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Episode 11 | Non-Messy Team Building & Tech
In this episode of the Messy Back-End of Entrepreneurship, our Expert, Jason Swenk, Agency Advisor, shares his advice on how to build a team successfully.
“If you don’t build your dream, someone will hire you to help build theirs.” – Tony Gaskins
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EXPERT PANEL
Today’s E-Mess: I help businesses get automated and my business is growing. How do I move to the next level where I am not doing it all alone? What do you do when you can’t afford to hire, but can’t afford not to hire? How do I get ready to hire?
Nate – When we are growing we trying to find someone identical to us. We need to make sure our vision and goals for the business are the same. Once we bring on someone to focus on the things that are not our strengths, we can save time and actually focus on our skills and strengths.
If you find someone with the same vision they will have the same passion and drive.
Roger – Solopreneurs want top-line revenue. First, take a step back and look at prices and margins. If your margins are skinny, take a step back and take a look at where you are compared to your competitors. Then really do a deep dive into your own margins and determine if you can increase your margins. If it has been three years since you had a rate increase to your existing customers then it time to look at a rate increase. Bring them more in line with where you need to be in your top line and margins.
I wouldn’t try to hire everybody that is like you. Look at their strengths and what they are good at and compliment your business with a diverse set of backgrounds, thoughts, and experiences.
Paul – It is a big challenge and a catch 22. Take a step back and look at your actual business. Any business can be boiled down to 7 functions: offer development, research and development, offers received through the customer journey, marketing sale and fulfillment, operational layer to deliver that, the people layer and the finance. When you are growing you need to figure out which parts of your business do you need help with fulfilling. Need to see which part of your business needs another person and then once you figured that out you need to develop an audition for that. In an audition, they can prove and demonstrate they have the skills rather than just talk. Anybody can talk and make themselves sound good in an interview and then they get there on day one and they don’t even have basic competency.
When you are ready to grow it is time to design the hiring experience.
Find an intern to work for you. They want to learn and they have the vision. They don’t cost anything. You can do a trade with them for training, education, and clients before you bring them onboard.
How do you hire the right people?
Before you get to a hiring point you have to know where the company is going and you have to have the right foundation in place. If you don’t have that clarity you then they can’t figure out how do we evaluate who is the best person for my company that can actually make decisions without me.
Let’s say we are on a boat going from New York to London, but you don’t tell anyone where you are going and your driving. After 10 hours you are going to need to take a nap. Every time the boat changes course your team keeps waking you up. You keep coming to the wheel and adjusting it. Finally, if you just telling where you are going they can just make the decision and fix it.
Hire someone that is better than you in the areas that you are struggling with.
Make sure they have the same core values as you.
You should be hiring for your weaknesses. It is a mistake to work on your weaknesses. You should be working on your strengths.
The best businesses in the world treat their employees first and go to bat for them over any client. If you have clients that are affecting your business they will affect your business for a long time and change the value of your business.
Always trust your gut!
If you find some prospects with your vision and core values, how do you then get them onboard?
Even before they are hired, you should record the jobs and processes you always do. Before their first day, you can share the library of videos of all the things they will be doing. On Day one they can be efficient and ready to go. It helps them to understand the long term goal and why.
They come up with quarterly goals for the company and break them down in a number of different ways. The team members also come up with their goals for the quarter. It gives them purpose and interest in the company.
His job as a leader and to have them achieve their goals and provide resources and things they need and make them better.
If you help them achieve their goals they are going to take care of you.
Building this relationship of trust between you and your team helps to open and keep open the door of communication as well.
If the team members have worth in their job, it is no longer a job.
