7 out of 10 startups end up failing after three years. What keeps them in business for longer? Powerful leadership. Leaders and entrepreneurs who have guts and are willing to take risk are the most important link to a successful startup. In this slideshow you can see why that is the case.

1. LEADERSHIP IN A STARTUP
Ryan Bisanz

2. Being a good leader is a tough task. You have to
have grit and determination and you have to know
how to get the best out of people. In a recent Forbes
article entitled Startup Staffing: 10 Things A Good
Leader Can Do To Keep Their Employees Motivated,
Edmund Ingham talks about the things that leaders
need to do to bring out the absolute best in their
employees.

3. Ingham mentions that he has met with hundreds of
entrepreneurs young and old and he’s found that
their really is no personality type to describe them on
the whole. 7 out of 10 startups don’t see over three
years of business, and knowing this Ingham
understands that predicting whether an idea turned
startup remains successful for many years is not an
exact science.

4. With the product being the wild card in every
scenario, Ingham found that the biggest indicator of a
successful startup is their leadership. Entrepreneurs
who remain successful do so by employing the right
people and motivating them to “bust a gut” for their
business.

5. So while Ingham has established 10 things that he
believes will make a great leader, here are just a few
highlights from the article. If you want to read the
article in full click here.

6. Be On Top
Being the authority of your business is what makes
you that founder. People are looking to you to have
the highest level of knowledge about your business
and they are expecting that you know it. Being the
founder you should also have better contacts, better
resources and the experience.

7. Show No Fear
Even though it is a cliche, you have to be the
fearless leader. There is a reason for it. Firstly, the
business will never get off the ground if you aren’t
willing to take some risk. As Ingham puts it, very
little gets accomplished in team meetings. Decisions
are made by leaders. Secondly, you have to have
guts. In general, people respond to those who have
guts. Leaders who put themselves on the front lines
gain respect in a higher magnitude from their
employees.

8. Be Seen
People in the office will likely want you to be
engaging. Introducing yourself and explaining the
project on day one isn’t enough. Successful leaders
don’t disappear to their employees. They are
actively in the discussions from the conference room
to the water cooler to the lounge. Ingham mentioned
that he met an entrepreneur who put his office
directly in the middle of his business and it had glass
walls. His employees responded and it worked
great.

9. Goals and Culture
They both have to be firm and consistent. Flip-flopping
or wavering much from the plan is what kills
startups. As a leader you have to be confident in
your decisions and understand that while it is OK to
divert from the path a little bit it should never be
made a habit and every diversion should always be
done in the best interest of the company.

10. Make it Fun
If you’re the leader of a startup it’s likely the people
you are bringing on aren’t going to be rich
immediately upon their hire. Startups are young and
exciting and they should be treated that way.
Keeping your employees entertained goes a long
way. Always hammering away your mission, good
leaders understand that keeping it light, enjoyable,
and engaging is what allows employees to do their
best. Plus, a fun workplace really gets employees
behind you.

11. FOR MORE INFORMATION GO
TO
www.ryanbisanzleadership.com