*** Ten Simple Strategies for Building a Great Team

Donald J. Trump is the greatest real estate developer in history. But he is the first person to admit that he needed a great team behind him - great advisors, great attorneys, great accountants, and more. Yes, Mr. Trump is a man of formidable abilities. But even he couldn't go it alone.

If you want to follow in Mr. Trump’s footsteps, be sure to assemble a great team too - the earlier, the better. These 10 strategies will help assure that you bring the right people on board.

1. Ask “What would you do if you were in my position?” to get a glimpse of a potential advisor’s ability to plan flexibly.
2. Ask what he or she did to help another client who was once like you. Does it sound like a process that will work for you?
3. Don’t hire someone who will not answer all your questions clearly, patiently and positively.
4. Trust your gut. If you have a negative initial reaction to someone, why would you consider putting him or her on your team?
5. If you hear, “Here’s what I do for all my clients . . .” you are getting a spiel, not individualized attention.
6. Ask for a timeline about what and the advisor will do in the first meeting, in the first six months of your work together - and out into the future. You want to hear a structured plan, not only first steps.
7. Call your potential advisor on the phone before you agree to work together. If he or she is tough to contact, go with someone else.
8. Look around the waiting room while you are waiting to interview your potential advisor. Are the people who work in the office the kind of professionals you want to get to know? Do you like the way they answer the phone and interact with the clientele they serve?
9. Don’t agree to pay a monthly retainer - at least not in the early stages of your relationship. Start out with scheduled pay-as-you-go meetings and move to a retainer when doing so makes financial sense for you.
10. Ask for a detailed fee schedule. If he or she can print one off and hand it to you, that’s a very positive sign.

Remember, a great team is part of any success - whether you are making your wealth as an entrepreneur, a real estate developer or an investor. Invite the best people to join your team - and watch your success soar.