Collaboration is something we have been doing our whole lives, especially during our formative years. Whether you played T-ball as a child, attended summer camp or played with the kids in your neighborhood, chances are you have had to collaborate with other people.
This type of collaboration helps us identify our strengths and areas for improvement. Maybe you stepped up and became the team leader in your group project, or maybe you’re the friend who shows up to the planned group trip. Learning to work with different personalities, diverse workflow styles and multiple skill sets is important not just in our personal lives but also in professional settings, especially when being an entrepreneur.
Collaboration in Entrepreneurship
If you’re an entrepreneur, whether you’re still balancing your studies or already building a business in the market, you’re likely stepping into leadership. And while being the driving force behind your venture is essential, collaboration is just as critical.
Collaboration can take many forms depending on your business model. You might be a retailer teaming up with complementary local businesses, or a startup founder seeking a co-founder, software engineer or accountant. Whatever your path, working with others helps you move faster and build stronger.
But how does an entrepreneur even begin to find the right mix of people—those who are just as passionate about their ideas, or deeply knowledgeable in areas they’re eager to learn from? This is where the beauty of networking comes in. Pushing yourself as a founder to meet new people and share what you’re working on can be highly beneficial, as you never know who you’ll meet who could potentially take an interest in or relate to what you’re doing.
As an entrepreneur, being a loner will not help you to be the most successful business you can be. You must go out and meet new people! Even if you already have a team in place, attending connection workshops can provide insight into what others are doing, dealing with or working through. Being curious about people will allow for smooth collaboration within an internal team.
Good Communication and Team Building
Understanding people gives you insight into how they approach problems. If you have a venture and are stuck in one area, being able to brainstorm with other individuals can help you find a solution. Building connections by talking, even if only about life and not business, provides insight into how someone thinks. Maybe you meet someone younger than you, and they provide a perspective you had never considered before. Or maybe you ask someone more seasoned to tell their stories of learned mistakes that help make you all the wiser.
Considering others’ opinions, takes, and insight is what makes a strong business and entrepreneurial team. Talking and listening also help you build better communication skills. Communication is one of the most common reasons problems arise when working as a team on a project. If everyone isn’t clear or doesn’t understand, the venture will not move forward successfully. As an entrepreneur, you want to build a team that collaborates well, and it starts with you leading by example.
Moving from Solo Work to a Team
As entrepreneurs, whether you’re side hustling your idea or building it on weekends, we often start alone, carrying a vision until we earn buy-in and momentum begins to build. Once our team is assembled, it’s important not to bring in our solo work practices with us on this new journey. Working as a solo individual within a team can hinder a business’s success. If we work together, ensuring that everyone on the team is involved, we will strengthen the venture’s goals, boost team buy-in and improve outcomes.
Did you know that successful collaboration leads to innovation? Working with a team allows for swift solutions when problems arise, and most of those problems are solved by team members generating creative ideas.
If you haven’t built your team yet, that’s okay, it’s an exciting place to be. You’re in the discovery phase, where you get to explore, connect and figure out who’s best suited to help drive your business forward.
When building a team, remember: you’re looking for unique skills that complement your own and each other’s. Everyone is constantly learning, growing and evolving—and that’s what keeps your entrepreneurial journey dynamic and engaging.
Here are a few great opportunities to start meeting collaborators, and maybe even future team members:
Coffee + Co-Working
Join us on the 1st Friday of each month to see our event and co-working space in the heart of downtown Phoenix. You are welcome to stay and work from here the rest of the day. We will provide coffee and light refreshments. All Coffee + Co-Working events can be found here: https://entrepreneurship.asu.edu/e_i_events/
This event is for you if you want to:
- Meet professionals, entrepreneurs and community members in an engaging networking event.
- Learn about what E+I @850PBC space has to offer.
- Learn and share resources with others who are passionate about entrepreneurship or their field of work.
- Find a free collaborative space.
- Find a space for your next event/conference/presentation.
Venture Devils
The Venture Devils program is an opportunity for ASU and MCCCD students to bring an idea to life! Venture Devils provides a robust suite of resources, programming, mentorship, and funding opportunities to help you develop your idea. This is a great place to build a team for your next venture. Join Venture Devils at any time by filling out the Venture Devils registration.
Entrepreneurial Student Organizations
You can find a variety of entrepreneurial clubs on campus. Browse through the directory and find one that fits your style.
Whether you’re shaping a new idea or stepping into the next phase of your venture, we’re here to help you find the right circle of supporters—people to exchange ideas with and collaborate alongside with. Because your vision deserves not just momentum, but meaningful connections to help you grow.
