When your small business grows beyond your ability to run it on your own, you may feel both pride and trepidation because even though you have done well, you will now need to hire people to continue that growth. This may seem daunting, especially if you have no experience with building business teams, but hiring the right people does not have to be a difficult experience. In order to build the perfect team, there are several factors to consider before and during the interview process.

Business teams are only as good as the company they work for, so before you set out to build yours, you will need to create a team model first. This means mapping out what you hope to achieve with your team, what aspects of business you most need to focus on, what types of problems you anticipate and how you will solve them. Solid planning will help you stay focused on your goals, both short and long term.

When it comes to building a business team, it is vital to find people who share your passion. When your team members are as excited as you are about your company’s growth and are dedicated to seeing it succeed, they will do everything they can to see it happen. Unmotivated slackers can do a great deal of damage to any business team, so as you interview people, note their enthusiasm for your company’s goals and whether their overall attitude will be an asset for your new team.

The success or failure of business teams often hinges on whether the individuals on those teams all share a common goal. While it is common for personalities to clash on occasion, you can create a more cohesive team by hiring like-minded individuals who are eager to learn new things, will acknowledge their mistakes and who know how to communicate properly. When team members all work toward a common goal in the same manner, there is a greater chance of success.

No two business teams are alike, and as such, each must be molded separately. For example, you would not create an IT team with the same criteria as you would use to put together a sales team. Powerful teams come together when each individual’s talents and needs are considered and nurtured as they work toward a shared goal. While no business team works together flawlessly 100 percent of the time, a blend of motivated individuals will create the positive energy your business needs to succeed.