One vital aspect of running a successful business is having the right founding team. It’s well known that the vast majority of new startups fail, but studies show that many of these failures are less down to poor products as much as they are due to lack of a co-founder and team1. Starting a business takes place in an uncertain and complex environment, and requires a broad spectrum of knowledge, experience and skills. More often than not, a single founder does not have all the required abilities. This is one of the reasons to find the right co-founder(s) and assemble a team in order to succeed.
Furthermore, founding a startup is a bumpy road with many pitfalls to overcome. Having one or more co-founders has quite some benefits. It makes it easier to navigate through tough times and allows you to apply a wider perspective on the business. Due to complementary skills, a startup has the ability to avoid mistakes than one would otherwise make without a second pair of eyes. Of course, celebrating successes and the accomplishment of milestones is more fun doing together than on your own.
With all this in mind, having a co-founder and a team is very beneficial. However, wanting a co-founder and actually finding the right person for the job are two very different things. Many entrepreneurs struggle with this process, and that is exactly where the first Masterclass of Mercator Launch comes in!
In this masterclass, we are going to pay specific attention to train you, as a starting entrepreneur, in what the essence of a founding team is and provide you with the skills and network to find the right co-founder(s). The ultimate goal is to assemble a cohesive and united team to conquer the world.
First, you will gain insight into your own knowledge, competences and skills as well as the vision of your startup. As a result, you are able to identify the qualities you are looking for in a co-founder. Next, successful startup teams will share their experience in their search for a partner.
Furthermore, you will start networking right away with like-minded people during speed dating rounds. In this way, you will really get a feeling of how such a conversation takes place. After attending the masterclass, you will be able to:
- Identify and define your knowledge, competences, skills, motivations, strengths and weaknesses
- Determine what knowledge and skillset your startup needs
- Define what kind of values, vision and personality you prefer on your team
- Connect with potential co-founders and team members
Of course, after the masterclass, you will have a lot of new information to consume. As we are very curious to hear your experience with finding the right co-founder, a return day is organised six weeks after the masterclass. That day, everyone can share his or her story and experience.
General information
The masterclass will take place on the 23d of March, from 1 to 6 PM. The return day will take place on the 13th of May, from 4 to 5 PM. Both events will take place on ZOOM.
[1] Entrepreneurial Team Formation – Lazar, M.
