Recently I talked with Elena Obukhova, who started Supermoon with a co-founder. What started as a passion project — residential experiences where founders, builders, and investors could stay together and connect — has grown into an NYC-based startup program and a network of 42,000+ founders, developers, and investors focused on convergent tech.
I asked Elena what made them build it differently than other accelerators.
"A lot of accelerators were doing it backwards. They would launch a program and then start building community and network. Community and network is the most crucial part. Startup founders already understand how to build and scale. What they actually need is help connecting with the right investors, the right partners, and access to distribution channels."
So they built the network first. Startups that pitched at Supermoon events have gone on to raise over $300 million in funding — which gave them the confidence to launch their Growth Engine program for early-stage founders this year.
We talked about what building a team has looked like.
Elena said the hardest part wasn't finding talented people — it was learning to also identify who was the right fit for how they work. Everyone comes from a different background and works at a different pace, and she had to develop a more personal approach to communication with each team member.
"You want people that share the same vision and beliefs and are moving in the same direction. Then you're moving not as a company with 50 people — you're moving as a company with one massive voice and impact."
That's the difference between a group of people and a team.
She went on to say that hiring is only half of it — you also have to make room for people to grow.
"When people join your company, they also have their own goals, their own mission. Passion definitely beats knowledge. If they see an opportunity to grow, I would always like to give them that chance to learn."
It's a small shift, but it changes how people show up.
We also talked about communication.
Elena said the biggest thing is setting the rules early — whether that's fully async, daily check-ups, or something in between. What matters is figuring out what works and locking it in before the team is already in motion.
"It's very hard to change culture once you've onboarded team members and they've been working with you for a while. It's not impossible. It's just way more challenging than setting it up right from the very beginning."
That's a lesson a lot of founders learn the expensive way.
I asked for her most valuable lesson from previous experience.
"Never expect that things are going to go exactly as you plan. Definitely plan, have a long-term vision, mission, and goals. But always keep your mind open because things are going to change."
She closed with advice for founders building teams.
"You just need a few people to believe in your mission. They will follow you as long as you keep building."
Are you a founder building in convergent tech? Connect with Elena Obukhova and check out Supermoon.