5 Things You Should Do Before You Hire Help in Your Small Business
Hiring help feels like a big milestone, right? Like… you’re officially growing, your time is valuable, and you’re ready to stop doing ALL the things yourself. But here’s the truth: hiring before you’re ready can actually make your life harder.
So before you start scrolling LinkedIn for your next VA or OBM, let’s get a few things straight first.
1. Get really clear on what you actually need help with
Saying “I need help” isn’t enough. You need to know what exactly is draining your time, energy, and brainpower.
For one week, track every single task you do in your business. Then highlight:
Stuff you hate doing
Stuff that eats your time but doesn’t bring in revenue
Stuff you could actually teach someone else
This is your map. When you hire, you’ll know exactly where their help will make the biggest impact — instead of hiring blindly and hoping it works out.
2. Start documenting your processes (even if it’s messy)
Your future helper isn’t a mind reader — even if you wish they were. Start jotting down how you do recurring tasks. Screen record, write step-by-steps, or just make notes.
Even rough notes help. They’ll make onboarding faster, reduce your stress, and help your new hire feel confident from day one.
3. Get real about your numbers
Before you bring someone on, figure out what you can actually afford. Know your:
Average monthly revenue
Recurring expenses
Comfortable monthly spend on support
Hiring out of desperation never feels good. Let your numbers guide you so you can hire confidently — without that panic in your bank account.
4. Decide what type of help you really want
Are you looking for a VA who follows instructions? Or an OBM who actually takes ownership of systems and strategy?
These are very different kinds of support. Knowing what you need will save you a ton of headaches — and help you hire someone who actually moves the needle for your business.
5. Set up your systems
You don’t need everything perfectly in place, but you do need the basics:
Project management (ClickUp, Trello, Asana)
File storage (Google Drive, Notion, Dropbox)
Communication channels (Slack, email, Voxer)
These tools make collaboration smooth — and show your future hire that your business is organized, professional, and ready to grow.
Want to make hiring even easier?
Here’s the thing: the type of help you need depends a lot on your entrepreneur personality. Are you a do-it-all Dynamo or a systems-savvy Strategist? Knowing your archetype can completely change how you hire — and who you hire.
Take my free “What’s Your Entrepreneur Archetype?” quiz and find out. It’ll give you clarity, direction, and a little extra confidence before bringing someone new into your business.
