Would you rather be your own boss or be part of a strong team?
Paul VanZandt
53 replies
This is a tricky question for many entrepreneurs, and I'm personally very torn. What do you prefer and why?
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Devluc@devluc
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I would start as part of a strong team to learn from experienced peers then go solo as my own boss. I've been working as my own boss since 6 years and I have to admit I fly when I work on my own. Building my own basic products is a dream come true. Admittedly I learned a lot when I worked as part of a team but crawled when trying to implement my own projects with them. Even though they were validates and generating real business results.
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@luciantartea This seems like a really common sentiment and I agree - building your own product is really great (but not easy)
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They are not mutually exclusive: you can always be the boss of a strong team you lead:) But, on a serious note, I think a lot of learning opportunities come from working in a strong team. You can then pour this knowledge and experience into passion projects where you are your own boss and should all the responsibility.
@maya_ovice I totally agree - being a part of a team in any capacity is a brilliant way to take in new information and learn how to improve. Being a team leader is the best of both worlds!
Looking split right now but I much prefer the affordances of a lone working than the constraints introduced by a team.
I recognize the affordances working in a team offers but right now, I like my 'freedom' 😅
@dannyhatcher Backing this up. Working alone after learning from teams has been a good choice for me. And I enjoy the freedom so much
@dannyhatcher Freedom is really hard to give up especially after you've tasted it.
Virtual Sapiens
Part of a strong team - which implies great leadership. Great leadership never feels like you have a boss:)
And this is coming from the CEO of a company haha. I try to view everyone as a fully fledge, equal member of a team. Everyone has skin in the game and everyone's opinions are safely heard and valued.
@rachelonpointe I completely agree, and I know a lot of other people do too. Creating positive culture through leadership is a key reason a lot of people join teams in the first place.
@rachelonpointe that's so true. Especially the part with skin in the game.
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@yesser_falk @rachelonpointe agree 100%, without this leadership initiative, there is no strong team. Best is leader of the team and become your own boss.
@rachelonpointe Great way of thinking. Your team is lucky to have you as leader. Not a lot of managers think this way
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@luciantartea Thank you for saying that Lucian - very kind of you...
Zenpreneur
cop out answer incoming -
my own boss as part of a strong team? :')
i like lean teams of complementary skill stacks, domains and context!
@shivam_jha3 This is a really popular answer - probably the best one.
Firmao CRM
Everyone in our company has something to say. I think it's a good solution that works even better thanks to the CRM system. We are all customer focused.
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Being a solo, swash-buckling entrepreneur sounds sexy. But for me, working with a strong team just seems a lot more rewarding and effective.
I tried both. My advice: be sure to gather enough experience and connections before you start your enterpreneurial journey. It's virtually impossible to get back to a corporate job afterwards, so prepare before making this big step.
And it goes without saying, preparation includes accumulating some money reserves.
@daniel_engels You've described my journey. I can confirm it's the most risk free path into self employment or building startups. Learned a lot from teams and now as a bootstrapper I can move fast
@daniel_engels Emphasizing preparation is key, thanks for sharing. Why do you think it's so hard to return to corporate life after exploring an entrepreneurial career?
A strong team definitely. Being your own boss puts you under quite many responsibilities while being a part of a team where everyone has their responsibilities and can lend a hand whenever you need is an awesome feeling. Also, other team members can always cover you when you need it!
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I like both. Happy to be part of a strong team of people who are equals building together. Not a huge fan of being an employee no matter how strong the team, but it sure helps!
I do see the perks of being your own boss but I enjoy it better when I work with trusted and experienced people who will also give what it takes to succeed. The only problem is such people are hard to come by and I count myself lucky for having such a team.
@eugene_hunter Yeah I agree - being in a team is more of a risk but can be super beneficial when it's strong and cohesive.
I've been both, and I identify as an entrepreneur...but the reason I love entrepreneurship is because I get to work so closely with other committed people...so, by being part of a great team, I get it all!
@camille_landau The best of both worlds - terrific.
SetOps
If you want to walk fast, walk alone.
If you want to walk far, walk together.
Perhaps the best is to strike a balance. Especially now when skills have become focused and co-dependent. Personally though I prefer to walk far to team is the way to go 👍
@arunpariyar That's a really lovely saying - I totally agree!
I'd prefer being part of a strong team for the time being.
And after acquiring a sufficient number of skills and abilities, I'd opt for working for myself.
Teams are, in my experience, way more rewarding than doing anything solo. Life is better when shared. It is tricky as an entrepreneur especially in the early days, when being lean is often the goal. Id still choose a team everytime.
@dylan_merideth Being part of a strong team is one of the great securities in life. Some entrepreneurs struggle with this because it means they might not have 100% control over their direction - thanks for the comment.
@dylan_merideth I am a solo bootstrapper and I fly when working alone. At the same time I love diversity and appreciate what you said about life being better when shared
any great boss who loves what they do is part of a great team.
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Depends where you operate. A strong team might operate in an area you are not interested in. So you'd prefer to start your own project
@manuel_ariza I hadn't thought of this in terms of a different field, thanks for sharing.
I certainly don't want to be part of a team where everyone thinks they are the boss. I believe that aspiring to be the boss in any field isn't a healthy attitude especially if you are working in a team.
@yesser_falk I agree, but I think many teams have a more cooperative function than adversarial. In this circumstance, I think having good leadership and a positive team dynamic is really healthy.
If we are talking about start up environment, then Strong Team 100%.
If the hierarchy structure is flexible and "young, then you don't need to be a boss to enjoy work
Be my own boss, with the caveat that I have a strong team around me
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@cameron_caldwell Well played