Well starting a remote team can be a headache sometimes. Beginning with people you know do help at times, this is because you know their weakness and strength therefore, dealing with them becomes easy. However, the issue of familiarity sets in from time to time and you should have a way of working things out with them. The fact that you are beginning with people you know does not mean they should be random. You have to strategically select these people and these people should share the same interest as yours. Working with people who are in line with your goals makes your work much easier and pushes the team forward. You can also create awareness of this initiative online and when you get this workforce, make them feel at home. There are some things you should be mindful of when creating a remote team.
Communication is a key component: Like any relationship, organization, or whatsoever, communication is key. Yet it won't be easy since the individuals of the team are at different locations. Nonetheless, it is possible with the combination of some processes and tools.
Invest in developing your team: do not be the leader who just assigns tasks. a great leader invests his time and energy to continually develop his team.