I gave a shout out about copper to an old team at a conference. Back when I worked at D.E. Shaw, I learned the value of a good team. I learned that five people working together could get a multiple of the work of one done. Back then, I had my team in India and I worked from the U.S., but even then it really helped me accomplish stuff. The most important thing I learned was the value of great people around you.
Today Oreninc/Aston Bay/Roche Bay and my personal life function on the back of a team. I have people who know how to do accounting, legal stuff, marketing, relationship management, trade shows, data collection and more. On the personal side, I do not do my own taxes, do my own laundry, or fix my own cars. The sheer fact of my life is that if there were not 10 - 20 people around me, I could not finish a fraction of what I get done.
A myth exists that great people stand alone and I agree on a bit of loneliness in being an Entrepreneur as the buck stops with me, but I do not stand alone. I stand on the strong backs of others and without them I would be gone.
I think more companies would be successes at startup if more bosses went out and talked about the fact that they do not make their presentations or their product. Bosses should go out and talk about creating wealth vs. doing work. It is not my job to do every job, it is my job to make the rain so that others can do their jobs.
So for all of you who stand on the backs of others, go buy them a cup of coffee and thank them because you would not be half the person you are without them.