How to make the right first hires for your business

You’re an overwhelmed solopreneur. You’ve got too much on your to-do list.

You're ping-ponging between trying to build a social media presence, nurturing your email list, rewriting your website, posting on your blog, starting your podcast, and actually serving your clients.

Your attention has been pulled in a million directions and you're pretty sure that none of them are getting you closer to where you want to be.

You think, “I need help.” Now is the time to outsource some of what I’m doing to be able to grow my business and still have a life.”

Great! So…

  • How do you determine what the right hires are?

  • How do you bring them onto your team?

  • How do you determine if it makes financial sense for your business?

  • And if you determine now is NOT the right time to begin outsourcing, what can you do to get "over the hump" until you are ready?

Here’s the process I take my 1:1 business coaching clients through. It works.

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Determine the type of support your business needs in order to grow.

1. Back-Office or Administrative Support

  • Activities to help your business run internally

  • Shows up in your P&L under Operating Expenses

  • Examples include:

    • Business development support - researching & compiling a list of potential clients, conferences to attend, speaking engagements, media opportunities, etc.

    • Managing emails, calendar management

    • Sending contracts, sending invoices to clients, follow up on these activities Ordering supplies, booking travel, etc.

2. Digital Marketing Support

  • Marketing activities to grow your audience / attract your ideal client-customer

  • Shows up in your P&L under Operating Expenses

  • Examples include:

    • Creating original social media posts - graphics, captions

    • Repurposing content across chosen platforms - blog, newsletter, carousel posts, standalone posts, video, etc.

    • Creating meetings, roundtables, lives - all of the associated activities to make these happen

    • SEO for your website copy, blog posts, social media posts

    • Website updates

3. Client-Facing Talent / Resources

  • Client-facing support that you need in order to deliver excellent work-product for your clients

  • Shows up in your P&L under Cost of Goods Sold (cost of delivering the service to your client - your "goods")

  • This includes:

    • Expertise outside of your core competency to round out your services - all services delivered to your client through and invoiced by your business

    • Talent - team members to execute on your core competency to deliver your services

Assess the amount of support you need.

Based on the stage of your business, your business needs, and the type of support:

  • Is this part-time or full-time

  • If it's part-time, what are the estimated number of hours per week

Decide on the type of hire.

The big questions, no matter the type of hire...

  • Will this be a contractor (1099-based) or on payroll?

  • If it's not on payroll, will you sign on with an agency/business for the services or contract directly with the resource/talent

    • If you're contracting directly, make sure your agreements are in place

  • A part-time resource does not mean that it's a contractor - it could be a part-time, on-payroll position

  • 1099 is most often the way to when making your first hire, however note:

    • The IRS and each state have definitions for Contractor and Employee (NB: the Department of Labor plans to make changes again in 2023)

    • If you think It Is someone you may want to bring on payroll at some point, I suggest you do that from the start (back taxes are a b-tch)

Go to your P&L.

Your P&L is your friend... what you should consider:

  • Know your current revenue, expenses, and net profit or loss

  • What is the cost of the planned hire on a monthly basis?

    • If on payroll, there are other expenses you will have to account for (payroll taxes and Insurance - WC and DBL/PFL are the big two)

  • What positive impact, if any, would there be on revenue?

    • Ability to take on more clients

    • Freeing up your time to do more business development

  • If there Is an initial hit to your P&L, what Is the amount of time you'll plan for until there Is a positive return on your investment?

Use processes & tools to "get you over the hump" if you’re not ready to hire at this time.

Processes to streamline your operations:

  • Try not to "touch things twice"

  • Create templates for repeatable communications and activities

    • Emails

    • Business documents

    • Social posts

    • Emails and blog posts

  • Use a project management tool

  • Use an online business management tool

  • Repurpose with purpose

Tools to use to manage your business:

  • Bookkeeping

  • Payroll & Paying Contractors

  • File Storage, Collaboration & Sharing

  • Project Management

  • Business management / CRM

  • Client Communications

  • Content Tools

  • Video editing & captions

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If this process leaves you thinking, “I need help!” let’s connect.

Book a Discovery Call to discuss how working with me can save you time and money and leave you feeling more confident about the next right steps to profitably grow your business.

Are you asking the right questions in your business? >>

What could you do differently to grow your business? >>

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