If you think that you have to have a big team to run a successful online business, I’m glad you’ve found this post.

I used to think the exact same thing, but my experience has taught me otherwise.

When I first started my business, like so many of you, I was a solopreneur. I didn't have the extra money to pay someone when I was trying to simply pay myself.

So, I dedicated most of my time to the business, creatively thinking about it and providing for my family. This approach worked well for a while.

As I started taking on more marketing responsibilities, I began considering hiring a team.

Industry advice pointed me towards hiring for admin work: scheduling clients, sending contracts, etc.

These tasks never quite justified the need for hiring someone in my mind. I instead thought about the areas where hiring help would directly contribute to generating revenue.

My first hire was a Virtual Assistant (VA) for contracted work, specifically for marketing-related tasks.

I remember feeling nervous about the financial commitment, but it quickly paid off.

This small hire allowed me to reclaim valuable time, which I used to focus on revenue-generating activities like hosting live events and webinars.

From there, I began to think hiring a big team was needed - boy was I wrong.

Inside today’s episode of the Authentic Brand Builders podcast, we’ll dive into:

One of my most expensive lessons with hiring a team and what it taught me.
The first few steps to take and things to consider when hiring team members.
The type of first hire I recommend every solopreneur consider for the highest ROI.

**I’ve included the main points below, but I encourage you to dive into the full episode via audio or video!

For the full content, and all the insider tips, listen to Episode 122 now.

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY | LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS | LISTEN ON YOUTUBE

Hiring My Big Team: Mistakes and Regrets

By 2019, I received a lot of messages suggesting that expanding past the six-figure mark was only possible with a bigger team.

I hired multiple team members: a marketing manager, an operations manager, someone for community handling, an ads team, and more.

On paper, it looked great, and I felt like a CEO. But reality soon set in.

I found myself constantly on calls and managing people, which drained my creative energy.

While I worked with some amazing individuals, the constant meetings and decision-making were exhausting and not aligned with how I wanted to spend my day.

In addition, the ROI was not what I expected, and the work ethic and values of some team members didn’t match my business vision.

At the beginning of 2022, I decided to restructure my business focusing first and foremost on my team.

I scaled back to having just one team member, Delana, my operations manager, and my husband, who was handling video and podcast editing.

This shift allowed me to regain my creativity and passion for my business. My business felt exciting again, and I felt supported in the areas of my business where I needed the most support.

Four Tips for Building Your Team

Here are some recommendations for when and how to hire, based on my experience and supporting my clients in building their support system

1. Assesses Your Tasks

Start by logging your daily tasks for a week or two. List everything down. Then highlight the tasks you don't enjoy doing. Remember, we’re starting with you and what works for you!

2. Track Your Time

The next step is to track your time. I’m time-blind and something that feels like it took 30 minutes, takes me 2 hours, so having a tracker has been a true blessing.

Use a tool like ToggleTrack to see where you’re spending most of your time. Then you want to compare the data. What areas are you spending a lot of time, and don’t enjoy the process - this is where to start.

This is crucial because something like creating designs for my business takes me a lot of time, but I creatively enjoy it.

3. Find Your Tools First

Before hiring, see if there are tools available that can save you time. Administrative tools can be lifesavers when it comes to saving time. Consider something like Honeybook to automate your onboarding or Acuity Scheduling to automate reminder emails.

If you’re creating video or podcast content, then Descript is my absolute favorite tool for this. AI tools are helpful in outsourcing tasks and personally, my favorite use of AI.

4. Start With Small Projects

One of my best tips is to begin with project-based hires. This allows you to assess the work and fit without long-term commitments. For instance, hiring for a single landing page, an email migration, and setting up an evergreen email funnel, can all be great places to start.

Consider if the person has additional skillsets if you’re thinking about hiring for more projects or long-term work!

What to Hire First in Business

I always suggest starting with marketing hires. Why? Because marketing has an incredible ROI. If you’re hiring for the first time, it can be helpful to see that this particular person helped make money for the business. A good marketing hire can bring in leads and sales, providing a clear return on investment.

Ideas include hiring someone to upload and optimize your YouTube content, upload your podcast, schedule your blogs, help with social media, schedule your Pinterest, etc…

Then, as your business grows, having someone dedicated to customer relations becomes crucial. Personalization and customer care are key to retaining clients and building a loyal community.

How to Find Team Members

I suggest getting recommendations from your network to start. You can also consider platforms like Upwork or Fiverr, especially if you’re hiring for a specific project. Remember, it’s essential to find someone who understands and aligns with your business values so don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions.

When hiring it’s also helpful to understand different roles and how they might fit into your long-term team-building plan.

Consider the different levels of support you might need:

VAs for general tasks and the ability to do a lot of different things for your business
Specialists who focus on one area like podcast managers or video editors
Online Business Managers for higher-level management and support

Often these can cross over, or you might find that your podcast manager also loves graphic design and is taking on clients. I discovered so many of my team members' hidden talents by asking and sharing the areas I needed support in.

CONCLUSION

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to building a team. For instance, while others might prefer outsourcing customer service, I keep it in-house for a more personalized touch. You truly have to discover what aligns with your business goals and values.

Every business is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. Always think about how you want to spend your day. Consider if you enjoy meetings and calls, or if you prefer hands-on work. Honoring your authentic self and style is crucial when building your team

If you have any questions about my experience, feel free to reach out. Building a team is a journey, and I hope my story helps inform yours.

Tune in now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube Podcasts to hear the full episode and all the tips.

P.S. Ready to build a revenue-generating brand? One that not only stands out online but also makes it easier than ever to create high-value content? Tune in to my free brand class and learn my Build a Better Brand Method. Watch now at brandmerry.com/class.

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