As a business owner, you’ve likely heard the phrase, “With great power comes great responsibility.” In the world of entrepreneurship, we might tweak that to say, “With great success comes great complexity.” When your business hits its stride and growth becomes inevitable, scaling becomes the next logical step. But scaling isn’t just about expanding; it’s about growing sustainably and strategically for long-term success.
As your customer base and profits increase, so does the complexity of your operations. To paraphrase a famous rapper, “more money, more problems” – and that’s the truth. As your business grows, having the right systems and people in place becomes crucial. Without a solid foundation, rapid growth can lead to operational setbacks, declining service quality, and ultimately, burnout for you, your team, and your management.
Scaling allows you to meet increased demand without losing the essence of what made your business successful in the first place. Today, we’re diving into why hiring the right team is critical to your business’s successful growth. If you want your business to thrive, you must have the key players in place, from the janitor to the CEO. So much can go wrong if you don’t have the right people in the right positions.
The Impact of Hiring on Business Growth
When scaling your business, you’ll likely transition from being a solopreneur to building a team. This shift is significant. Initially, you might work with virtual assistants or short-term contractors, but as your business grows, you’ll need in-house employees. That’s a whole different ballgame.
The key question to ask when hiring is: Will this person add value to my business or detract from it? Are they a good cultural fit, or will they tarnish your reputation? It’s essential to hire proactive people and to know exactly what role you’re hiring for.
One common mistake is hiring people you need but can’t afford. When you hire someone underqualified simply because they cost less, you end up paying in other ways. For instance, if the going rate for a qualified customer service rep is $20 an hour, but you can only afford $12, you probably won’t get someone with the experience and skills you need. As the saying goes, “You get what you pay for.” While it might seem tempting to save on payroll, hiring someone without the right skills can become a significant headache, requiring extra training and supervision.
Skill Set vs. Cultural Fit: What to Prioritize When Hiring
When it comes to hiring for growth, should you prioritize skill set or cultural fit? Ideally, you should strive for both. Let me share a personal experience: I once hired people who, although skilled, were the total opposite of the culture I was trying to create. My company is all about delivering the “wow” experience to our customers, but these employees didn’t share that vision. I learned the hard way that a cultural mismatch can derail your efforts.
Now, when we interview, we base our questions on our core values—teamwork, innovation, reliability, and accountability—to ensure that new hires will fit seamlessly into our culture.
It’s also important to hire with future growth in mind. When bringing someone on board today, ask yourself: Could this person grow with the company in the next five years? For example, if you’re hiring a shift leader, wouldn’t it be great if they had the potential to step into a shift manager role down the line? Investing in people with the skills and ambition to grow will save you time and money in the future.
Avoiding Common Hiring Mistakes
One of the biggest things businesses need to improve is to underestimate the importance of their hiring process. Before bringing someone on board, ensure you’re clear about the role’s responsibilities and how it fits into your larger business strategy. Another mistake is hiring based solely on credentials. I’ve done this, and it was a disaster. The person looked perfect on paper but was a terrible fit for my company. Credentials alone don’t tell the whole story—culture, attitude, and adaptability are just as important.
Building a Team for Success
You can’t build a “dream team” overnight, but you can assemble a team that’s committed to helping your business succeed. One tip that has worked well for me is having a streamlined onboarding process that empowers new employees from day one. From training videos to structured onboarding, having a clear plan helps new hires hit the ground running.
Another key to success is developing leadership within your team. As your business grows, you can’t have your hands in every aspect of the company. You need to promote or hire leaders who can run things in your absence. I’m a big fan of promoting from within, as it saves time on training and onboarding and shows your team that there’s room for growth.
The Long-Term Benefits of Thoughtful Hiring
Thoughtful hiring sets the stage for sustainable growth. With the right team, you’ll see increased innovation, productivity, and adaptability as your company scales. One of our core values is innovation, and it comes in all forms—from employees offering new ideas in meetings to finding better ways to do their jobs. Out-of-the-box thinkers and reliable, adaptable team members are crucial to maintaining momentum during growth.
Finally, never sacrifice your company’s values or quality in the rush to scale. Keeping your core values intact while growing your business is what will make the difference between success and failure.
By focusing on hiring the right people and maintaining your company culture, you can build a team that will support your business through every phase of growth.
Wishing you success in your scaling journey,
Coach Roslyn
