It sounds like the start of a joke, right? A Hacker, a Hipster, and a Hustler walk into a bar….. but each of these is an integral part of a startup team. According to legend, this line of thinking was coined a few years back at SXSW by Rei Inamoto and has been adopted by tons of entrepreneurial teams as way to build a lean team with a diverse skill set. Here’s how it breaks down:
The Hacker:
The Hacker is your technology specialist. Even if you aren’t building an app or a piece of software, having someone on your core team that understands how tech can make the launch of your business easier, is key. There are so many free or just about free platforms, apps and services out there which can get you from idea to launch with a minimal learning curve, and having a Hacker to vet and guide your team through the best solutions will save you time and headaches.
The Hustler:
The Hustler is the person who brings the business acumen to the group as well as a path to customers and connections that the business needs in it’s early stages if it’s going to survive and grow. She’s the person who has to keep the team on the path with the tough questions like: What is the problem we’re trying to solve? Will anyone buy this? How the hell are we going to pay for the development?
The Hipster:
The Hipster is your customer experience expert. They know what’s cool (or at least they think they do), and what will make YOUR product or service unique. They also can bring some of the brand identity and front-end design to the project. A good Hipster knows that your customers aren’t just buying a product – they’re buying a brand; they’re buying a feeling or an experience. So build your accordingly.
Boom, there you have it. So whether you’re building business, creating an event or fighting for a cause, a good team should have all three. Which one are YOU?
