Hiring: One of the Best Decisions I Made in My Business

Do you ever look at a successful entrepreneur and wonder how they do it all?

How they have time to run and grow a business, have a family, a social life, and everything else in between? I don’t know if even the most successful entrepreneurs would say that they have everything completely figured out. But, the one thing I know for sure is: they don't do it alone. At some point in their journey, they were brave enough to admit that they needed help.

This can be really hard for us entrepreneurs, especially those of us who take so much pride in the business we’ve built from the ground up (as we ALL should). But, I have to tell you; there IS a better way.

the two of us with a selfie stick :) photo by Kelly Braman Photography 

 

Let me introduce you to my secret weapon, my right-hand, the peanut butter to my jelly: my assistant, Amanda.

Learn to trust and the rewards of hiring an assistant will far outweigh the risk. 

Hiring Amanda onto the team as my assistant didn’t just change my life; it completely changed my business.

I had worked with other assistants in the past, but none of them have made as much of an impact as she has. And to be honest with you, I believe a lot of it had to do with me. 

When I opened Modern Day all I knew is that I wanted to own a creative business, but I didn't know the first thing about running a business and managing a staff.  It has taken me years to finally figure out what the perfect equation is for my business which is why I'm sharing my thoughts with you today. 

Aside from Amanda just being amazing, our personality traits are perfectly compatible. She is the right combination of moxie meets brains, and is thick skinned and energetic enough to keep up with me. I trust her 100% and I've completely allowed her into my world.

After years of running my business, I finally felt brave enough to allow someone to come train alongside me in nearly all facets of my business minus the finances, which Amanda hates anyway. However, she does have a full understanding of the broad financial picture and long range goals for the business. I honestly feel it's important that ALL of your staff have a solid understanding of what it takes to run and sustain a business financially. 

Looking at our DISC personalities side-by-side, you get a sense of why we are such a perfect match.  I am an extremely high DI personality while Amanda is  much more even across the board.  This is what professional compatibility looks like, friends! 

I have shared the DISC personality test before, but I love it so much, I think it's worth sharing again.

 

 

 

The Process of Hiring and Training Up an Assistant

Amanda initially joined Modern Day as an intern,  but it was evident early on that she possessed stand out qualities. You see, it takes a very special person to play the role as a number two, but I have NEVER viewed Amanda as a number two. She is number ONE in my book, and so is my entire team!

Over the years, I've learned that it is more important to hire for attitude than aptitude especially when filling an assistant role. I cannot stress this enough! 

 Amanda's initial role was handling my email and new client inquiries, scheduling appointments, and basic daily assistant responsibilities. Eventually, I moved her into sitting in on all client meetings. Together we worked on building her confidence while also establishing a working relationship that would greatly serve our clients and staff. My main objective was to duplicate myself as much as possible through Amanda.

The reality is, I was guilty of trying to do it all. I had zero balance in my life, and truth be told, I was mis-managing all areas of my life and business.  

Fast forward to today, Amanda is now taking on full events with little to no guidance from me,  and we are currently training up another assistant to work under her. Trust, time and mutual respect is what has gotten us to this point. We have invested in each other and she knows I have her back every.step.of.the.way and vice versa!  

I have complete faith that if a client asks her a question, she knows exactly how I would answer it. I know that she will make decisions based on the best interest and vision of  the company. Amanda has been with me for over 5 years now and we are constantly evaluating how we can most effectively serve our clients and efficiently run the company.  

Friends, at the end of the day you have to figure out how you work and think, so you can determine what you need. You have to know yourself before you can bring on someone like an Amanda to help you. Trust me on this one! 

But this I can promise you, once you do, the growth potential is exponential. 

How to Know When the Time is Right to Hire an Assistant

Running a business is like marathon, not a sprint. And please do not feel like you need to go out and hire an assistant tomorrow. For the process to work well, it will take time. 

However, I encourage you to start exploring to see if this might be a solid next step for you. If you’re ready for the next level, to scale and grow your business, you’re ready. Or if you’re feeling overwhelmed with being the only person who can do your job, you’re definitely ready. Please let someone into your world to help. The time and financial investment will pay ten-fold. 

Keep in mind, admitting you need help will more than likely bring up some fear, and it will require vulnerability and bravery to let someone in so close to you and the business you’ve built. I know how scary that can feel. However, trust yourself and your decisions through the process. If something isn’t right, you’ll know.

The process might be trial and error for you. I know it was for me. But once you find the right people for your team, you’ll know. And it will be so worth it. 

In this video, I dive deeper into my relationship with Amanda and what this looks like in my wedding and event business.

Thanks so much for reading and watching, friends. I hope this has inspired you to go out and start looking for your own Amanda.

As always, get out there and make beautiful things happen!

Thinking about hiring your own Amanda? We can help! We'll come into your business and find the best ways for you to hire the right team members for your business. Contact us to get started!