If you’re asking yourself whether it’s time to hire your first team member, the answer is probably yes. You’re overwhelmed. You’re doing too much. You’re holding your business together with sticky notes and late nights. That is not sustainable, and it sure as hell is not how you grow.
This isn’t about being dramatic. It’s about being real. Your capacity is maxed out, and pretending you can keep pushing without consequences is a lie that costs you time, money, and sanity.
Signs It’s Time to Hire Your First Team Member
You don’t need a spreadsheet to tell you it’s time. You already feel it. But if you need confirmation, here it is:
You’re turning down work or missing opportunities
Deadlines are slipping or projects are sitting half-finished
Your revenue has plateaued because you can’t take on more
You’ve got big ideas that never move forward because you’re too busy keeping the lights on
Your client experience is suffering, and deep down, you know it
That’s not hustle. That’s chaos. And it’s only getting worse if you keep doing it all yourself.
What Kind of Help Should You Hire First?
Not knowing what kind of support you need is what keeps people stuck. You don’t need a perfect plan. You just need to stop guessing and start looking at what’s actually draining you.
Start here:
Write down the tasks you hate doing
Highlight the things you do regularly that take too long
Spot the work that someone else could do better or faster
Find the places where everything stalls because it’s waiting on you
You’re not hiring a miracle worker. You’re hiring someone to take pressure off so you can move again. It might be a Virtual Assistant, tech support, or someone to handle your inbox. The point is to stop treating everything like it has to be your job.
The Mistakes That Will Derail Your First Hire
Hiring doesn’t fix things if you do it the wrong way. In fact, bad hiring just adds more mess. Here’s what I see go wrong all the time:
Stop doing this:
Hiring someone just because you like them or they’re available
Trying to get one person to do five totally different jobs
Writing vague job descriptions and hoping for the best
Ignoring red flags because you’re desperate for help
Do this instead:
Create a contract that outlines everything up front
Set expectations from day one and block time to onboard
Choose someone based on what the business needs next, not what feels easiest now
Hire someone who fits your values and work style, even if they challenge you a little
Why Delegating Is So Damn Hard (And So Necessary)
Look, I get it. Handing over even one piece of your business feels risky. But keeping it all on your plate is not a strategy. It’s a time bomb.
You don’t need to be involved in every task to be a good leader. You need to make decisions that protect your energy, your time, and your revenue. That starts with knowing when to let go — and then doing it.
Let Me Help You Make It Easier
If you’re finally ready to hire your first team member but still don’t know where to start, I can help.
💼 I offer Online Business Management for business owners who are done being in the weeds.
✨ I also run My VA Business, where I train and match skilled Virtual Assistants with the right business owners — people like you who are ready to stop drowning in admin and start actually running their business.
Ready to Stop Doing It All?
You don’t have to figure it out alone. Let’s talk about what’s draining you and what support would actually help.
👉 Book a free discovery call and let’s get your business moving forward again.
