Ventures need committed partners

Any venture that will capture value must have motivated, committed partners.

When an entrepreneur spots an opportunity and has a burning motivation to implement a solution, that would seem to be all he would need. This is not so, for no one can be a one-man solution. At some point, all ventures need partners.

What he does with this requirement may define his company for years to come. Choose investors who have money but lack your vision, and you may find them powerful resisters to the direction you want to go. Employ unmotivated people who just want a paycheck, and you may find all your energy is spent as a cheerleader, or a slave driver. None of these options appeal to the person who wants to fully capture an opportunity.

The decision to partner with others is an important one for the entrepreneur. Other’s participation is a defining factor in the scale of the venture, and many of the stories outlined in Worthless, Impossible and Stupid hinge upon the swift capture of the opportunity at hand. This is why an entrepreneur must discern carefully who to partner with. He must find investors who will back his leadership of the company and share his full commitment of the venture. When he chooses employees, he must recognize some may very well become the executive leaders of the organization he launches. Will he hire motivated individuals, or will he later be placed in a position to replace uninterested employees, possibly at great cost to himself and his venture?

My company finds motivated employees surprisingly well. All my co-workers are intrinsically motivated to do their best work for the sake of our clients and colleagues. My manager spends his time opening up opportunities for us to capture. He spends none of his time motivating us to work.

The C-Suite exemplify the company’s culture. They have all been at the company nearly from the beginning, and are as evidently motivated to pursue the venture they began together as the day they started. This is an example of an entrepreneurial venture that chose the right people from the beginning, and the results are evident. We are at the top of our market.

In light of this, I would like to learn more how our company selects the people who ultimately become employees.

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