One of the most critical aspects of building a successful business is hiring team members who share the vision and values you’ve established. When your team is aligned with the mission, they are more likely to be motivated, productive, and dedicated to achieving the goals. That said, assembling the right team isn’t easy. It’s taken me 7+ years to feel “good” at it, and it did not come without firing or disappointment.

1: Define Your Vision and Core Values

Before hiring team members, you must clearly define what that vision is. Consider your company’s mission, long-term goals, and core values. Then articulate them in a way that is easy to understand and communicate. This clarity will serve as a foundation for finding and retaining the right team members. I recommend creating a brand deck or working with us to build a strategy for your brand. Include some “gut check” questions to identify people who are aligned with our mission.

2: Hire Team Members for Cultural Fit

When hiring new team members, I recommend assessing their cultural fit within your organization. I used to wonder whether should I hire based on experience or personality. There are varying thoughts on this, but I have learned that culture is everything. If new team members believe in our mission and our values, love to learn, and are hungry for the position, they will be a good fit. I’m happy to exercise patience when helping the right people grow into their skills.

Step 3: Connect with your team often to communicate the vision

I find that regular communication is crucial to ensure our team is aligned with our brand vision. Our team meets once a week to chat about current projects, opportunities for improvement, and keeping on the right track. Though I am the founder and creative director, I want the team to share ideas for how we achieve the vision. Some of our best ideas come from encouraging open dialogue and collaborating as a team.

Step 4: Empower your team to also lead

When thinking through our core values, I wanted ‘empowerment’ to be front and center. Liberty Type is not about Amanda Burg, it is about all of us. I want my team to have ownership of the business, clients, and ideas. I give my team members the tools, resources, support, and autonomy they need to contribute in their own way. This has been a game-changer. For example, we recently implemented educational credits. We gave every member of our team $500 per quarter to spend on educational resources that will help them grow in their role. I want to make sure I am leading by example, encouraging constant knowledge, and helping my team feel fulfilled in their own careers and journeys.