I believe that when assembling a startup team, the "Who, then Where" approach is the best. This means that I prioritize finding the right people first, and then figuring out what we will be building together, not the other way around.

In my opinion, the key characteristics to look for in potential team members are:

1. A growth mindset - I want to work with individuals who are excited by challenges, see failure as an opportunity to learn and grow, and believe in the power of continuous learning. These are the type of people who are eager to try new things, embrace uncertainty, and are committed to putting in the time and effort to succeed. For example, if a team member suggests trying a new marketing strategy and it doesn't work, a person with a growth mindset would take that failure as an opportunity to learn and try something new, rather than giving up or blaming others.

2. Accountability - I believe that running a startup requires and trains accountability, so I look for candidates who take ownership of their actions and those of their team members, and who are always seeking to expand their responsibilities. If a team member is responsible for a project and it doesn't meet the expectations, an accountable person would take responsibility for it, learn from the mistakes and come up with a new plan.

3. Empathy - The name of my first company, Empatika, is derived from "empathy", and I believe that the ability to understand and share the feelings of others is an essential characteristic for early employees. When a team member is speaking with a customer and they can sense that the customer is upset, an empathetic team member would be able to understand the customer's feelings and respond in a way that will help to alleviate their concerns. I was once asked, "If you could invent a super-power device, what would it be and why?" & my response was an empathy-enhancing device because I strongly believe that this attribute is not only essential for startup employees, but for every human being.

These values are what we based our team selection at App in the Air and I plan to continue doing so in my future ventures.

Advice to my younger self

To ensure that you are building a strong team, take the time to think about the attributes that you value in a team member and use this as a guide when recruiting your early team members. This will help you to identify and attract individuals who align with your values and will work well together, setting the foundation for a successful startup.