If you watch any documentary about any successful person they will tell you that they had a person or people who helped them get there. That form of help could have been reading their publications, having a mentor, or receiving resources like someone’s time, money, connections. I like to tell people to find their Scottie Pippen and Phil Jackson, some of the people who helped Michael Jordan become the GOAT that he is today, and work from there. Continue Reading to discover how to build a team for your business. A Success Team.

Full disclosure here, the process of building a successful team will frustrate you just as much as it will delight you because there will be some trial and error that will most likely cost you money and time. However, I want to help you to cut down on that learning curve by helping you to avoid the mistakes I did and make better-informed decisions. I define a Success Team as a group of people who are critical to your growth and development. They are helping you to succeed by providing you with their goods or services.

How to Build a Team for Your Business:

CHOOSING PEOPLE

Choosing people if you’re an entrepreneur:

I have hired people to help me with certain tasks and it didn’t pan out well for several reasons. In episode 144 Confessions of Tia: What I Learned From Being An Entrepreneur For 8 Years on The Spiritual & Empowerment Living With Tia podcast, I discussed how I hired and how I built a team without knowing the right questions to ask, among other things. You have to know several things before you pick someone to be on your team, such as:

  • What do you really want?
  • What does your business really need?
  • What you’re willing to do help (You can’t just delegate work or hire someone without helping or giving feedback)?
  • What’s your budget?
  • Is what you need essential to your business or just an add-on? Think of just wanting more followers on Instagram vs. creating a way to make those followers clients.


Who do you need on your success team?

Before we dive into the right questions, you need to know who you need on your team and then you can tailor your questions from there. After being an entrepreneur for 8 years and having received my Bachelors in Business Administration, here is what I have learned are baseline crucial people to have on your success team:

  • Virtual assistant
  • Marketing consultant
  • Social Media consultant
  • Accountability Partner (This can also be your VA)
  • Accountant
  • A small group of people who can provide you with feedback

There are, of course, more that can be added to the list but I wanted to start with just a few people. Currently, I have on my success team a Virtual Assistant, an Instagram Strategist, an Accountant, and a couple of people who I ask “Hey how does this sound…”. I don’t have a marketing consultant because I know enough about marketing to strategically plan a marketing campaign and handle other marketing tasks. That may change as I continue to grow my business.

How to Build a Team for Your Business | www.TiaMarieJohnson.com

The right questions to ask:

The next thing you want to think about are the questions you want to ask the people you want to hire or work with as this will help you to establish boundaries, know roles, understand what people can and cannot do, and other crucial elements. Do not be afraid or feel guilty to ask these question. Also, don’t be like me when I was starting out and just automatically trust that someone will do the work without really getting to know them. In other words, interview people as part of the process. Don’t just go on their website or read a few reviews. Pick up the phone and get to know them.

Here are some important questions to ask:

  • How long have you been doing this?
  • Do you have a website I can check out?
  • Do you have testimonials?
  • What’s your process regarding X?
  • Are you a morning person or night owl? (I explained to my VA that I’m a night owl so she can totally call or text me at 10pm, midnight, or even 1am. My VA is a night owl too but I think I have her beat with the 1am! HA).
  • Are you okay with weekly or bi-weekly calls?

Noticed how I didn’t ask the typical what are your strengths and weaknesses? I think those questions are lame. I always wanted to say to the employer my strengths are expressed in my resume and I’m going to need on the job training anyway so…

The questions are important because it helps you to understand the character of a person and that’s what is really important. They don’t have to have a website or even a fancy website but can they do the job and do it right within a reasonable timeframe?

How to Build a Team for Your Business | www.TiaMarieJohnson.com

Choosing people in life

This is near and dear to my heart. Choosing your success team for life isn’t about just rubbing elbows with the elite in a certain field. It’s about choosing to spend your time with people who actually care about your wellbeing on multiple fronts. These people want you to succeed in life and in business. They want you to grow spiritually, financially, mentally, physically, and beyond.  Let’s take a look at how we can bring these people into our lives.

  • The best friend– Will love you no matter what but will also tell you like it is.
  • The gym buddy– Will make sure you bring your ass to the gym, no excuses. Oh, and they are your part-time nutritionist.
  • The artsy friend- Will make sure that you are cultured.
  • The pop-culture friend– Will make sure that you are up-to-date with what’s going on in the world, even if you don’t care.
  • The spiritual friend– Will make sure that you remain true to yourself and make time for self-care.
  • The political friend- Will remind you how you are still influenced by decisions others make and also remind you that it’s how you react to the situation that will determine your outcome.
  • The fashion and makeup friend- Will make sure that you look glam or whatever style you should consider highlighting your best features.
  • The entrepreneur friend– Will remind you that you are 100% in control of your life and you CAN do it within time.
  • The financial friend- Will help you with your money mindset.
  • The no-nonsense friend– Will tell you to just get that shit done.

All of what I have mentioned above I have in my life. Yes, even the no-nonsense friend. I wrote a chapter dedicated to him in my second book, How To Get To The Point In Your Life. It’s chapter 19! They have helped me in multiple ways and I swear it took a lifetime to find them and I’m only 32. If you don’t have some of these people in your life, that’s fine. Maybe the arts aren’t your thing. Maybe fashion isn’t your thing. Just think about your makeup – your likes and how you want to grow. Put those thoughts out there into the universe, keep living your life and watch these people appear! I know it works because that’s what happened to me time and time again.

Remember, these are the people who are your support system. Each person plays a role in your life. Sometimes, your fashion friend can be your financial friend. The key is to understand your friends and understand the roles they play in your life. Everything else will fall into place.

How to Build a Team for Your Business | www.TiaMarieJohnson.com

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

  1. You may lose a few people along the way. I have chosen to end a business relationship for various reasons. I have experienced friendships fizzle. That’s okay because as you are growing your energy in combination with the universe is making way for the people you need and want in your life. It’s not an easy process but it’s worth it.
  2. When you are really ready for change and success the people will appear. Just as the saying goes, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear” you will meet the right people at the right time, even when you think it’s not the right time. Look deep within and ask the universe for signs.
  3. You may have FOMO. I used to think saying that I have a PR person was sexy and if I didn’t have that person I would be missing out on some chance because they have access to some network that I don’t have. Not always true. We have to be our biggest advocate, as my mom would say. Put in the work and the universe will answer, eventually. You’ll get the hand of networking and it’ll be second nature for you to connect and ween out people.

Tell me about your “Success Team”! Are you looking to build one? What help do you need right now in your business? Share in the comments below, and don’t forget to download your Spiritual & Transformational Freebie!

Spiritual & Transformational Freebies | www.TiaMarieJohnson.com

About Tia Johnson

Based in Philadelphia, Tia is an intuitive healer, international speaker, and best-selling author. Tia loves helping spiritually centered people crack the code of their intuitive gifts & overcome energetic blocks. For close to a decade, Tia has spoken to thousands of people nationally and internationally at several events, such as the Mind, Body, Spirit Expo, DivaGirl and Women's Empowerment Conferences, and empowerment cruises. Discover more at TiaMarieJohnson.com