Serial entrepreneur Dane Atkinson has spent his entire career trying to help small businesses thrive and grow.
"The strength of your team is the biggest indicator of future success at the earliest stages," Atkinson said, adding that he encourages all small-business owners to prioritize these types of hires. Many of his hires have come from months or years of check-ins and catch-ups, where he shares what Odeko is doing and gathers feedback from those he admires. Organic collaboration and communication allow him to see when a potential employee is the right fit.
However, small-business owners often don't have the same budgets for hiring or perks, he said. With that in mind, founders need to lean in to other aspects of the business to attract talent.In his experience, he's noticed folks from larger companies often feel stagnant in their current roles. If they aren't ready to leave their current gigs, he encourages them to explicitly set future career goals, he said.
"The ability to attract all-stars has been knowing that they're going to do it better than I am," Atkinson said."I can feel comfortable giving them the freedom to run."