How to build a team

Not all teams are equal, and there is no single, standard way to build one. Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to build teams from scratch, and along the way I’ve learned lessons that have deeply shaped both the culture and the operations of the teams I’ve led.

I created this document not only to share my perspective publicly, but also to give my own teams clarity into why I make the decisions I make—and how we arrived at where we are today. My hope is that this helps anyone who has been tasked with building a team from the ground up, regardless of function, and gives them practical guidance on how to build a successful, well-operating team.

Step #1: Do the Work

One of the most important principles I cannot emphasize enough is this: the leader building the team must do the work.

A true leader, in my opinion, must get their hands dirty. They must do the actual work their team will be asked to do.

• If you’re an engineering leader, you must code.
• If you’re a marketing leader, you must understand the market, positioning, and write copy.
• If you’re in sales, you must close deals and show the team how it’s done.

Go to battle first, and your team will respect you.

Doing the work earns trust, but it also reveals something even more valuable: what’s broken. You’ll quickly identify gaps in tooling, process, documentation, and expectations. You’ll gain firsthand insight into not just what the job is, but what it takes to do it well.

This is critical. It’s one thing to be a good leader who builds processes. You gain real leverage when you know how to do the work and can show your team how to do it.

Some will argue that leaders don’t need to know how to do the job—they just need to lead. In my experience, leaders who don’t understand the work they lead almost always fail.

Step #2: Hire the Right People

Once you know exactly how to do the work—and what success looks like—you’re equipped to make your first hire.

I don’t care if you’re a VP or a Senior Director: your first hire should be an IC.

I’ve seen many cases where leaders hire another manager as their first hire. This creates unnecessary layers and weak foundations. Your first hire sets the tone for the culture you’re about to build. They are the foundation.

Hire fast, but hire correctly. Spend time understanding whether what the candidate does today will allow them to contribute immediately and hit the ground running.

Beyond skills, you must understand:

• What they enjoy doing in their spare time
• What they’re passionate about
• Whether this is just a job or a true career path
• If they invest time learning, researching, or participating in industry events

Just as important is personality. Ask yourself:

• Do I enjoy interacting with this person?
• Would I be comfortable working late hours with them if needed?
• Do they bring positive energy under pressure?

This person will help define your team’s culture. Getting this hire right is non-negotiable.

Step #3: Ramp Up and Document

Immediately ramp your new hire while continuing to interview for the next 2–3 roles.

Have them shadow you. Bring them into calls. Let them observe how work actually gets done. Gradually transition IC responsibilities to them while you begin documenting everything.

Your role now shifts from doing the work to becoming a multiplier.

Start documenting:

• Processes
• Decisions
• Playbooks
• Common pitfalls

Build a simple knowledge base. This becomes the foundation for every future hire. You cannot afford to pull your first hire away from execution to onboard others—that responsibility stays with you, especially in scrappy startup environments with no formal enablement team.

Schedule a weekly 1:1 with your new hire. Show them they have support. Keep notes and action items—it holds both of you accountable.

As you add more people, onboard them using the documentation you’ve created and have them shadow your first hire. Once you reach 3–4 team members, it’s time to start thinking about leadership.

Step #4: Build Leaders

As a general rule, I recommend no more than 8 direct reports per manager. This varies by role and function, but it’s a solid guideline.

Early on, ICs should report directly to you while both you and the team ramp. Avoid unnecessary layers. If you plan to grow the team to 10–12 people, leadership development must start early.

Hire your first manager once the team reaches critical mass. That manager should take on roughly half the team—not everyone. You must remain close to the work and maintain credibility and “skin in the game.”

Once hired, the new manager should:

• Follow the existing documentation and onboarding process
• Participate actively in hiring
• Hire their own team members to build trust and ownership

Use your first hire as the cultural and performance model. Involve them in interviews and onboarding to reinforce standards.

Step #5: The Charter

Some suggest writing a team charter before the team exists. I disagree.

When building a new team, the charter should emerge, not precede. Early on, focus on execution—roles, metrics, responsibilities, and outcomes. Once the team is operating and structured, that’s when the charter becomes powerful.

The charter should be built collaboratively and include:

• Mission and vision
• Objectives and success metrics
• Team structure and IC levels
• Operating principles
• Communication norms
• Stakeholder engagement and cadence
• Expectations for excellence and accountability

Everyone should believe in it. Everyone should understand it.

Conclusion

If you’re tasked with building a team and follow these steps, you’ll put yourself in an excellent position to succeed.

I’ve used this approach to build multiple teams throughout my career, and each time it has helped shape strong cultures and effective operations. There’s no shortcut—but there is a proven path.

Build the foundation right, and everything else scales.