By: John S. Morlu II, CPA
Let’s start with the classic advice every entrepreneur hears:
“All you need is the right team!”
They say it with a straight face too.
Like you can pick one up at Target Department Store between the snack aisle and the toothpaste section.
News flash:
If finding the perfect team was that easy, every startup would be a billion-dollar empire.
In reality, finding the right team is like trying to win the lottery, while blindfolded, during an earthquake, in a snowstorm—with one arm tied behind your back.
And if you ever do build that team, you should win:
- A Nobel Prize in Business
- A lifetime VIP pass to every entrepreneurship conference
- A private jet named Survivor One
- And a statue made entirely of gold coins labeled “The Last Honest Founder”
The Easy Advice Everyone Gives You: “Just Hire Great People!”
Oh, sure.
Like there’s a magical “Great People” aisle.
Maybe right next to the “No Drama” section and the “Works Hard Without Complaining” shelves.
Every podcast, business book, and LinkedIn ‘guru’ says the same thing:
“People are your most important asset. Get the right people on the bus!”
They forget to mention:
- The bus is on fire.
- The wheels are coming off.
- And half the people want to get off before you even leave the parking lot.
Fun Fact: There are about 8 billion people on Earth. And roughly 7.9 billion of them will either ghost you, gossip about you, underperform, or ask for a raise before they even pass probation.
Real World Hiring Math (That Should Terrify You)
For every 100 resumes you read:
- 30 are completely made up. (Yes, Becky, you were totally the CFO of Apple.)
- 40 candidates will ghost you faster than a bad Tinder date.
- 25 want full CEO pay but plan to work like interns at a beach resort.
- 5 might survive a second interview.
- 1 will understand your vision, love the mission, and actually show up on Monday.
Translation:
You’re hunting for needles in a haystack—and the needles keep filing for unemployment.
Talent Is Easy to Find. Grit Is Almost Extinct.
Skills are easy.
Everyone’s a “social media expert” or a “thought leader” these days.
(Just check their Instagram bios.)
But finding people who:
- Grind when no one is looking,
- Take ownership when it’s messy,
- Stay when things aren’t trending on Twitter,
- And sacrifice short-term comfort for long-term greatness—
That’s a unicorn-level event.
Fun Fact: A 2023 Gallup poll showed that only 15% of employees worldwide are actually engaged at work. Meaning 85% are physically present but mentally on their third margarita at the beach.
Real Life Hiring Example:
You hire a “high-potential” employee:
- First week: “I’m so excited to grow with the company!”
- Second week: “Can we work from home… like, always?”
- Third week: “I need a mental health day because I didn’t like the tone of that email.”
- Fourth week: “I’m leaving. I just got an offer that pays $2 more and gives me free tacos on Tuesdays.”
Leadership’s Favorite Fantasy:
Business books love to say:
“Hire people smarter than you!”
Cute.
Reality:
The ones smarter than you are already running their own businesses—or they’re working 20 hours a week from Bali and charging $500/hour to “consult.”
The rest will demand CFO titles after completing one Google Spreadsheet.
How Building a Team Actually Feels
Building a team feels like trying to assemble a championship basketball squad:
- One player only shows up after brunch.
- One thinks running is “oppressive.”
- One refuses to pass the ball because “personal branding” matters more.
- One leaves mid-game to become a TikTok influencer.
And somehow you’re expected to win the national championship… yesterday.
If You Actually Find the Right Team… You’re Basically a Mythical Hero
Honestly, if you ever build a team where:
- Everyone shows up,
- Everyone works hard,
- Everyone believes in the mission,
- No one files an HR complaint because you dared to schedule a meeting at 4:59 PM—You don’t just deserve a business.
You deserve:
- A Nobel Prize,
- A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame,
- A lifetime supply of coffee,
- And a yacht called “Persistence.”
Fun Fact: Statistically, you have a better chance of being abducted by aliens than building a truly perfect team.
Even the Best Team Needs You to Bleed First
Here’s the ultimate hidden truth they never tell you:
Even if you find amazing people, you still have to bleed first.
You have to work:
- 18 hours a day
- 7 days a week
- With no sleep
- No paycheck
- No guarantees
You have to keep smiling through disasters.
You have to set the tone when everything’s on fire.
You have to be the first one in—and the last one out.
Because real teams don’t follow a job title. They follow a leader willing to suffer first.
A Few More (Painful) Fun Facts:
- 70% of employees are actively looking for a new job… while still sitting at their desk.
- 46% of new hires fail within the first 18 months.
- Only 19% of people report being “very happy” at work. (And even they are secretly scrolling Zillow looking for a ranch in Montana.)
Plain, Painful Common Sense
Building a team isn’t about luck.
It’s about:
- Saying no 10,000 times.
- Sifting through drama, ego, and excuses.
- Firing fast when necessary.
- Holding your vision like a lighthouse in a hurricane.
It’s about building people while building the company.
You can have the fanciest office, the coolest swag, and a fridge full of LaCroix—but if you don’t have the right people rowing with you, you’re just decorating a sinking ship.
Final Word:
When someone says,
“Just find the right team!”
smile, nod politely, and mentally translate it to:
“Just climb Mount Everest during a blizzard while juggling flaming swords and reciting Shakespeare.”
Because that’s what it really takes.
And if you pull it off?
Frame that team photo.
Name your conference room “Victory.”
Build a shrine to perseverance.
And accept your Nobel Prize with pride.
You didn’t just build a business.
You built a miracle.
Stay grinding. Stay picky. Stay crazy enough to believe in the impossible.
Because crazy founders are the only ones who ever change the world.
About the Author
John is an entrepreneur, strategist, and founder of JS Morlu, LLC, a Virginia based CPA firm with multiple software ventures including www.FinovatePro.com, www.Recksoft.com and www.Fixaars.com . With operations spanning multiple countries, John is on a mission to build global infrastructure that empowers small businesses, entrepreneurs, and professionals to thrive in an increasingly competitive world. He believes in hard truths, smart execution, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. When he’s not writing or building, he’s challenging someone to a productivity contest—or inventing software that automates it.
