What if the biggest bottleneck in your business is… you?
Most entrepreneurs start their journey by doing everything themselves.
We take on everything: sales, marketing, customer service, bookkeeping, and troubleshooting technical issues.
At first, this feels like control.
But eventually, it becomes the very thing holding you back.
Hiring your first employee is a defining moment in your business.
It proves that your vision is expanding beyond what you can handle alone.
However, too many entrepreneurs delay this step because of fear.
What if they do not do it as well as I do?
What if I cannot afford it?
What if I hire the wrong person?
These questions keep you stuck.
The fact is that successful entrepreneurs do not earn their way into hiring.
They think their way into hiring by building the proper habits.
You don't want to wait until you are overwhelmed or bringing in a six-figure revenue.
You want to shift your mindset from worker to leader, from doing to delegating.
Hiring frees up valuable time and unlocks new levels of growth.
If you have been stuck at the same revenue, working longer hours but not seeing progress, these seven habits will show you how to make hiring an inevitable and necessary next step.
1 - The Habit of Letting Go of 'Doing It All'
Entrepreneurs often wear too many hats, mistakenly believing no one else can match their standards.
This is what I call the superhero syndrome.
The illusion that you must handle everything yourself because no one else can do it as well.
While this mindset may serve you in the early days of your business, it becomes a massive roadblock to growth.
If you refuse to let go, you will eventually burn out or limit your business' potential.
The reality is that successful entrepreneurs do not succeed by doing everything.
Successful entrepreneurs succeed by doing the right things.
The first habit you must build is the ability to delegate.
Instead of asking, How can I get more done?, shift to, How can I get more done through others?
This is a leadership mindset shift, and it is critical for making your first hire.
The key is identifying what requires your expertise and what someone else can handle.
70% of your current tasks do not require your unique skills.
Maybe you are answering customer emails, scheduling social media posts, or handling administrative work.
All these tasks drain your energy but could easily be outsourced.
Action Step:
For the next week, track everything you do in your business.
Review your list at the end of the week and highlight tasks only you can do.
Your zone of genius.
Then, identify everything that could (and should) be delegated.
This simple exercise will reveal how much time you spend on tasks that do not move the needle.
Letting go is not a weakness.
Letting go is a strategic move.
The sooner you embrace this habit, the sooner you create the space for real business growth.
2 - The Habit of Thinking Like a CEO, Not an Employee
Entrepreneurs often confuse being busy with creating value.
Just because you are working 12-hour days does not mean you are growing your business.
If your time is spent on tasks that could be delegated, you are limiting your potential.
Employees execute tasks.
CEOs build systems.
The difference?
Employees focus on doing, while CEOs concentrate on designing a business that can run efficiently without them.
If you are stuck in the weeds of daily operations, like answering emails, managing customer service, or handling admin work, then you are thinking like an employee, not a CEO.
The best entrepreneurs understand that their time is their most valuable asset.
Your job is not to do everything but to focus on the tasks that generate the highest return on investment.
If you spend your day doing $16-per-hour tasks, you capped your earning potential at that rate.
Instead, you should spend your time on $1,000-per-hour activities like strategy, sales, partnerships, and high-level decision-making.
Action Step:
Take a hard look at your daily activities. Categorize your tasks into three levels:
$16-per-hour tasks: Admin work, data entry, scheduling, responding to low-priority emails.
$100-per-hour tasks: Marketing, content creation, customer support, operations management.
$1,000-per-hour tasks: Sales, strategic planning, high-level networking, creating systems.
The goal is simple: Outsource the $10 and $100 tasks first.
Hire a virtual assistant, an admin, or a specialist for these lower-value tasks to free up time for what moves the needle.
The sooner you start thinking like a CEO, the faster your business will scale.
3 - The Habit of Knowing Your Numbers
Hiring is undoubtedly not a leap of faith.
It is a financial decision.
Yet, many entrepreneurs put off hiring their first employee because they think they cannot afford it.
In reality, they have never run the numbers to find out.
The fear of financial uncertainty keeps them stuck, doing everything themselves instead of strategically investing in their business growth.
Hiring will always feel like a risk if you do not know your cash flow, profit margins, or revenue streams inside out.
But when you understand your numbers, hiring becomes a calculated decision, not a gamble.
You need to move beyond gut feelings and start looking at hard data.
Ask yourself:
How much revenue is coming in consistently?
What are my fixed and variable expenses?
What is my profit margin?
How long can I afford to pay someone before I see a return on investment if I hire someone?
Many entrepreneurs assume they need to hit a particular revenue milestone before hiring.
The truth?
You need to budget for hiring, not wait for extra money to appear magically.
Action Step:
Start tracking your monthly revenue and expenses.
Start today if you are not already using a tool like QuickBooks, Xero, or a simple spreadsheet.
Once you have a clear picture of your finances, set a hiring budget, even if it is just for part-time or freelance help.
Think of hiring as an investment, not an expense.
The right hire will free up your time, increase efficiency, and drive more revenue.
When you know your numbers, you can hire with confidence, knowing you are making a decision that will grow and not drain your business.
4 - The Habit of Documenting and Systemizing
Hiring your first employee is finding the right person and setting them up for success.
If your business runs entirely in your head, delegation will be frustrating, and onboarding will feel like chaos.
That is why building the habit of documentation before you hire is critical.
Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of hiring without a clear structure.
