100+ Investments Later, These Are The 7 Qualities I Always Look For In A Founder

People ever inquire me, "What's nan concealed to a successful business?" Honestly, there's nary one-size-fits-all answer. Playbooks are for playing it safe, and existent invention doesn't recreation a script. But erstwhile it comes to investing, there's 1 constituent that tin make aliases break a business… THE FOUNDER.

As a seven-time laminitis and investor successful complete 100 companies, I'm not aged yet, but I'm nary longer nan youngest feline successful nan room, either. Thanks to baptism by fire, I've learned what to look for. Certain qualities of a laminitis are non-negotiable to me. I judge each laminitis needs these circumstantial qualities to execute their champion success.

So, what are they? Let's break it down.

1. Urgency

Urgency is nan cornerstone of occurrence successful business (and life, for what it's worth). The champion founders move quickly and don't discarded time. They understand that clip is money and admit that opportunities don't past forever. When you enactment pinch urgency, you prehend nan infinitesimal earlier it slips away.

But fto maine beryllium clear: urgency isn't astir rushing, being frantic aliases being rushed — it's astir being purposeful. Urgency-driven founders move pinch intent and drive. They tackle challenges head-on and are laser-focused connected what needs to beryllium done each azygous day. That "make-it-happen" mentality is axenic aureate successful nan startup world.

Related: Why A Sense Of Urgency Is Essential For A Startup

2. Authenticity

There is powerfulness successful authenticity. Authenticity builds trust, and successful business, spot is everything. When a laminitis is genuine, it shows. This builds a pursuing that's overmuch than conscionable customers — it creates true, integrated marque loyalty. When a laminitis is authentic, group judge successful them.

This applies not only to a laminitis but to their brand.

I've learned nan difficult measurement that moving pinch group who aren't genuine aliases transparent leads to failure.

Both nan laminitis and nan marque petition to beryllium authentic. When a laminitis tells their story, and it resonates profoundly pinch people, they create a marque that isn't conscionable astir nan merchandise — it's astir point bigger. Consumers tin spot a phony a mile away, peculiarly successful nan personification packaged instrumentality (CPG) world. They're savvy. They cognize erstwhile point is off.

3. Resilience

In nan startup world, you're going to look challenges. Setbacks are inevitable. And conjecture what? You'll beryllium tested. You'll soon find retired if your tegument is dense tin to powerfulness done each day. But a resilient leader doesn't fto obstacles derail their vision. Instead, they push through. They adapt, they germinate and they support moving guardant nary matter really galore roadblocks get thrown successful their way.

Resilience isn't conscionable astir bouncing back; it's astir utilizing each setback arsenic constituent to thrust you forward. A resilient laminitis sees challenges arsenic opportunities for growth. Every clip they look a setback, they move stronger, wiser and overmuch determined. That's nan type of leader who will thrive successful nan chaos of nan startup world. Please don't inquire maine really I know!

4. Passion

Passion is nan concealed condiment that makes everything recreation alive. Consumers tin consciousness nan passion. When a laminitis is passionate astir their product, ngo aliases company, it's contagious. Passion is infectious. It spreads to employees, customers and investors.

Passionate founders don't conscionable show stories; they ignite movements. They speak pinch occurrence successful their eyes and belief successful their hearts. And erstwhile they talk astir their company, you consciousness nan excitement radiating from them. Great founders stock their stories complete and complete again, but each time, it's pinch nan aforesaid enthusiasm arsenic if it's nan first clip they've told it.

Passion isn't conscionable astir being enthusiastic; it's astir creating meaningful connections pinch your audience. It's astir making group judge successful your imagination and consciousness for illustration they're a information of point bigger than themselves.

Related: 3 Strategies to Help Leaders Ignite Passion successful nan Workplace

5. Adaptability

The startup world is simply a rollercoaster ride. Things alteration fast, and erstwhile they do, nan champion founders adapt. They pivot erstwhile necessary, but they ne'er suffer show of nan extremity goal. Adaptability isn't conscionable astir surviving change; it's astir thriving successful it.

In my experience, nan astir successful founders are those who don't get bogged down erstwhile things don't spell according to plan. They enactment focused connected nan ample image and are elastic tin to alteration group erstwhile needed. Adaptability is what keeps them moving guardant erstwhile nan world astir them is changing. They clasp nan uncertainty and usage it to their advantage.

6. Resourcefulness

Resourcefulness is 1 of nan astir underrated qualities of a founder. The champion founders cognize really to make nan astir of what they have. They don't clasp for things to beryllium cleanable earlier taking action. They return what's disposable to them and find innovative solutions to make it work.

Resourcefulness is often associated pinch resilience and adaptability. It involves reasoning creatively and utilizing each instrumentality disposable to make things happen. Whether leveraging connections, uncovering imaginative solutions, aliases coming up pinch unconventional ideas, resourceful founders find a measurement to support pushing forward.

Related: 7 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Sharpen Their Leadership Skills

7. Accountability

Accountability is nan cornerstone of leadership. Being accountable intends owning your actions—good aliases bad. Yes, nan bad, too. The champion founders cognize that erstwhile they make a decision, they are responsible for nan consequences, and they don't awkward distant from them.

As an investor, reliability is 1 of nan qualities I worthy astir successful a founder. I want to cognize that erstwhile I relationship a founder, they'll beryllium honest, disposable and proactive. Founders who return activity for their actions build spot pinch their team, investors and customers. And trust? It's nan instauration of everything—literally, everything.

The bottommost line

At nan extremity of nan day, group put successful you — not conscionable your brand, product, aliases idea… It's you, nan founder, who makes nan value betwixt a bully finance and a awesome one. Your qualities, thrust and imagination necktie group in. When these traits radiance through, you don't conscionable propulsion investors — you animate them.

So, what's nan concealed to a successful business? It's not a cleanable formula, but it each starts pinch nan founder. Invest successful winners. Help them win. And remember, everything starts pinch you.