Post by Jerry Jao

Who doesn't love an underdog?! ⚽ This World Cup, I've found myself cheering for them over and over again, and there's been no shortage of incredible moments...  Cape Verde holding Spain to a 0-0 draw  Paraguay knocking Germany out in penalty kicks  The Democratic Republic of Congo tying Portugal 1-1 Those moments don't happen because one player suddenly becomes world-class overnight. They happen because an entire team believes they can accomplish something everyone else thinks is impossible. And as the matches unfolded, they reminded me of launching an idea from the ground up. As a founder, it can feel like everything rests on your shoulders. But just like in soccer, a game isn’t won by just one person - it’s won by a team.  You need a group of believers beside you. People who are passionate about the problem. People who see possibilities instead of roadblocks. People whose optimism lifts everyone around them.  That's probably one of the biggest lessons I learned from 20+ years building companies, but it's far from the only one.  I put four of the biggest ones into this article 👇- from hiring your first team to listening to customers to building culture before it builds itself. If you're building something of your own, I hope it saves you a few headaches. And while you're at it... what's been your favorite underdog story from this year's world cup? #BiggestGameOnEarth #Leadership #TeamBuilding #WorldCup #Entrepreneurship