40. Building A Team: What To Do BEFORE You Hire

I'm so excited today because we're starting our mini series here on the Business Journey Podcast all about building a team. Maybe you're interested in building a team soon - or maybe not, but the information we're sharing in this mini series is going to be super helpful when you're ready to make the leap. Today's episode is all about what to do before you hire a team member, which is the perfect place to start when you're dreaming of a team.

Before we dive into building a team, I wanted to share about a new freebie I've put together. It will show you five ways to grow your email list from 0 to 100 subscribers! Email marketing is SO important for small business owners (learn why I believe that HERE). Now, back to building a team.

What to Do Before You Hire a Team Member

Over the last year or so, I've built up a team in my business and now, I'm loving the chance to help other business owners build their own teams. One of the most common questions I get asked from other photographers is how to prepare to build a team. They may not be totally ready right now, but they want to get to a place where they are ready in the future. I think that's an amazing question because it's never to early to start preparing to build your team. A lot of these tips I'm sharing today, I wish I had done when I started building my team. Now, it's a breeze to bring on someone new because we know what we're doing! So, here's what you should do before you hire a team member!

Write out what you need to do in your business.

Think about every single thing that you do (or need to do) to make your business run. Get as micro was you need, but list it all out. We're doing this because I want you to see how much you actually do every day in your business. Once you know all the things you do, it's much easier to determine what you can let someone else do for you! After you've got it all written down, highlight what only YOU can do. If it requires your actual face, voice, or has a direct impact on your revenue, highlight it. In the end, there should be a few things highlighted - now it's clear to see how much you could truly hand over to someone else. With what's on your list, think about what you can automate and mark it with a star! These are things that you don't have to do physically anymore!

Document your processes.

With anything that isn't highlighted, start documenting your process. One of our favorite programs to do this is with Loom. It's a free recording software and you can literally do a screen recording of whatever you're doing. This is a great way to teach someone how to do something - like a gallery delivery for example! You can also document your process in a Google Doc or a Trello checklist. Our team does a lot of checklists and Loom recordings - but do what works for you. When it's time to onboard a new hire, you can send them the recording and checklist to review instead of having to hold their hand and teach them everything.

Make your processes as efficient as possible.

As you start to record and document these processes, look at how efficient they are. Are you including unnecessary or redundant steps? If you are, think about how to make it easier. When you hand it off to someone, you want that task to be as streamlined as possible. You may still wind up making changes after someone else comes in to help, but that's not a bad thing!

Think about where you want your business to go.

Most of these tips are practical, actual things to go. But part of being a team leader is having a vision. Think about where you want to be in a few years and lay out the roles beneath you that you want someday to make it happen. This is a bit of a dream scenario so don't think about costs right now - just where you want to be and who you'll need. Once you know who you might want, it's time to prioritize your hires as money and time allow. Having this dream organization chart helps me stay focused as our business evolves.

If you have any questions at all about hiring a team member, let's talk. I'm so passionate about building a team because I think it can be life changing for you as a business owner. Truly, it's never too early to start planning for your team, either. And, if you're interested in talking more deeply about hiring team members, I'll be going over this process in my Mastermind. It's currently full but you can join our waitlist for the next round! I work with 10-12 business owners in a mix of hot seat calls and education, so we can deep dive into your business! So, join the waitlist here if that's something you're interested in!