I started my business in 2004 as a solopreneur. I claimed to be the CEO, but I was really the COE (the chief of EVERYTHING!).
I didn’t have health insurance and when I was diagnosed with cancer, I felt really scared, lost, and filled with regret. That’s why I’m partnering with Premera Blue Cross to share my story.
I am so grateful that I was able to overcome that battle and to be with my daughters again.
I am also grateful for what I learned about being a mompreneur, a coach, trainer, and consultant.
The word entrepreneur is rarely paired with the word “team” and yet, one person doesn’t build a solid, successful company – a team does – no matter how big or small it may be.
Delegating was hard for me. I found out very soon that it had a positive impact on my mental, emotional, and physical health.
They say that teamwork makes the dream work, and in my case, not only have we seen our own dreams become a reality, we’ve also helped hundreds of moms become bestselling authors, course creators and trainers, and digital marketers.
How to Build A Successful Team
Your team could make you or break you, so hiring and keeping the right people is vital to your success as a small business.
Define your vision
To truly lead with purpose, you need a compelling vision that will get others excited about helping you build it.
As Stephen Covey would say, you begin with the end in mind.
When the members of your team are able to see, say, and feel your why clearly, they will be inspired and fully committed to both short-term and long-term results.
People take ownership of their job when they know the meaningful contribution they make to the team.
Focus on diversity
You do want your team members to be aligned with your core values, so that your business can flourish long-term.
However, you want to have people with diverse cultures, personalities, and backgrounds to bring perspective to your team and challenge harmful assumptions and beliefs.
When everyone has different strengths, they complement one another, and then they are able to be more creative, learn, and grow.
Get everyone in the zone of genius
When building your team, you want to stay in your zone of genius and make sure they are in theirs.
Someone’s zone of genius is the intersection of what you do well (skill) and what you love to do (passion).
When someone is doing something they love and they know how to do, they will be more productive, more engaged, and much happier.
This sense of ownership and expertise will empower them to shine!
Create a structure
Before you hire your first team member or employee, make sure you have created an operating manual for your business.
The OM informs the team about the current organizational structure, job descriptions (which are great to determine what the expectations are as far as responsibilities and time commitments), as well as well-documented processes and systems.
This includes safety policies, as well as how one is expected to communicate and behave when chaos, confusion, and conflict arise.
Show Appreciation
It’s paramount that you highlight the benefits and opportunities of working for you and being part of your team.
Of course, in order to express these perks, you must actually put them in place.
Answer the question: What does my future look like here?
Besides creating a culture of gratitude and support, make sure they have everything they need.
Incentives such as recognition, cash bonuses, and flexible work schedule can really empower your team members.
Healthcare coverage, for instance, has been proven to be not only a desirable benefit, but a priority for employees, whether full-time, part-time, or seasonal worker.
3 Reasons to Offer Small Business Health Insurance
The decision to offer small business health insurance can be daunting, especially when you’re starting out as a small business entrepreneur.
However, besides the obvious benefit of setting yourself apart and attracting quality people into your team with the benefits like medical coverage, there are other powerful reasons to make this move.
- Healthy company culture.
Offering health coverage is a great way to put your values in action, encouraging a holistic, healthy, and positive working environment.
- Savings and Benefits.
Group health plans are often more affordable than individual health plans, so this is a great benefit for you as an entrepreneur, and your family.
You can also ask your accountant about the tax incentives you could be eligible for.
- Better team results and satisfaction.
Your team will be more productive, efficient, and effective when they are healthier.
They will be more loyal and a lot happier when you show their health is important for you, as you provide access to preventive care.
What is not offering health benefits costing your business?
Not offering health coverage to your team or employees could be a costly mistake.
Let’s explore why:
If someone in your team is constantly stressed, worried about their health, they will not perform optimally and may even begin acting with resentment because of what they are missing out on.
If one team member’s health is suffering, everyone in the team suffers and the business suffers, so giving them access to preventive healthcare can prevent that.
If they are able to bounce back from a condition quickly, of course, that will impact the team positively.
Lost or low productivity and morale are just the beginning.
Your talented, brilliant, devoted employees could leave if they want benefits and you don’t offer them.
This will add hiring and training time and costs for you, and at that point, you’ll be once again hoping and praying that the next team member will work out.
Not to mention that the rest of your team may start thinking that “the grass is greener on the other side” and lose trust and loyalty.
Premera Blue Cross recently published a white paper about Post-Pandemic Business Resilience with 7 key findings including that 60.2% of workers are highly satisfied working from home but also that 1 in 5 respondents said that they would consider changing jobs for better healthcare benefits because they are so important right now.
How to Pick the Best Health Insurance for Your Small Business
The health insurance package you choose to offer your team will vary depending on your business size, whether your employees are hired full-time or part-time or seasonally, and where they are located.
Since your team works hard for you, you want to give them a health plan that works harder for them.
Premera Blue Cross business solutions can make a significant difference for you, your entrepreneurial team, and your bottom line.
Premera’s white paper provides tips and 5 things you can do to better support your employees like finding ways to alleviate stress and taking a look at healthcare benefits.
If you want to go far, go together!
The African proverb that says: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
Entrepreneurship is not a solo career path, it’s a great opportunity for strategic, creative, profitable collaborations.
Behind a successful business, there’s a strong team that is dedicated to create success and overcome every challenge that comes their way.
As a leader, you will greatly benefit from having a strong team of players and caring about your team is a great way to see your team win!
I am happy that I celebrate 10 years of remission and grateful to have a team that supports me in this journey of mompreneurship, so that we can go far and live our dreams!
Check out Premera’s latest white paper about Post-Pandemic Business Resilience to learn how Premera Blue Cross business solutions can make a difference for you and your employees.
What does it take to build a successful team? Share with us in the comments below!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Premera Blue Cross.
Founder of the Positive MOM® and creator of the S.T.O.R.Y. System: a blueprint to craft and share powerful stories that will transform your results and help others do the same. Dr. Elayna Fernández is a single mom of 4, an award-winning Storyteller, Story Strategist, and Student of Pain. She’s a bestselling author, internationally acclaimed keynote speaker, and 5x TEDx speaker. She has spoken at the United Nations, received the President’s Volunteer Lifetime Achievement Award, and was selected as one of the Top Impactful Leaders and a Woman of Influence by SUCCESS Magazine. Connect with Elayna at thepositivemom.com/ef and follow @thepositivemom. To receive a gift from Elayna, click HERE.
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