Building a business is a huge achievement and as it grows, new challenges begin to emerge. One of the biggest factors that determine your continued success is making sure you have a strong team around you. A growing business requires not only more hands to get the work done, but more perspectives and opinions as well. Having the right people around you can be the difference between stagnation and continued growth.
So how do you know if it’s time to grow? Every business has its own unique set of needs, and each founder has their own set of strengths and weaknesses. However, some key signs that indicate it may be time to expand from a solo operation to a team, are the overwhelming feelings of overwork and burnout. Working around the clock, yet never seeming to be able to catch up is a great sign that your business is booming, but also that the workload is too much for one person. Being able to delegate tasks to a team can help you to regain balance and go beyond your own capabilities.
Similarly, if you find yourself turning away opportunities due to time constraints or capacity, it may be time to consider expanding. As a business owner, it’s understandable to want to manage every part of your company, however, once you start to grow, this can do more harm than good. Rather than missing potential revenue and opportunities, invest in a team to keep pace with the demand.
“As a founder it is imperative that you are very aware of your strengths and weaknesses. Sure in the beginning there is a benefit to bootstrapping the growth of your business and learning as well as doing all of the things. But at some point, usually once your business has gained traction, you have to have the self-awareness that you may not be the best person for every “job” at your company. At this point, switching your mindset to who, not how becomes a necessity.” – Annalee Hagood-Earl, founder of Bash Creative Inc
Knowing when it’s time
Take a moment to reflect on the last few weeks of your business; have you felt overwhelmed by sudden demand? Have time constraints led to missed opportunities? Have you struggled to keep up with orders or tasks? If any apply, congratulations on your increased success. Now, let’s look at the next steps to recruiting the who’s to build a strong support team!
Should you hire a new employee, freelancer or agency?
When it comes to building your team, understanding your strengths and weaknesses is the first step to ensuring both you and your business have your needs satisfied. Evaluating gaps within your current strategy can determine whether hiring full-time employees or contractors and freelancers is the best option. Full-time employees can provide a deeper level of engagement as they are more likely to be invested in the long-term goals of your business. This can help to establish a strong core team around you, as you come to build both personal and professional relationships on an individual level. Hiring full-time employees may be a good choice if the workload is ongoing and consistent and if there is a need for a cohesive company culture. Keep in mind, however, that hiring full-time employees is a significant commitment and will produce additional costs such as salary, taxes, and training.
Contractors and freelancers may be an ideal solution for many growing businesses, as they offer flexibility and can be brought on for specific projects and peak times. This option can help you bridge the gap when an extra pair of hands is needed temporarily, without the financial commitment of full-time employees. Additionally, when hiring on a per project or temporary basis you may be able to bring in a contractor or freelancer who is more experienced or specialized in the tasks at hand since you do not need to budget for taxes, benefits, or full-time compensation. Once you have hired a contractor or freelancer and are working with them often, this can also be a good way to gauge if your business will be in need of hiring full-time employees in the near future. If the relationship is good and there is a synergy with this contractor, you may even be able to give them a full-time offer!
Hiring an Agency is likely the most expensive route but a good one when you need to outsource an entire function of the business, such as finance or marketing. Working with the right agency will give you room to grow and not outgrow your support as the business scales. Typically an agency will have additional helpful services you may not engage in at the beginning of the relationship but become essential as you grow.
“We have found that contractors and freelancers can be just as valuable as employees if you put the intention and effort into building that relationship. Many of our contractors have transitioned into full-time employees and it has been a wonderful way for our business to have a trial period with an individual prior to the commitment of full-time.” – Annalee Hagood-Earl, founder of Bash Creative
Finding the right person
Once you have identified how you can support your business with a team that meets your needs, attracting and hiring the right people is crucial. Hiring quickly without thoroughly exploring who is right for you can cost time, money, and morale. It is important to be conscientious and strategic when searching for the right individuals to build your team. Before beginning, outline the core values and culture of your business. Knowing what kind of environment you want to grow will help you to attract the people who fit your goals and values. Your values should guide you in selecting whether a candidate is a good fit and who will simultaneously thrive in their role.
Once confirming your business identity, prepare a clear job description that highlights the roles and responsibilities that you are hiring for, as well as the mission and vision of your company. This will attract people who are genuinely interested in being a part of your business and whose values align with yours. Exploring current connections and networks will also help you to target the candidates that will fit your team. Oftentimes, referrals from other colleagues can identify talent with the experience and enthusiasm that will build your team.
Throughout this process, it is important to remain patient and selective. Although it may be tempting to hire quickly and get to work on the continued growth of your business, finding the right person for the position is an incredibly important task. It is necessary to hire someone that is not only capable, but who is enthusiastic, passionate and shares the values of your business. Being confident in and communicative with your hire will reduce turnover and build strong morale for your business, as well as personal relationships. Look for individuals who have the potential to grow with your business and are motivated to meet your goals.
“We have some of the most dedicated and motivated employees and I contribute this solely to our conviction in our values and mission paired with a very thoughtful and tedious recruitment process. Our process for every position starts with an application survey where we are able to clearly communicate our values, expectations, and showcase a bit of our internal brand. It also weeds out the lazy, unmotivated, and unaligned applicants. Each candidate that is selected from this pool then goes through 2 rounds of interviews, a skills assessment, and reference check before making it to a job offer. We find the skills assessment to be the most enlightening part of the process for us. It is a great way to see how candidates show up to work, communicate, and their definition of quality. It is in this stage where the surprises usually show themselves and we are able to feel so much more confident in the candidate that succeeds.” – Annalee Hagood-Earl, founder of Bash Creative.
So, now what?
Building a strong team is an important step for growing a small business. It is more than just crossing off tasks on a to-do list but can be a force of change as you consider new perspectives. Strategically choosing a strong team can help you achieve your business goals and expand your vision to go beyond what may seem possible.
If you have gone through the process of building a team for your small business, feel free to share your experiences and challenges in the comments below! Your insights can help others who are currently facing similar decisions.
At Follow the Founder, we aim to foster a community of growth and support and establish a platform to share the diverse journeys of business owners! We want to hear from you!
