By Mariana Simoes

Business Insider - February 14, 2013

Today’s advice comes from our interview with Liz Elting, co-founder of TransPerfect:

“I started working at a young age. I did everything from babysitting to newspaper deliveries to working for a dry cleaner. And now when we hire, that’s one of the key qualities I look for. I look for people who have a very strong work ethic. A big indicator of that quality is whether somebody has worked from a very young age and ideally has never stopped.”

Elting believes discipline and hard work pays off. It's important to nurture strong dedicated workers, but that's not all an employer should set out to do. Open communication across sectors is also vital for running a healthy business. The head of the company must encourage their employees to feel comfortable at work and to share their ideas with one another. There must also be an open dialogue of the company’s accomplishments, challenges, and shared goals.

“We believe in an open culture, where employees are comfortable discussing and resolving day-to-day challenges and issues without the need for side conversations on the matter. We encourage our employees to speak up, and often ask how they’re doing...Building a company is essentially building a community of individuals who create the atmosphere and set the bar for the excellence of that company. A successful work environment requires dedication, inspiration, and transparency.”