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.

Victoria Orr

Each year that goes by my business evolves into more…more weddings booked, more services offered, more technicians working with us, more products offered, and more of just about everything. Looking back, starting out, my business was much smaller and different than it is today. It was nothing like it is now. It started with just me, Victoria Orr, one Makeup Artist in Canton, Georgia. Read more>>

Lucy Adikwu

Starting a business is an exciting journey, and building a team is crucial for the success of your project. In the initial phase, you will likely wear many hats and juggle various responsibilities. It’s important to identify the key skills and roles needed to achieve your project goals. This involves mapping out your desired outcomes and working backward to determine the necessary competencies. Look for individuals who not only possess the required skills but also align with your vision and values. Hiring for attitude and potential can sometimes be more beneficial than focusing solely on experience. Read more>>

Amber Baranzini

When I first opened Salon Aurora in June of 2023, it was just my assistant and I. When I had my first round of interviewing, I hired someone fairly quickly. In the beginning, you find yourself putting aside some of your requirements because you’re so excited to have people want to work in the salon. Then you find that those people don’t always work out long-term. Since then, I have learned to take the hiring process a little bit slower and have developed what my non-negotiable’s are and what I need from new hires / booth renters. Now I have a team of five including myself in my 8 chair salon. Every stylist gets along with each other which is vital to sustaining a good salon culture when hiring. It only takes one person to disrupt the culture that most have taken years to build. One thing I like to have potential new hires and/or booth renters do is to come in one day and do a client’s hair. That allows me to see how they interact within the salon and around our other stylists. It also is good for them to feel things out before committing. Doing this will save both sides a lot of time and helps to make sure everyone feels confident in the decision to move forward. The only thing I would do differently from the jump is taking things slow, nothing great was built over night. It’s okay to not have a fully staffed salon especially the first few years! Make sure whoever you bring in fits within your ‘salon culture’ and adds to your team! Read more>>