The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.”

— Phil Jackson

Your Growth is Directly Proportional to the Quality of People You Work With

Imagine two business owners. Both are equally smart, driven, and full of ideas. But one is surrounded by A-players—strategic thinkers, problem-solvers, people who push the business forward. The other? Constantly putting out fires because of an unreliable, mediocre team.

Who do you think scales faster?

The hard truth is: Your business will only grow as fast as the people around you. You don’t rise to your goals—you rise (or fall) to the level of your team.

Why the Right People Make or Break Your Growth

A study by Gallup found that highly engaged teams are 21 percent more productive and lead to 23 percent higher profitability. Meanwhile, research from Harvard Business Review shows that a toxic employee costs a company more than twice as much as a high-performing one.

So, if you’re feeling stuck, overworked, or struggling to scale, ask yourself—is the problem really you, or is it the people you’ve hired?

Three Hard Truths About Growth & Team Quality

1. You Can’t Build an Empire with Cheap Labor and Average Talent

You might think hiring cheaper, less experienced people saves money, but in reality, it costs you more—more time, more mistakes, and more lost opportunities.

The most successful companies don’t cut corners when it comes to talent. They invest in the right people because they know a single high-performer can outwork and outperform an entire team of average hires.

2. The Wrong People Will Drain You Faster Than the Right Ones Will Elevate You

A single low-quality hire can:

• Slow down your operations with constant mistakes

• Drain your energy because they need constant supervision

• Lower team morale because others have to pick up their slack

And the worst part? They prevent you from focusing on growth. When you’re too busy fixing other people’s work, you’re not moving your business forward.

3. The Best Entrepreneurs Surround Themselves with People Who Are Smarter Than Them

If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.

Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Steve Jobs all built their empires by hiring experts who could execute at a higher level than they could. Their job wasn’t to do everything—it was to bring in people who could do it better.

How to Upgrade the Quality of People You Work With

Set Higher Standards – Stop hiring based on who’s available. Hire based on who will truly move the business forward.

Fire Fast – If someone isn’t adding value (even after feedback and training), let them go quickly. A slow, ineffective worker will hold back your entire company.

Invest in Top Talent – The best hires aren’t expenses. They’re revenue generators. Pay for skill, efficiency, and problem-solving ability—it will save you more money in the long run.

Surround Yourself with Thinkers, Not Just Doers – Your business doesn’t just need task-completers. It needs strategic thinkers who solve problems before they even reach you.

Final Thought: Who You Work With Determines Where You End Up

If you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or like you’re working harder than ever but not growing, look at the people around you.

The right team will multiply your results, while the wrong team will keep you spinning in place.

So, the real question is—are you surrounded by people who are lifting you up or holding you back?