person receiving it can either decide to take it on board or ignore it. It's their choice.
• Kindess always. Period.
• Never leave half way through the job.
• Clients are everything. Your team is everything. You are everything.
• Do your best work everytime. 
• Learn and listen.

Finding people who accept these things and want to be part of it isn't that easy. In fact, that is why we are screwed. We have to employ a number of people including web developers, graphic designers, marketers and public relations people - and everyone we have interviewed is nice, but they don't fit our culture. 

So what do we do? What would you do?