What’s Important in Building a Team?

For the KHD team, I don’t really put too much weight on the most experienced resumes or fanciest titles, sometimes I don’t even realize if our members have a degree! For me, a successful team is built on shared values (integrity, effort, curiosity), mutual respect (team membership, kindness) and deep commitments. 

Here’s what really matters:

1. 1. Values First, Skills Second

Skills can be taught. Attitude, integrity, and alignment with your values? That’s harder to train.

When you hire based on values first, you’re setting the tone for trust, loyalty, and long-term fit. You’re creating a space where people show up not just to check boxes, but to contribute meaningfully. I can teach someone how to design or work the back-end of a website (and I have) but attitude and integrity can’t be trained. 

1. 2. Clarity of Roles

A team member can’t thrive if they don’t know what’s expected of them. Be clear from the beginning about responsibilities, outcomes, and how success will be measured. This helps avoid confusion and empowers them to take ownership.

1. 3. Open, Ongoing Communication

This isn’t a one-and-done thing. The best teams communicate consistently, not just about tasks, but about how things feel. I check in regularly to ask, “What’s working well for you right now?” and “Where could I support you more?” It opens the door to real connection. We meet every week for a check-in, some face time and honestly, it’s one of the best parts of my week. 

How Do You Pick the Right Team Members?

Hiring the right person starts with knowing who you’re looking for. Not just in terms of skills, but in how they show up in the world.

Here’s what I look for:

✨ A Can-Do Attitude: I’ll take someone who’s eager to learn and curious over someone who thinks they already know everything. That curiosity and try-hard effort is gold in a small business.

🤝 Team Player Mentality: Even if someone’s role is solo, I want to know they care about how their work fits into the bigger picture. A strong team works with each other, not just around each other. Our running joke for KHD is that each role is an island in an ocean. We are all floating on it and sometimes the island is lonely but we have bridges built and sometimes with a new addition a bungalow on the island is built. 

🧭 Integrity: I need to trust that if they say they’re going to do something, they will. That they’ll treat clients with care and respect, and that they’ll own up to mistakes without defensiveness.

💬 Good Communicator: Especially in remote work, clear communication is everything. I look for people who can express themselves honestly, ask for clarification, and keep me in the loop, not ghost me until the due date.

Creating a Team Culture You Love

Your team culture isn’t something you put in a handbook and forget about. It’s how people feel when they work with you — and that feeling comes from the daily interactions, the energy you bring, and the tone you set as a leader.

Here’s how I cultivate a team culture that feels aligned with who I am:

Make People Feel Seen and Heard: This one is simple but powerful. Say thank you. Celebrate wins. Ask for feedback and actually listen. Let people know their ideas matter. When someone on my team says, “I feel like I can be myself here,” that’s the win.

Lead by Example: If I want my team to be thoughtful, proactive, and respectful, I have to model that. I don’t expect perfection (I mean who is perfect anyways?!), but I do expect presence and accountability.

Work-Life Balance is Real: We respect boundaries around time off, honor flexibility when needed, and check in on each other as humans, not just coworkers. We all have stuff going on.  Life happens, and I want my team to know it’s okay to be human here.

Matching Values + Vision

One of the best things you can do is share your vision with your team. Not just what you do, but why you do it. When people are connected to your mission, they’re more motivated, invested, and proud to be part of it.

And when you hire people who share your values, whether it’s creativity, kindness, integrity, or effort, you build something that’s not only functional, but fulfilling.

Building a team isn’t about delegating everything so you can peace out. It’s about expanding your capacity and impact by bringing the right people into the fold. That kind of team is worth its weight in gold. So whether you’re hiring your first assistant or expanding to a full crew, remember: this is about more than just support. This is about co-creating a business (and a work life) that feels aligned, energized, and built to thrive.