Whether you are putting together an executive team, your board of directors, advisors, or your employees, people will make or break your success.  A leader needs to focus on recruiting the best people possible. Everything else will fall into place if the right people are there to make it happen. The people you want are as positive and passionate about your business as you are.

Many early stage startups will bring in employees or consultants that are friends or family of the founders or management and are asked to perform functions that they are not experienced in performing.  It is definitely easier and quicker to hire friends and family, especially when you are working long hours and need someone immediately, but some time needs to be spent handpicking people based on needed skill requirements if you want your business to succeed.  It really is extremely easy to bring in experienced personnel or consultants to assist in the areas where they are experts and the tasks will be completed much faster and more efficient, resulting in less rework in the future.  This will save the company money and time in the long run.  There are talented and skilled people who can wear more than one hat and they may not always be your friends and relatives. Always hire people who can add value to the company and its operations.

There also needs to be a certain sense of objectivity and accountability in the workplace. Friends and family do expect to be held to a different standard and they should be, away from your business, but never in it.