Your baby’s all grown up; it just happens so fast, doesn’t it? One moment, you’re starting a business from your basement or a shared studio. The next, you have a roster of clients, a studio or space of your own, and not enough time in the day to do it all. 

You’re living the dream. Now, it’s time for the next chapter. You’re tired of doing it all yourself and you want to bring in some help. But not just any help. After all, it doesn’t take a village to raise a business, but it does take a team. 

From tired to hired

Growing your team can be super exciting — after all, it means that your business is expanding in new directions. However, now you need to find people that want to work with you, not just for you. As any veteran HR rep can tell you, that distinction makes all the difference. 

Before jumping onto the job boards or hiring an old high school friend, there are three things you want to consider before drafting that first job posting. 

Determine which role to fill first

By now, you have decided to switch on that “Help Wanted” sign, but what kind of help do you need? You are likely not going from 0 to 60 when it comes to the size of your team. More likely, you want to expand one step at a time, filling the most important needs as you go before investing more resources into other areas. 

A good place to start is to honestly evaluate your operations as-is and identify your biggest weakness.

• Do you need to increase availability to clients beyond what you can offer personally?
• Are you struggling to meet the demand for particular services in your niche?
• Are behind-the-scenes logistical concerns (scheduling, accounting, etc.) preventing you from connecting with clients?
• Do you need a skilled sales manager to find new leads for your business?

You want to position your new hire to support your current operations while simultaneously closing the gap in areas where you are struggling the most. There should be some room for your new hire to grow and take on more responsibilities, but by covering for what you currently lack, your business will be better positioned to expand later on.

Envision your ideal candidate

Some of the greatest advice I can give you when hiring someone new: be picky. Yes, really. Obviously, you want to be reasonable (don’t rule anyone out because you don’t like their hairstyle), but you also don’t want to take any help you can get. 

Even if you find someone who can accomplish the tasks assigned to them, that doesn’t mean they are the best person for the position. You want someone who brings something to the table that you don’t, and who can create some synergy with you in your daily work. 

What’s your company culture? (Or more importantly, what is your desired company culture?) Do you market yourself as warm, welcoming, extroverted? Are you innovative, creative, unafraid to try something new? Are you more stern and methodical, practical, and down-to-earth? 

Does your candidate need to draw in clients, offer current clients stability, or something in between? You don’t need to hire your best friend, but you do need to hire someone that you can trust. Someone who is passionate about your specific brand of fitness or health, who is flexible in their mindset, and who is eager to take on responsibility can reward your business for years to come. 

Set specific expectations

Again, it’s tempting to stay a bit vague with what you are looking for your new hire to do. A jack-of-all-trades can be useful, but if you don’t have set goals and expectations for your incoming hire, it will be harder for them to follow your mission, and it will be harder for you to gauge if they are actually succeeding in the position. 

This is where identifying your main problem areas can become useful. During the hiring process, you will want to find someone who can offer specific solutions. Develop SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) that lets both of you monitor your progress as time goes on. 

This is also where you will want to determine the details of your job offer ahead of time. Research contracts, rates, and scheduling in your industry to make sure you are offering competitive benefits. If your new hire feels that you value their expertise and labor, they are more likely to offer you their best work. 

Learn how to hire from a team who has done it (a bunch)

Don’t worry if you still have questions about the hiring process — you do not have to prepare for this daunting task alone! Check out our 1-hour hiring masterclass, hosted by yours truly, to learn how I built my own six-figure Pilates studio business by honing my hiring process. You’ll learn what I’ve learned over the last decade that has helped me cultivate the best possible team of people who are as fired-up as I am. 

This is JUST for healthcare, fitness, and wellness pros who are ready to build a great team, but want to do it the right way. And it’s just $19 for the replay that covers all of this and more — plus has a Q&A session at the end!

This is a must-see for anyone who wants to help their business grow with their team in more ways than one. Buy your access for just $19 and see how you can tackle your new hiring process like a pro.