"Now Hiring"? Hold Up — Here's What You Need To Do First

So, you're thinking about hiring your first employee.

Maybe you're drowning in orders. Maybe your inbox is a daily avalanche. Or maybe your calendar looks like a losing game of Tetris. You're convinced that bringing someone on will finally give you your life back.

Wrong.

Bringing on your first hire can either launch your business to the next level — or burn it to the damn ground. It’s not just about handing off tasks. It’s about building a foundation that won’t crack under pressure.

Before you rush to post a job on Indeed or shoot out a “we’re hiring!” story on Instagram, read this.

Here’s exactly what you need to do before you hire your first employee — unless you want to regret it (and trust us, you will if you skip this stuff).

1. Stop Hiring to “Get Help” — Start Hiring to Scale

You’re overwhelmed. We get it. But don’t hire someone just because you want to feel less busy. That’s lazy thinking.

Hiring isn’t about relief. It’s about results.

Before you make a move, ask yourself:

• What outcome do I need from this hire in the next 90 days?

• What revenue (or capacity) will this position generate or protect?

• Will hiring this person actually move the needle?

If you can't answer these questions with clarity, you're not ready to hire. You're just outsourcing your chaos.

Newsflash: Chaos multiplied by another human = more chaos. Get your house in order first.

2. Document the Hell Out of Your Processes

Imagine you hired someone today. They show up tomorrow. What would they do?

If your answer sounds like: “Well, I’d just kinda show them how I do things…” — STOP.

That’s not a business. That’s babysitting.

Before hiring anyone, you need systems. That means:

• A checklist for how tasks are done

• A way to track what’s assigned and what’s complete

• A repeatable workflow, even if it’s messy

You don't need a polished SOP manual with 40 pages. But you do need clarity on how shit gets done.

If it lives only in your brain, guess what? You’ll still be doing the work — even with a “team.”

3. Get Real About What You’re Bad At (and What You Should Keep Doing)

You don’t need a clone. You need a complement.

A lot of first-time founders make the mistake of hiring someone just like them. Someone who thinks like them, works like them, or — worst of all — agrees with everything they say.

No. You need someone who does what you shouldn't be doing.

Take inventory:

• What drains your energy?

• What takes you forever to complete?

• What tasks could a trained monkey do?

• What’s important but totally not worth your time?

Hire for your weaknesses. Keep your strengths. That’s how you stay CEO — not chief of everything.

4. Know the Difference Between a Contractor, an Employee, and a Pain in the Ass

This is where a lot of first-time employers screw up royally.

They think, “I’ll just bring on someone part-time and figure it out.”

Cool. But are you hiring them as a:

• W2 employee?

• 1099 contractor?

• “Under-the-table” unicorn (don’t do this)?

There are legal and financial implications to every route. Misclassifying someone can cost you thousands in penalties.

Contractors are great for project-based or specialized work, but they run their own show. If you’re telling them when, where, and how to work — they’re probably an employee.

Employees are under your control — but also under your protection. Payroll, taxes, insurance. It’s real now.

Get a good CPA or HR consultant involved. Don’t DIY your way into court.

5. Do the Math — Twice

Don’t hire someone on a hope and a prayer.

Know what this hire will cost, and what they need to make possible.

We're not just talking about salary. Factor in:

• Payroll taxes

• Workers comp

• Equipment/software

• Training time

• Your own time managing them

If this hire won’t help you grow revenue, cut expenses, or free up time you can reinvest into money-making activities — then you can’t afford them yet.

Hiring without financial clarity is business roulette.

6. Write a Real Job Description — Not a Craigslist Rant

"Looking for someone who’s a rockstar, go-getter, flexible, hard-working, social media savvy, customer obsessed, loves dogs, and also knows how to use Excel."

Cool story. But what does the job actually do?

Be specific. Job titles aren’t tasks.

• What will they do daily?

• What will they be measured on?

• What are the absolute must-have skills?

• What does success look like in 30, 60, 90 days?

You’re not hiring a superhero. You’re hiring a human. Don’t bait-and-switch with vague, bloated expectations.

7. Build a Simple Onboarding Plan (Or Be Ready to Babysit Forever)

If you think your new hire is going to “figure it out” — guess again.

They’ll wait. You’ll get frustrated. Things will fall through the cracks. And by week three, you’ll be muttering, “I should’ve just done it myself.”

Before day one, you need:

• A list of tools and logins they’ll need

• First-week priorities

• A walkthrough of your systems

• Expectations for communication, feedback, and check-ins

You don’t need a corporate training portal. You just need a plan.

Train them like you actually want them to succeed.

8. Know Your Culture — Even If It’s Just You (For Now)

Hiring someone means inviting them into the energy of your business.

Don’t just focus on skills. Look for alignment.

Ask yourself:

• What are my non-negotiables?

• What kind of work ethic do I expect?

• What kind of person would annoy the hell out of me?

• What kind of person would I trust to talk to my customers?

Culture starts with you. And if you haven’t been intentional about it, don’t be surprised when you end up with someone who doesn’t “get it.”

Define it. Then hire for it.

Final Thoughts: Employees Don’t Fix Broken Businesses

If you’re hiring someone hoping they’ll “save you” — spoiler alert: they won’t.

An employee isn’t a magic wand. They’re a multiplier. And if your business is messy, disorganized, chaotic, or directionless, they’ll multiply that.

So get your house in order.

Because the right first hire can unlock insane growth, free up your time, and make your business actually fun again.

But the wrong one?

They’ll cost you more than money.

Need help getting your ducks in a row before making your first hire?

We work with business owners who are ready to scale smart. Let's build the foundation now — so you don’t burn it all down later.