Check out the company owners and their track record in business. Have they had success in business? What level of success have they had? Have they been in business before, and have they been in the industry long? Do they have a proven track record?
Look for forms of recognition from reputable organisations to validate their business acumen. As the saying goes “fish rots at the head”. If everything else looks good in assessment but the leadership/management are not capable of driving the ship – you can be assured this will become a problem at some stage.
Ask questions about the financial setup. Is the company debt loaded? Do they own assets in the business? Understanding the financial health of the company is essential. If the company is financially “unhealthy” they will have issues in the future for expansion, innovation, product research & development, potential commission structure issues and risk of going out of business.
Is the company privately owned? Is there multi-ownership? Is it a public company? Does it have investor backing?
I have had experience with a company that had a great product, but the owners were backed predominately by investors. During tough economic times, the owners changed the commission structure to provide its investors with the returns they were expecting. Similarly, public companies decision-making processes can be slanted towards favouring shareholder returns. For me, a privately held single ownership company is the best model in this industry because you can have more connection with the ownership and decisions made.
Are the owners visionary leaders? Do they have a realistic plan? If you are going to commit your most valuable asset (TIME), you need to believe in the vision and their long-term strategy.
Your decision on WHO you join with is important. People join people! Make sure you join with a visionary leadership group, who have already achieved what you want to achieve, have excellent training, are active in the field, are available to connect with and innovative.