Site Management Forming a team before starting a forum

[Debashis]

Do you think it is a good idea to form a team of like-minded people first and then start a forum? Or do you think it's better to first start a forum and then find like-minded people to help you out? Do you do either of them or go for a different approach?

 

[Kennysplash]

One can start first, there is a high chance that you will find people that share the same interests as you do. Looking for them before you start can cause delay.
Besides it is not who started the journey with you that really matters, it is who stuck with you to the very end.

 

[fords8]

I like the idea of having a team in place. I even like the idea of having 2 owners with the same vision. It is very important to chat about everything.

 

[Cedric]

Back when we were on ZetaBoards, we had whole staff teams ready before we even decided on a name. It’s definitely much easier with a team behind your back than starting all alone. Especially nowadays. I started AJ alone a year ago and it wasn’t until December (I think) when I first hired @Cory 😃

 

[Reverie]

I enjoyed having a full complete team before opening, or few openings available. I miss the old days that Cedric is referring to. When I last opened my last community we had our admin team, and maybe a few other positions, but it definitely was not full.

I think it's a good idea to open with at least one other person now a days. Running ideas off of someone else, this also helps to not overwhelm yourself in my opinion. I'm not sure if starting with a full team today is that beneficial. I would get a few people to start posting around (content bundles) and perhaps some friends that can provide some feedback.

 

[Ravenfreak]

I think it's very beneficial to form a team before making a community, especially if you're not familiar with running a community or if you're using software you never used before. Having a team can help with the costs of hosting, software, etc. if you choose to split up the costs.

 

[Darth Cognus]

It is wise to have a handful of likeminded people on deck, preferably with a native understanding of the subject you're going for. If only to advise, not necessarily more cooks in the kitchen. If you don't have these friends already it's good advertising and good knowledge to seek them out so you open something attuned to current opinions of the community you're gunning for. Content producers would be excellent. Moderators, meh: it's stocking stuffing until you have a community to supervise, creation is the key, the deeper the substance the better. And harder to get. Of course...

 

[Cory]

it wasn’t until December (I think) when I first hired @Cory

And I am pleased to still be by your side to this day.

I think starting a team is not a bad idea, especially if your forum has multiple areas of expertise that people could be qualified for. It's easier/nicer to have quality content coming in from multiple staff members than just one. I think I started with me and one other team member, so I wasn't prepared to have a whole lot done to the board when it first started. Then again, I have been flying solo on my board for years now, and although it may lack quality and consistent content, it supersedes itself with the resources it has to offer. So, I suppose in the end it depends on what you as the owner of the board want from your community.

 

[Timgab]

If you probably have or found like minded to start a targeted forum, it is very ok, but if reverse is the case, it is still a better option too but it gonna require more effort than the other.

 

[Aussie]

I would get the basics done first before asking people to join you, (domain, software, style, general layout, direction you want to go) a few reasons:

You will always be the ultimate boss or owner having started it, you get the first and last say at all times... this also reduces disputes at the start in what direction to go... (e.g. people will argue about forums styling for days.....)

Lots of people wouldn't understand your vision, or have a slightly different one, so best you start without them and that makes it easier to sell your own vision to others.

You can bring people on board as needed with skills that suit what you need for the forum - eg you might not need 5 people who all like the same topic but zero experience in running a website, but you might need someone that is a really experienced Forum Mod for example.

Having multiple people at the start can be good for costs, but then that can create issues later down the track when people wont pay up or feel they have a owners stake in the website because they contributed when it started - better method again is to do it yourself and ask admin team if they might donate to help cover costs at no obligation.

edit: remember the saying "too many cooks in the kitchen"

 

[ClicketyKat]

If you have a team already in place, it saves you from doing all the work. Delegate, delegate, delegate. And in the process, you'll learn if those team members are going to work out before the site is already up and running.

 

[Empire]

I wish I had a team of people to come together and build the site together, having a team of people helps to build the base to a wonderful colour It does, I mean all you have to do is look at AJ as they started with a team. With a team of people they have there own roles based on what they are good at and they work together, job gets down faster, many jobs are being worked on at once and each team members learn from each other

You can start alone as a single person, it's not easy thought, takes more time and even if you are so busy working on the backend like coding who is doing the front end?

But not everyone would have a perfect team, I had those times when your own people poop you up and end up leaving or they staff of your site and do nothing but not logged in.