Hiring Smarter for Business Growth: The Mistakes That Nearly Broke Me
Jennifer: In my early days of running a business, I thought hiring meant bringing in people who I could easily manage and control. My ego wanted to be the smartest person in the room.
Jennifer: Here’s the problem: I hired people who weren’t stronger than me in their roles. The result? I ended up doing their work and mine. Exhausting, unsustainable, and a surefire way to stall growth.
Jennifer: Everything shifted when I started hiring people who were actually better than me in specific areas. Suddenly, the business didn’t depend on me doing everything—the team pulled the business forward. That’s what it truly means to hire smarter for business growth.
Why Hiring Smarter for Business Growth Changes Everything
Jennifer: Strong hiring is not about your ego. It’s about building a team that makes the business run better without you micromanaging every detail. When you shift your approach, you:
- Free up your time to focus on strategy, growth, and the work only you can do.
- Strengthen your business systems because capable hires improve and own their roles.
- Protect your energy so you’re not stuck carrying the weight of everyone else’s tasks.
- Create scalability because your business no longer depends on you doing it all.
How to Hire Smarter for Business Growth
Jennifer: Leaving hiring decisions to chance is risky. Here’s how to approach it intentionally:
1. Check your ego. Don’t hire people you can outwork. Hire people who can outshine you in their specific role. That’s when your business leaps forward.
2. Don’t outsource what you don’t understand. If you don’t already know how a process (like sales or marketing) should work, figure it out first. Otherwise, you won’t know if your new hire is truly effective.
3. Hire for alignment, not just skills. A great résumé is useless if the person doesn’t align with your company’s values. Culture fit is what makes skills sustainable.
4. Define success clearly. Before you hire, write down what success looks like in the role. What results should they deliver in 90 days? 6 months? 1 year?
5. Build a process that filters for fit. From your job description to your interview questions, design the hiring process to highlight not just talent, but also integrity, initiative, and alignment.
Three Steps to Improve Your Hiring Today
Jennifer: Audit your last hire. Did they free you up, or create more work?
Jennifer: Define one critical role. Write down the exact results you need from that position.
Jennifer: Ask yourself: “Am I filling a seat… or am I building a team that grows with me?”
What Gets in the Way of Hiring Smarter for Business Growth
- Ego. Wanting to stay in control leads to weak hires.
- Blind spots. Hiring for something you don’t understand leaves you vulnerable.
- Desperation. Hiring fast instead of intentionally creates long-term problems.
Jennifer: Remember: you’re not just hiring to fill a role. You’re building the foundation of a business that can grow without you carrying every task. Success comes from the team you build, not the number of hours you can grind out.
One Final Resource
Jennifer: One of my favorite books on this topic is How to Be a Great Boss by Gino Wickman. It’s a must-read if you want to master the art of hiring and leading with confidence.
Jennifer: P.S. If you’re ready to step back, get fresh clarity, and return with a renewed vision for your business and team, join me at one of my retreats → Jennifer Dawn Coaching Retreats.
Relevant Links Mentioned
- How to Be a Great Boss by Gino Wickman
- Jennifer Dawn Coaching Retreats
Links from Jennifer
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