There are enough challenges with start-ups -- finding capital, finding space, attracting customers, reaching breakeven, hiring employees, etc., etc.. Why do so many entrepreneurs add interpersonal problems to this the already long list of challenges that must be dealt with during startup?
I have written often about the pitfalls of working with partners in entrepreneurial ventures (see here and here for a couple of recent musings). When a partnership works well, it can help you achieve things you never could have achieved alone. That was certainly the case with some of my partners in our health care venture.
But, partnership problems can be a significant cause of business failure for deals that would have succeeded were it not for the infighting of the owners.
Such dysfunction also extends to the key members of the team who are not formally partners in the venture. Team dynamics can soak up precious time that is needed to align the business to the market and getting customers in the door.
MyVenturePad has a link to a good post by Martin Zwilling at his blog Startup Professional Musings in which he looks at how to build a successful start-up team.
Culture really begins to take form with the first few hires, so make sure you look at not just people's talents, but their fit with your evolving team.
Manage the team carefully to build cohesion. And if someone is not fitting in, do not wait to long to remove that person from your business. The longer you wait to act, the worse the problem gets, and the more damage will be done to your team.
I have written often about the pitfalls of working with partners in entrepreneurial ventures (see here and here for a couple of recent musings). When a partnership works well, it can help you achieve things you never could have achieved alone. That was certainly the case with some of my partners in our health care venture.
But, partnership problems can be a significant cause of business failure for deals that would have succeeded were it not for the infighting of the owners.
Such dysfunction also extends to the key members of the team who are not formally partners in the venture. Team dynamics can soak up precious time that is needed to align the business to the market and getting customers in the door.
MyVenturePad has a link to a good post by Martin Zwilling at his blog Startup Professional Musings in which he looks at how to build a successful start-up team.
Culture really begins to take form with the first few hires, so make sure you look at not just people's talents, but their fit with your evolving team.
Manage the team carefully to build cohesion. And if someone is not fitting in, do not wait to long to remove that person from your business. The longer you wait to act, the worse the problem gets, and the more damage will be done to your team.
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