Every Dream Needs a Team

As we conclude my Day Job to Dream Job series, allow me to say thank you for being with me in the past four posts.

We discussed about creating products in How Products can Boost Your Business and in my last post, we talked about ways on how to promote these products effectively.

In case you miss any of these posts, please don’t forget to check them out.

The finale of our series will talk about teams under the banner “Every Dream Needs a Team”.

If you want to be successful in your dream job, you need other people’s help. You can’t do it alone because you have your own limitations too.

That’s why in this post, we will build a team from scratch by identifying each member of our Dream Team.

Excited? Let’s start casting!

The Four Types of Teammates

1. Fans

These are your followers. Though they differ in motivation, each member of this group believes in whatever you do. Kary points out that there are three different types of fans. Let’s examine each one.

Consumers – these type of fans are there because they are hungry. Your content inspires them, feeds them. Sometimes they are there to steal your content and use it for their personal interests or gain. Don’t be bothered. Instead, celebrate the fact that they are one of your followers. That means they see something in you which they don’t see or experience in others.

Contributors – these are the sharers. They never grow tired of retweeting and sharing your posts. They follow you and help spread your message across the globe.

Collaborators – having this kind of fan base is a gem. These are the people who can’t wait for your next product. They always want to be the “first in line”. When you ask for help, be assured that they are always there. Mind you, collaborators are rare. If you run into one, take care of him or her.

2. Freelancers

Why do all the legwork when you can hire someone to do it? The people you call in times of need are the freelancers. And they come in two categories.

Generalists – these freelancers do what you do. By knowing your value, you can outsource unprofitable tasks by delegating them to others. If you choose, you can invest your extra time with people or tasks that are more important to you. Virtual assistants fall in this category. They can do almost anything, from secretarial tasks, blogging, proofreading, etc.

Specialists – unlike generalists, specialists do what you can’t do. For instance, if you want to launch a blog network but don’t know how to code, why spend hours learning HTML and CSS when you can hire someone to do it for you? Instead, spend your time writing your content.

3. Friends

Nope, they’re not your Facebook friends. This type of teammates come in three categories.

Truth Tellers – these friends are most likely part of your inner circle. They earned the right to speak up to you. They care about your success and they’ll tell you straight if they notice that something is wrong. Listen to them as their insights will make you better, no matter how painful the truth is.

Edifiers – these friends carry a lot of positivity with them. They give you good vibes when you need it most. You might get stuck with them so be careful!

Challengers – these friends see something in you. They believe in your potential greater than you believe in yourself. Their love for you is unconditional and they will always challenge you to step up.

4. Funders

When I say “resources” what comes to your mind? It’s not always money. That’s why when Kary talked about investors, he categorized them into three.

Time Investors – there’s always a group of people who will invest their time in you. They’re your mentors. If they agree to share a cup of coffee with you, come prepared. Do your research, print your questions and take notes. After your conversation, send follow-up thank you and tell them how you put their advice into action. And lastly, always be humbled by their generous hearts.

Treasure Investors – do you know that you can ask other people to invest in you financially? And nope, I’m not talking about your mom. There are many avenues that you can try — Kickstarter, Indiegogo, Gofundme and many more!

Talent Investors – if treasure investors give their wallets, this type of investors give their brains. These are leaders who excel in areas where you didn’t. Their advice is always valuable.

How to Take Care of Your Team

Maintaining your community is harder than finding members of your team. That’s why you need to know how to take care of each member. I like Kary’s words about it:

Cherish your team.

Value them.

Buy them lunch.

Send them cards.

Donate blood to them.

Be generous. 

Now let me add mine.

Be a genuine friend to your teammates. Treat them as real people — not just pieces in a chess board. Be there when they need you and I promise, they’ll be always there when you need their help.

A Few Last Words

Kary Oberbrunner ended his book, Day Job to Dream Job, with a quote from Andy of The Shawshank Redemption. Like Andy, you can escape your own prison and taste the freedom you’ve been always dreaming of.

I find I am so excited I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it is the excitement only a free man can feel, a free man at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain.

Your story begins today and like Andy’s the future too, is uncertain. The kind of life that the next decade will bring depends entirely on you.

Are you going to stay and rot away in your Day Job prison? Or are you going to chase your Dream Job?

The choice is yours.

Lenmark.