Overwhelmingly, media coverage of team building, hiring, training, etc. is often geared towards the issues faced by HR at Fortune 500 sized companies. Even when it’s positioned as advice for small business owners it is often coming from an executive or consultant working primarily with giant corporations. We think it’s far more relevant to hear from small and medium business owners who have successfully grown their businesses – and so we asked some very talented folks to tell us the stories of their initial hires and the struggles and lessons they can share.

Nikki Watson

In the beginning it was just me doing all of the tasks. I was the stager and mover, the contract creator and deliverer, the receptionist and the janitor like most small business owners. I started Home Staging while I had a full time job so this made it even trickier. As my business grew, I knew I needed help fast. For several years I volunteered at a ministry called Exodus Ministries where women coming out of prison or rehab go with their children and live for a year. Read more>>

Brook Sarson

When I started my company, it was just me. I quickly realized that had a lot to learn about contracting and that being passionate about Rainwater and Greywater Harvesting and willing to do all the tasks was not enough. I found a plumber who was willing to work with me and learned some things from him. When my business was small I needed help occasionally. I was involved in the sustainability and food justice community and could always find people willing to jump on a project to help dig, carry a tank over a fence, etc. Read more>>

Jessica Leila Adnani

When I started Personalized Solutions in Washington, D.C. in 2012 I was absolutely running as fast as possible, by myself. I did have a very kind boyfriend who was always allowing me to bounce ideas off of him but the execution of client projects was all on me. Within the first three months I had landed a few really high profile accounts and realized I needed help. Back in 2012 LinkedIn didn’t have job postings and I really didn’t know where to turn. Read more>>

Carol Jasunas

As business owners, my husband Jay and I started from scratch without any employees and had the task of building our team of coaches, sales associates and general manager. We interviewed prospective employees for these positions but made a point to look at more than just their backgrounds, experiences and knowledge. Equally important to us was personality. A big part of each interview was spent just conversing and getting to know them each as individuals. We focused on individuals who would be team players and work well with others, as opposed to those who were seeking the spotlight. Read more>>

Amy Pishner

I started out as a team of one. I come from a military background and after being in such a huge organization where I saw people taking shortcuts and leaving work behind for others, I set out to be a one-woman operation. I took pride in every single thing I did and worked hard to make sure every aspect of my small business was exemplary. When the opportunity presented itself to grow my dog training business, I objected to it. Read more>>

Jay Monday

As most businesses, it was just myself at the start. The guy who answers the phone, does the scheduling, diagnoses the and solving the issues, bringing smiles to my customers faces. Then long nights doing paperwork, estimates, researching & planning. It didn’t take long before it was way too much for 3-4 normal people to handle and that’s when the company grew. Hiring, trusting and teaching in order to make sure my customers received the same quality & service as if I was the one doing the work. Business ownership is 24/7, you don’t get to take a break when your name is on the line and you genuinely care about your reputation and honor. Read more>>

Nicole Cacciavillano

When I first started throwing events, I was also a teacher. So, like any teacher, I held internships and provided opportunities for people to come and learn about different parts of the music industry. I liked my interns green. It gave me an opportunity to really work with them, get to know each other on a personal level and share with them why I run my business the way that I do..  The majority of my current staff were interns 10 years ago. They did a good job and I noticed. What I noticed most wasn’t their ability to market themselves, but their interest in knowledge and their PASSION. Read more>>

Diane Bloodworth

One of the most rewarding aspects of being an entrepreneur has been building a small and scrappy team. To keep costs low, I initially hired college interns. Predictive analytics is a newer field and there aren’t many experienced people available (especially on a startup budget). There are a lot of potential interns who want experience and love sports, so I have had outstanding interns. I give the interns a significant amount of responsibility with the support and mentoring they need. Read more>>

Kalie Trahan

I started my business from home while I was in business school about 8-9 years ago. At this time I was alone building my customer base. Juggling school, my job and trying to start my own business from home was not a easy task. My family was the biggest support/help, and still are ! When I finally opened my storefront in 2017 (just celebrated 5 years open! Yippee !) It was just me and my husband (when he wasn’t working at his job) pulling all nighters to try and complete orders as well as manage a storefront that we also sell out of daily. Read more>>

Monte Smith

I was a carpenter and decided to start working for my self as a contractor. I hired one person by putting an add in a newspaper. to be a carpenter helper.. I had to train him to do certain task and he ended up working for me for over 6 months.. What I learned in hiring someone is its going to take an effort and patience in order for me to have dependable help. Read more>>