Core Skills and Resources
As HarvestBox grew, Naledi Mokoena brought in three people to help manage orders, packing and deliveries.
At first, everyone helped wherever they could. If ingredients arrived, whoever was available checked them. If a customer sent a question, the first person who saw it replied. When deliveries ran late, the entire team stopped what they were doing to solve the problem.
This flexibility helped HarvestBox through its earliest days. But as orders increased, it started creating confusion.
Two people would sometimes complete the same task, while another task was missed completely. Customer requests were discussed but not always assigned. Decisions were delayed because team members were waiting for Naledi’s approval—even when she thought someone else was handling them.
The problem was not a lack of effort. It was a lack of clarity.
A Team Is a System
A team is not simply a group of people. It is a system for how work moves through the business.
Naledi began by mapping the responsibilities connected to each customer order. One person would confirm the order and respond to customer questions. Another would check ingredients and manage packing. A third would coordinate delivery times and communicate with drivers.
The roles were not rigid. Team members could still support one another when things became busy. The difference was that every important responsibility now had a clear owner.
Naledi also clarified which decisions people could make independently and which required a team discussion. The packing coordinator, for example, could replace an unavailable ingredient with an approved alternative. However, changing the weekly menu or increasing prices required Naledi’s involvement.
This reduced unnecessary delays and gave the team more confidence.
Creating Support, Not Silos
Clear roles did not mean everyone worked alone. Naledi introduced a short weekly check-in where the team shared priorities, raised problems and asked for support.
When a large office order arrived unexpectedly, everyone understood who would lead the response and how they could help without abandoning their own responsibilities. Work began moving faster, with fewer repeated tasks and fewer last-minute surprises.
As you prepare your own team, consider two questions:
- Who is responsible for each important outcome—not only each individual task?
- How will decisions, updates and requests for support move between people?
In an early-stage business, roles will continue to change. That is normal. The goal is not to create a complicated structure. It is to give people enough clarity to work confidently, make appropriate decisions and support one another.
Once Naledi stopped treating teamwork as “everyone doing everything,” HarvestBox became more consistent. The team was still flexible, but it was no longer confused.
When people understand their responsibilities and how their work connects, the business can move forward with far less friction.
Until next time, Instant Startup community!
