Many ecommerce entrepreneurs hire help with good intentions, but end up with team members who create more work than they alleviate. This episode offers a candid perspective on identifying when a team member is holding you back, providing actionable advice on making tough staffing decisions to optimize productivity and mental load for business owners.
Key takeaways
Recognize 'net negative' hires: If managing an employee takes more time than doing the task yourself, or if they consistently underperform despite coaching, they're a net negative to your productivity and mental health.
Prioritize fit over filling a role: Don't just hire to hire. Be ruthless in identifying your true bottlenecks and hire intentionally for specific needs, rather than a generic 'VA' or 'strategist' role.
It's okay to let go: Firing an underperforming or ill-fitting team member is a good business decision, even if difficult. The mental and logistical burden of the wrong help outweighs the discomfort of letting them go.
SOPs are ideal, but not a prerequisite for hiring: While Standard Operating Procedures are highly recommended, don't let their absence prevent you from seeking help. A new hire might even introduce more efficient methods.
Don't micromanage out of obligation: If you find yourself constantly creating tasks for an employee just to "get your money's worth," it's a sign they might not be the right fit for your current needs.
You do need to hire — just the right help: This isn't an endorsement of solo entrepreneurship. Strategic hiring is crucial for growth, but the wrong hire is worse than no hire.
Ever been told you need to hire help ASAP? Same. And while that's usually good advice, nobody warns you about what happens when the person you hired is actually making everything worse.
I'm talking about this one today because a friend of mine just went through it. She spent months dealing with a VA who was unreliable, couldn't keep up with recurring tasks, and somehow never connected the dots no matter how many conversations they had. It was costing her more time to manage this person than it would've taken to just do the work herself.
And the mental load? That was the real killer. So we're getting into what it looks like when your "help" is actually holding you back, how to know when it's time to cut someone loose, and how to think about hiring the right way so you're not just filling a seat. The sneaky way bad hires eat up more of your time than doing it yourself ever would
Why the mental load of managing the wrong person might be costing you more than their salary
The real story behind my friend's VA situation (and the moment everything changed)
What happened when I hired a full-time VA and why it backfired
The difference between needing help and needing the right help
A hiring mistake that has nothing to do with someone being bad at their job
Why right now is the perfect time to get intentional about who's on your team before Q4 _______
Full Episode Show Notes
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What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Recognize 'net negative' hires: If managing an employee takes more time than doing the task yourself, or if they consistently underperform despite coaching, they're a net negative to your productivity and mental health.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Prioritize fit over filling a role: Don't just hire to hire. Be ruthless in identifying your true bottlenecks and hire intentionally for specific needs, rather than a generic 'VA' or 'strategist' role.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
It's okay to let go: Firing an underperforming or ill-fitting team member is a good business decision, even if difficult. The mental and logistical burden of the wrong help outweighs the discomfort of letting them go.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
SOPs are ideal, but not a prerequisite for hiring: While Standard Operating Procedures are highly recommended, don't let their absence prevent you from seeking help. A new hire might even introduce more efficient methods.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Don't micromanage out of obligation: If you find yourself constantly creating tasks for an employee just to "get your money's worth," it's a sign they might not be the right fit for your current needs.
