Upcoming Events, Courses, and Talks

Building the right team is one of the most critical challenges startups face—especially for first-time founders or new managers. Too often, hiring is reactive, job descriptions are vague, and roles evolve without structure. This workshop offers a practical framework to help you approach team building with clarity and confidence.

Designed for founders and early-stage leaders, the session covers how to structure your team based on your company’s growth stage, make thoughtful hiring decisions, and navigate the harder—but equally important—work of letting people go when it's not working. You’ll learn how to write effective job descriptions, define roles clearly, and avoid the common mistakes that drain time, money, and morale.

We’ll explore how to:

• Build a modular team structure around real functions—not just titles
• Understand the difference between hiring an employee, a partner, or a co-founder
• Create simple tools like role scorecards, skills gap maps, and 30/60/90 plans
• Recognize and act when it’s time to restructure, reassign, or exit someone
• Build diverse, complementary teams that can grow and adapt with your business

Whether you're making your first hire or refining a growing team, you’ll leave with practical tools and a clearer sense of how to lead your organization forward—even if leadership is new to you.

Who Should Attend:

• Founders planning their first strategic hires
• Early-stage leaders navigating their first management responsibilities
• Startups struggling with team structure, hiring clarity, or performance
• Entrepreneurs building teams in resource-constrained environments
• Anyone looking to move from guesswork to intentional team-building

About the Instructor

Gail Ludewig is a proven corporate president and advisor with decades of experience leading multimillion-dollar family-owned businesses. This seasoned executive brings deep passion for leadership development and inclusivity, demonstrated through extensive board and leadership roles across multiple industry associations, organizations, and nonprofit ventures.

Gail's background combines hands-on operational experience with strategic leadership development, having successfully navigated the challenges of building, scaling, and managing teams across different business contexts. Her expertise spans both startup environments and established enterprises, providing valuable perspective on how team structures and management approaches must evolve with company growth.

Through various board and advisory positions, Gail has gained insights into best practices across industries and organizational types. Her commitment to inclusivity and leadership development ensures that the workshop addresses not just tactical hiring decisions, but also the broader cultural and strategic considerations that determine long-term team success.

This combination of practical experience and strategic thinking makes Gail's workshop particularly valuable for entrepreneurs seeking to build sustainable, high-performing organizations.