Building Strong Teams, Exploring Mental Health Tech, and Leveling Up

Welcome back to another edition of the Start-up Scale-it Newsletter!

Here's what we've got lined up for you this week:

• Advice on building motivated startup teams poised for success in our Startup 101 section.

• Tips on onboarding New Team Members in our Scale Up Step-by-Step section.

• A review of Async, a tool for more meaningful conversations in our Founders Approved Section.

• Our Bright Ideas highlight innovative ideas in the growing mental health tech sector.

• Grants and accelerator programs ready for applications.

I'm thrilled to share some exciting news! We're launching a dedicated newsletter platform, which will not only give me more customization options for the newsletter but also provide valuable reader insights. This means I'll be able to tailor the newsletter even better to your preferences and needs. To be a part of this enhanced experience, you can subscribe to our new platform by visiting our Homepage and signing up on our Subscribe Page. Your feedback and engagement have been invaluable, and this expansion is all about delivering even more value to you. Thank you for being a part of our growing community! 🚀📊📩

Ready for another week of breakthroughs and progress? Dive in!

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📕 Startup 101

Building a Strong Startup Team

For early-stage ventures, assembling a stellar team can determine success or failure. But how do you build a startup team poised to flourish?

First, identify your talent needs and gaps. Understand the roles, required skills, and responsibilities to support your business model and objectives.

When recruiting, assess both hard skills and cultural fit. Technical knowledge alone is not enough - find people whose work styles and values align.

Make onboarding a priority, not an afterthought. Set new hires up for success with training, context, and connections.

Empower team bonding by facilitating open communication, collaboration, and social connections. Celebrate wins together.

Support continual growth through mentorship, learning opportunities, and challenges. Growing individuals grows the team.

Recognize achievements consistently. Praise hard work and results. Constructive feedback should uplift.

By investing in people, assembling complementary skill sets, and nurturing team cohesion, you lay the foundation for a startup poised to thrive. Make your team feel valued, heard, and supported - they will do extraordinary things.

Want to dive deeper? Check out my detailed blog post: https://startupscaleit.webflow.io/posts/hiring-and-building-a-team-to-support-your-business

🪜 Scale Up Step-by-Step

6 Tips for Onboarding New Startup Team Members

• Set expectations and onboarding schedule: Clearly communicate roles, responsibilities, and the onboarding timeline to newly hired employees.

• Assign mentors for guidance and feedback: Pair newcomers with experienced team members who can provide support and insights during the initial phase.

• Provide background on vision, goals, and culture: Ensure new hires understand the company's mission, objectives, and workplace environment to foster a sense of belonging and motivation.

• Introduce to wider team members and roles: Facilitate introductions and collaboration among new and existing staff to build strong, productive working relationships.

• Share resources like handbooks and knowledge bases: Give access to essential information and tools that will assist new employees in their roles and responsibilities.

• Check-in regularly on progress and open questions: Monitor the adaptation and learning curve of newcomers, addressing any concerns or uncertainties they may have.

✅ Founder Approved

Cut Meeting Fatigue with Async 

Feel like your calendar is jammed with endless meetings and calls? Async offers a better way. This voice messaging app lets you replace live meetings with asynchronous audio chat. Record voice messages when it's convenient for you, and recipients can listen and reply on their own time.

Async aims to replicate the personal connection of speaking while avoiding the scheduling headaches of synchronous communication. It also provides automatically generated transcripts, saves important snippets, and forwards messages to teammates.

With Async, you control the pace and tone of conversations, while giving your team flexibility. It also integrates with platforms like Slack, Email, and Notion making it easily adaptable. If you want more meaningful conversations with less coordination fatigue, give Async a look. Take back your calendar and inboxes!

(Disclaimer: Just sharing a cool productivity tool, no affiliation with Async.)

💡 Bright Ideas

This week's Bright Ideas highlights innovative concepts within the mental healthcare space, meticulously crafted for psychologists, therapists, counselors, and other professionals committed to supporting mental wellness.

With rising awareness around mental health issues, there are ample opportunities for technology solutions that enable providers to deliver care more efficiently and empower patients on their journey.

If you're looking to develop ventures at the intersection of mental health and technology, consider these ideas designed to address common challenges:

Automated Insurance Claims Processing

• Description: An AI-powered SaaS platform that automates insurance claims filing, documentation, and follow-ups for mental health professionals to save hours of administrative work.

• USP: Automates the onerous insurance claims process through AI, freeing up mental health professionals' time.

Digital Therapist Assistant

• Description: An AI-enabled tool that tracks patient progress, schedules appointments, provides therapy reminders/recaps, and assists with clinical documentation to support therapists.

• USP: An AI assistant tailored to alleviate therapists' administrative burden.

Peer Support Network App

• Description: An app connecting mental health patients to certified peer supporters who have experienced similar conditions for one-on-one digital support and community.

• USP: Facilitates access to relatable peer mental health support.

Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy

• Description: A VR platform allowing therapists to guide patients through customized exposure therapy simulations to treat phobias, PTSD, and other conditions.

• USP: Facilitates immersive VR exposure therapy.

Mental Health Monitoring App

• Description: An app for patients that uses biometric data and self-reported information to monitor mental health conditions, identify potential triggers, and provide personalized coping tools.

• USP: Enables continuous patient mental health monitoring.

Let the ideas flow but stay focused on addressing real problems experienced by marketing professionals. Research the market landscape and tailor your concept to provide a better solution!

💸 Opportunities Spotlight

Deadline 10/6

The FedEx Entrepreneur Fund

• Offer: Thirty (30) grants of $10,000 each will be awarded to entrepreneurs who have a connection to the military and/or entrepreneurs with disabilities.

• Apply Here

Deadline 10/11

𝗡𝗔𝗔𝗖𝗣 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁

• Offer: A $25k grant for Black entrepreneurs + resources.

• Apply Here

Deadline 10/15

NYC MBA Startup Competition

• Offer: $100K investment Opportunity for MBA students and alumni founders from top-tier schools

• Apply Here

Deadline 10/27

𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱

• Offer: Grants ranging from $5k-$25k to help accelerate small biz growth

• Apply Here

Deadline 10/31

Shea Moisture x Brown Girl Jane

• Offer: A $125K Grant Fund in support of Black Women Beauty and Wellness Business Owners.

• Apply Here

Deadline: Monthly

WomensNet Amber Grants

• Offer: Two $10K monthly grants for women founders. Two of the 24 monthly winners receive an additional $25K Year-End Amber Grant.

• See Open Grants Here

Seize these golden opportunities and elevate your business to new heights! 🚀🌟

🛫 That's A Wrap!

That wraps up this week's newsletter!

I hope you found value in the carefully curated tips and resources. My goal is to provide you with that slight edge and fresh perspective to stay ahead.

Please let me know your biggest takeaway or any suggestions for future editions!

Want to receive these startup insights directly in your inbox? Make sure to Subscribe

Eager to dig deeper? Check out my blog for extended versions of articles, guides, and thought leadership content on entrepreneurship. Visit Blog

Remember - the only way to fail is to stop taking risks. So stay curious, be bold, and continue chasing those big dreams.

Until next week,

Oluseun for Start-up Scale-it