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Growing a business isn’t just about big ideas or killer marketing—it’s about people. In this dynamic conversation between Jon and Colleen, we dive deep into the art of building a team not just to support your business, but to drive it forward. Whether you’re just starting to hire or looking to refine your recruitment and onboarding process, the insights here will reshape how you think about scaling sustainably.
Start with the Right People, Not Perfect Ones
- Forget “A Players”—Find A Game Attitudes The myth of hiring unicorn-level talent out of the gate is just that—a myth. What you really want are people willing to bring their A game: curiosity, commitment, and the drive to learn. “It’s not about mythical A players—it’s about people who show up every day ready to grow.”
- Hiring for Heart Over Resume Instead of obsessing over pre-baked skills, look for enthusiasm, alignment with your mission, and the willingness to grow into the role.
Where to Look for the Right Talent
- Leverage Weak Ties, Not Just Close Connections Tap into your extended network—friends of friends, past coworkers, or connections from current employees. These “warm” intros often lead to better culture fits. “People you know, like, and trust—or those vouched for by someone who does—are often your best hires.”
- Don’t Dismiss Culture Fit A new hire who clashes with your team’s vibe can disrupt everything. Prioritize alignment over perfection.
Growth Comes From Within
- Develop Your People Upskilling isn’t just a perk—it’s your secret weapon. Assign roles based on interest, then train for skills. Colleen shared how a support hire with a knack for Photoshop became a social media lead, simply because they noticed a spark and invested in her growth.
- Use Onboarding to Build Belonging Immersive onboarding helps new hires connect to your mission and team. Have them shadow multiple people, absorb your content, and feel part of the tribe from day one.
Training as a Strategic Advantage
- Invest in Education—Internally and Externally From courses and YouTube content to sending team members to events, consistent learning keeps your company sharp. “We allocate work time for learning—because growth isn’t optional, it’s strategic.”
- Build Confidence Through Support When people feel equipped and backed by leadership, they’re more likely to step into their potential.
Let Go to Level Up
- Delegate with Intent Leaders often resist delegation thinking, “I can do it faster myself.” But hanging onto every task keeps you stuck in the weeds. “If you don’t teach someone else to do it, it’s stuck on you forever.”
- Empower Ownership Let team members own processes. The result? They rise to the occasion—and often outperform expectations.
Redefine Leadership from Control to Support
- Don’t Hoard the Credit Shine the spotlight on your team. Celebrate their wins. It boosts morale and strengthens your culture.
- Scale Yourself, Too As your business grows, so should you. Reevaluate where you spend your time. If you’re still doing tasks others could handle, it’s time to hire or delegate. “The CEO should be the navigator, not the one rowing every oar.”
- Step Back, Strategically When Colleen had her access removed from key platforms, it forced her to trust her team—and made room for real leadership.
The Bottom Line: Buy Help, Buy Space
Hiring isn’t just about business growth. It’s about buying space—mental, emotional, and creative—for yourself as a founder.
“You can’t scale if you’re burned out or doing everything yourself. You have to let go to grow.”
Ready to Build the Team of Tomorrow?
Your next breakthrough won’t come from doing more yourself. It’ll come from empowering others to bring their A game—and building systems to help them thrive. Whether you’re onboarding your first hire or managing a growing team, remember: investing in people is how you scale sustainably.
