Time to talk HIRING! · ADHD Focus Founders

Time to talk HIRING!

I was asked to write a post about hiring, and so many of you had such great questions that I’ll do my best to answer them here while also sharing my own experience and perspective.

When I started, I read a lot of different experiences, and learning about everyone’s different approaches helped me form a more holistic picture. There’s no one right way to hire, but I’ve definitely learned what works for me and what doesn’t.

I inadvertently followed Dan Martell’s Replacement Ladder before it was even published, but that’s a big recommended read for you all (PDF is attached below). The concept is in the Buy Back Your Time book. Another solid one is Who Not How.

For context, here’s what my support team looks like right now:

About 12 instructors, lifeguards, and safety instructors
3 social media people (one manages the others and also manages the data analytics team member)
1 VA
1 marketing and analytics executor (doing a lot of the doing that comes from the marketing coach)
1 marketing coach (big rec here- https://angiecolee.com/work-with-me/#caos)
1 executive coach (big on vision and growth strategies)
2 financial people (a CPA who does my taxes and used to do bookkeeping and payroll, but we’re bringing that internal now)
I also co-own another business with 4 technicians, an on-site manager, and 2 admin staff

I do believe a VA should be most people’s first hire. My first backend hire was an ops assistant because I could make more money teaching swimming than what I paid her ($22/hour). My teaching rate was around $150/hour at the time, so it made sense. My very first hires were more instructors because I couldn’t teach enough to match demand.

!!!! You will never feel ready to spend the money on a hire, but once you do, you won’t go back. !!!!

I’ve used Indeed, Fiverr (originally, not anymore), and Seek (an Australian platform for overseas talent). Now, I have enough team members that I just tell them what kind of person I’m looking for, and they handle finding me the right fit and someone who can hang with our expectations and growth.

In interviews, I’ll often give a live case study and ask them to deliver something in ten minutes with vague details. I want to see if they get flustered, if they ask good questions, and how they think on their feet. But sometimes I’ve hired people because they had a cool dog tattoo. So yeah, sometimes it’s just vibes. LOL

I always start with a one-month trial period. During that month, they do paid projects so I can see their fit, communication, and quality of work. I’ve been known to hire two people for the same role and keep the higher performer after the trial (not always, but sometimes). After that, I use a 30 60 90 day performance plan, and honestly, anything hidden in the interview usually surfaces by day 30. I used to not have any processes or even clear responsibilities (oops).

Not everyone wants to work hard or grow, and not everyone has a permanent spot on your team. There are seasons for everything. I used to be way too forgiving with underperformers, but I’ve tightened up a lot.

I love having team members overseas. I’m an early riser and like early meetings, which isn’t ideal for US-based hires. It’s also a bit more affordable, and my overseas team members live really well after earning my trust and proving themselves. We are going to Bali together next year!

I realized early that there are things I could learn but didn’t want to. When I hired my first backend employee, I had to work my ass off to bring in enough revenue to justify it. That fear of not being able to make payroll or keep things running never fully goes away. #impostersyndrome is real!

When I started, I picked up tutoring or babysitting to create extra cushion while I was growing the business.

Hiring forces you to bet on yourself before the results show up, and then you gotten work your butt off to get those results. Every payroll cycle is a reminder that you believe in what you’re building, and that belief doesn’t always feel comfortable (!), but it’s how you grow into the next level of YOU! At the core of it all, I operate with high autonomy, high accountability, and high trust.

Ok hahah I hope I answered some of the burning questions! Please let me know if any more pop up. :)

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