Startups often have a small team when they first launch, and each of those people plays many roles.
But how many employees does your startup team need, and how do you know when to upsize? The unfortunate truth is that the ideal number of people will be unique to each startup and what stage the startup is at.
Ideally, your startup team you have should have enough work to keep them busy, but not so busy that they’re stretched thin or burned out.
Below are a few idealized roles you might need to fill on your startup team.
The CEO
A startup’s CEO should be full of ideas but still be able to see the big picture. They’re the leader and the final decision-maker. The CEO should be a dreamer, always pushing for bigger and better.
The COO
The Chief Operations Officer is the planner and the realist on your startup team. They can tell which of the CEO’s ideas are achievable and what needs to be done to accomplish the startup’s goals. The COO is the planner who will hold the team accountable and keep them on schedule.
The CMO
The Chief Marketing Officer is your startup team’s cheer squad. They’re out there networking, pitching, and connecting. The CMO oversees your marketing – from PR to advertising to social media – to bring in both investors and customers.
The CFO
Your Chief Financial Officer is your bookkeeper and your accountant. They’re the numbers person on your team. The CFO keeps your spending in line and helps you determine how much capital you need to get started and what you need to charge so your startup makes a profit.
The Product Manager
This is the person who knows all the nitty-gritty details of your startup’s products or services inside and out. They’re a creative – a builder and a doer. The Product Manager is the expert on what your startup is selling, how it’s made, and how it works.
The Industry Expert
The industry expert knows your field and your market better than anyone in the startup team. They know exactly what niche your startup fills and how you compare to other companies in the industry. They work closely with the CMO to position your startup in the market and distinguish you from other startups and existing companies.
The Customer Service
If your startup is selling something, you have customers. If you have customers, need some form of customer service. Your customer service person knows what might go wrong with your product and can explain how to fix it. They need to be patient but firm, even when they’re getting yelled at over the phone.
These roles are just starting points for building your startup team. Each person is going to combine their personality, expertise, and role in a way unique to them and your startup. As your startup grows, you’ll need to add more positions to suit the startup’s needs. Maybe existing responsibilities need to be split between multiple people, or maybe you need to add an HR person or some other new role. Just remember that you should be hiring what and when your startup needs, not just because you want a bigger team.