Startups require a lot of hard work, with no rest for the weary. Since you need to be moving at light speed to gain first-mover advantage, it often means a lot of late nights in close quarters alongside your fellow team members. The founding team must be able to thrive in that environment. Capital will be tight and you will need to stretch your human resources as far as you can, without breaking the bank.
Recruit the right people.
You want a hard working team? It all starts with recruiting the right people out of the gate. In addition to seeing if they have the right skills for the job, you have to see if they have the right attitude and hard work ethic for the job. Don’t take their word on it, as everyone will say they have the “right stuff”. You have to talk to their former employers as references, and have them give you real examples of how they have functioned in that capacity in the past.
Foster the right team culture.
Once you have the right people, surround them with hard-working peers. Create a culture of “all for one, and one for all” prepared to do whatever is necessary to help the company win the race. Create realistic targets for them to hit by certain dates, and create a competitive spirit…