How to build a founding team that actually works

Learning goal

You can’t build a rocket with three pilots and no engineer.

Many Filipino startups don’t fail because of the idea. They fail because the team falls apart.
Either roles aren’t clear, skills overlap too much, or no one is focused on sales.

A startup is too intense to survive on good vibes alone.
You need the right mix of people doing the right things.

Why it matters

1. Startups are team sports
   No single founder has every skill needed to build a business.
   That’s why investors bet on teams, not just ideas.

A strong founding team:

• fills each other’s gaps

• shares the same vision

• challenges each other in healthy ways

2. The 3 essential roles
   You don’t need a big team, but you do need these three roles covered:

• the hacker: builds the product or solution

• the hipster: designs the experience and understands the customer

• the hustler: sells the vision, closes deals, and brings in revenue
  You can play multiple roles, but don’t skip any of them.

3. Define roles early
   Clarity saves relationships. Define:

• who makes final decisions?

• who talks to users?

• who owns the roadmap?
  Write it down, even if it’s just a shared note. It avoids messy conflict later.

4. Align on values, not just goals
   Goals will change. Values stay constant. Ask each other:

• how do we handle failure?

• what kind of culture do we want?

• why are we really doing this?
  If you’re not aligned here, things will get harder fast.

5. Watch out for red flags

• you’ve known each other for a week and already split equity 50/50

• nobody’s focused on selling

• decisions take forever because roles aren’t clear

• one person is doing 80 percent of the work
  If any of these sound familiar, your team might not be ready yet.

Quick checklist

• clear roles and responsibilities

• core skills (build, design, sell) are covered

• everyone is committed and has skin in the game

• values and working styles are aligned

• you’ve talked about equity, time, and expectations

What to do next / StellarPH tip

Before you lock in your team, run a “founder interview” with each other.
Talk about worst-case scenarios, money, and exit plans.
It might feel awkward, but it could save your startup.