In our constant quest to hire people, find new customers and acquire business capital to support growth, it can be tempting and expedient to choose what first appears. If you opt instead for finding the best fit, and achieving the success that follows, it’s worth adhering to a process that enables you to get it right the vast majority of the time.  The process is part Art and part Science.

First and foremost, hiring people who are the best fit for the role trumps everything else — and I mean everything. Without the right people in the correct positions, success is impossible. The search for talent should be constant, but never rushed; the cost of taking short-cuts lasts long after a bad hire is gone.  Several considerations should come before a person’s job skills are evaluated, including:

1. Positive Attitude. As the saying goes, “attitude determines altitude”.
2. Responsibility and Integrity. Enough said.
3. Interpersonal skills.

Every position requires assessing these three things to assure a best fit. I’ve seen plenty of people with these qualities learn the work and overcome myriad challenges; I’ve also seen others who lacked these skills fail, regardless of their supposed “natural talent”.

Winning new customers is much more than chasing after what the market has to offer. Once you figure out what type of customer is in your Sweet Spot, you’re on the path to finding a best fit. These criteria include customers who:

1. Place genuine value in the work you do. This may sound obvious, but it is overlooked all too often.
2. Believe that your mix of services, or single focused offering, is a best fit for their needs.
3. See how the work you do helps them achieve their economic and other business objectives.  Understand that our success depends upon helping customers achieve theirs.

You have a much greater chance of landing “Dream Clients”, as Anthony Iannarino calls them, when you first understand these things.

Capital is the economic fuel that makes it possible to grow a successful business.  When it comes to finding the best fit in a capital partner, regardless of the phase of the business (from start-up, to growth phase, to mature), it’s wise to seek:

1. Informed Capital.  It’s about more than dollars; it’s about understanding your space and your place in it.
2. Committed Capital.  Partner with someone, or a group, that will stick with you to achieve mutually agreed-upon outcomes.
3. Value Capital.  The investment you seek should be about more than return on capital for those who provide it; ultimate value is achieved when a greater good is realized along with generating the necessary profit.  In fact, returns are likely enhanced when the value proposition is crystal clear to both parties.

Growing a business can be great fun and immensely satisfying, particularly when you make finding the best fit part of the process.  Enjoy the journey!