They bring someone in, but because there are no defined processes, the new hire constantly asks questions, makes mistakes, and requires constant supervision.
This leads to frustration on both sides, often reinforcing the false belief that "It is easier if I just do it myself."
If you reinvent the wheel every time you complete a task, you will never be able to scale.
Instead, you need to start creating systems that allow someone else to step in and execute with minimal hand-holding.
Action Step:
Start documenting repetitive tasks today. The easiest way to do this is:
Record yourself performing tasks using Loom videos. This is perfect for things like email management, invoicing, or social media scheduling.
Create simple checklists for step-by-step processes. Example: "How to onboard a new client" or "How to respond to common customer inquiries."
Write Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). These are short documents outlining how key business functions should be done consistently.
Think of these as your business's owner's manual.
The more you document, the easier it will be to train your first hire and every hire afterward.
When systems are in place, you can focus on growth while your team keeps the business running efficiently.
5 - The Habit of Focusing on Strengths, Not Weaknesses
One of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make when hiring their first employee is looking for a mini version of themselves.
They assume that the best hire is someone who thinks like them, works like them and can handle everything they do.
But hiring someone just like you will not grow your business.
All you will have is another set of hands to do the same tasks.
Instead, the most brilliant entrepreneurs hire to complement their weaknesses, not duplicate their strengths.
Your first hire should be someone who frees you up to do what you do best.
If you are a visionary but struggle with organization, hire an operations-minded person.
If you love selling but hate admin work, hire someone to manage your inbox and schedule.
The goal is to create a business where everyone operates in their zone of genius.
If you hire based on your weaknesses, you will spend more time on high-impact activities that move the business forward rather than getting bogged down in things that drain your energy.
Action Step:
Take inventory of your strengths and weaknesses.
Ask yourself:
What are the tasks that only I can do?
Where do I struggle or procrastinate the most?
What tasks drain my energy but still need to get done?
Once you have this list, hire to fill the gaps, not to do more of what you already do well.
Your first hire should be someone who complements your abilities, making your business more efficient and giving you back the time to focus on growth.
Successful businesses are built on balanced teams, not a founder trying to do everything alone.
The sooner you embrace this mindset, the faster you will scale.
6 - The Habit of Hiring for Values and Culture, Not Just Skills
When hiring your first employee, it is tempting to focus solely on skills.
You want to find someone with the perfect resume who can immediately take tasks off your plate.
Skills can be taught, but values and mindset cannot.
Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of hiring a highly skilled candidate who does not align with their business's values.
What happens next?
Misalignment.
Frustration.
Conflict.
A bad hire can drain your energy, slow progress, and create a toxic work environment.
Hiring the wrong person can often set a business back more than not hiring at all.
On the other hand, when you hire someone who shares your vision, work ethic, and core values, they will naturally grow into the role even if they are not 100% qualified at the start.
Of course, the best hires are competent but also committed to your business's bigger mission.
They take ownership, solve problems, and make your life easier.
Action Step:
Before hiring, define the core values of your business. Ask yourself:
What kind of work ethic do I expect?
What attitudes and mindsets are non-negotiable?
How do I want my company culture to feel?
Once you have clear values, use them as a filter in your hiring process.
Ask value-based questions during interviews: Tell me about a time you took ownership of a problem that was not yours to solve.
Pay attention to attitude and energy and not just experience.
A strong skill set can improve a business, but a strong culture builds a thriving company.
Hire for values first, and you will never regret your decision.
7 - The Habit of Making Decisions Before You 'Feel Ready'
Most entrepreneurs delay hiring because they are waiting to feel ready.
They tell themselves, I will hire when I have more money, when I have more clients, or when I have more time.
But the truth is, if you wait until you are drowning in work, your first hire will be made in desperation and not strategy.
Hiring from a place of overwhelm often leads to rushed decisions, poor onboarding, and hiring the wrong person to relieve immediate stress.
This reactive approach creates a cycle where entrepreneurs constantly play catch-up rather than building a sustainable, scalable business.
The most successful business owners hire before they feel completely ready.
They understand that hiring is an investment, not an expense, and they set clear triggers for when to bring someone on board.
Instead of waiting for chaos to force the decision, they decide in advance what growth metrics or workload will signal the need to hire.
Action Step:
Set a hiring trigger that defines when it is time to make your first hire. Examples:
Once I hit $10,000/month in revenue, I will hire a virtual assistant.
I will outsource if I spend more than 10 hours per week on admin work.
When I turn down opportunities due to lack of time, I will bring someone in to help.
By deciding before the pressure builds, you will control the process rather than scrambling to fix a problem.
Hiring is about committing to growth.
The sooner you adopt this mindset, the sooner you will free yourself to focus on what moves your business forward.
Your Business Grows When You Do—Join Me for a Powerful In-Person Lunch & Learn
Hiring your first employee is a business decision and a habit shift.
The most successful entrepreneurs do not wait until overwhelmed; they build habits that make hiring an inevitable next step.
On February 11th, I am hosting my first in-person Lunch & Learn after leading over 40 online sessions.
This event is happening at the iconic Crew Collective Café in Old Montreal—the perfect setting to connect, learn, and level up your habits for success.
Join me as I break down The Power of Habits—how small shifts create massive results in your business and life.
This is for you if you are ready to stop playing small and start making decisions like a CEO.
🚀 Spots are limited—reserve yours today!
📅 February 11th | Crew Collective Café, Old Montreal
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