How to Build and Keep a Phenomenal Team—Even on a Scrappy Budget

I was riding my bike yesterday—coasting down a long gravel road to a new beach, surrounded by water on all sides. Flamingos off in the distance. Not a single notification in sight. No music. No podcast. No Slack ping. Just the sound of my tires and the occasional bird.

It’s on these rides that I do my best thinking. And what I got to thinking about was teams—specifically, the teams I’ve had the privilege to build and lead over the past 12 years. What made those teams work? Why did they feel so strong and cohesive, even without big budgets, flashy perks, or a brand name that carried weight?

I’ve been told I’m good at leading. Which, to be truthful, is a weird thing. For years, I kind of shrugged it off. Probably because our cultural idea of a leader still looks like a guy in a blazer, plowing through meetings, taking up all the air in the room. But that’s never been my style. I ask more than I tell. I lead quietly. I prioritize clarity, calm, and context. And maybe that’s why it’s worked.

Because when people describe my leadership, they don’t say “commanding.” They say “trustworthy.” They say “clear.” They say “like a partner, not a boss.”

So I wanted to put this all down—why I believe I’ve been able to build teams on the leanest of budgets. Not because I had the most money, or the best snacks, or a VC-backed HR department. But because I led like a human. And turns out, that’s how people want to be led.

Across a nonprofit in Philly, a globally distributed cooking content startup, and my own ethically made fashion company—I’ve built phenomenal teams. Teams that punched way above their weight. What I’ve found is that hiring and keeping great teams is about leadership. It’s about clarity. It’s about building teams that make sense—and treating people like they matter.