The 7 Principles of a Sustainable Startup

The Sustainable Startup methodology and ideals were born from the wins, losses, successes, and explosions that come with being an entrepreneur. As a serial entrepreneur, Cameron Chell understands all too well that even the most disruptive, game-changing ideas can end up with the lights going out on them. Ideas are easy, everyone around the world has thousands of them on a daily basis. The Sustainable Startup approaches business success from a different angle. The idea being presented is irrelevant, what matters to a Sustainable Startup is the clarity, alignment, and execution of a high functioning team.

It is from these experiences that the creation of the 7 Principles of a Sustainable Startup came into being. Without the right team for the right project a startup or small business is only gearing itself to spin its tires. The sole focus on ideas leads to getting trapped in the notion that the idea alone will see them through to success.

This is why The Sustainable Startup begins by exploring the very foundation of what makes a strong team. All teams are founded by the company itself, it is their reason for coming together, and without establishing a foundation they can’t work together. A Sustainable Startup begins with a company focusing on creation, and creating marketplaces, versus simply competing to have a better product. By understanding the fundamental beliefs of a company, entrepreneurs are able to progress forward and start building teams that are the right fit. This growth leads to the understanding that the idea being created is not that relevant, and will always place a distance second to the team that is created for execution. Strategic discipline and execution are the two key ingredients of a successful, and sustainable startup.

Building a team however isn’t a cut and paste, simple process. It takes time, dedication and a clear understanding of who you’re looking for, and what the company needs. The startup world is a competitive marketplace and simply hiring to fill a gap is going to create a company that struggles with its identity internally and execution externally. A Sustainable Startup is built around guarding the gates of corporate culture. It’s easy to hire just an employee, it’s a lot harder to hire an individual that grows or matches a company’s corporate culture.

A true Sustainable Startup is about understanding that the team is the most important piece of a successful company. Entrepreneurs must build with the team in mind if they are going to build something to stay the course, and cross all the chasms that inevitably show up over the course of a startup’s lifecycle. Ideas happen all the time everyone has them. What sets a startup apart, what makes a Sustainable Startup, is the team.