Do you remember your first hire? There is so much that goes into building a company, but few things matter as much the quality of the team you assemble. Given the immense importance of team building, we wanted to create a series where we ask entrepreneurs who have been there and done that, to share their stories and lessons with the community.

Jacqueline (Jack) Perez

When I soft-launched Kuel Life I was a one-trick pony. The only person on staff, so to speak, I created all the content. Clearly, this was merely a short-term solution. Not an expert on many of the topics women in midlife & beyond care about, it was obvious I needed to find the subject matter experts. Read more>>

Rodney Mitchell

Over the years I have hired many talented stylists but when I opened my first salon in 1998 it was just me and my trusted assistant. I knew I did not want a team at first, I wanted to experience this new change on my own and really go after the atmosphere that I had envisioned. Read more>>

Genevieve Dolan

I’m finally learning what “it takes a village” means in life! The Vieve’s Leaves village is made up of partners, family and friends that are aligned with my vision and are just as invested in the brand’s success as I am. Read more>>

Sandi D’Arezzo

I started my business in New Hampshire back in 2017 when I was still an elementary school music teacher. I was just on my own at first working with clients. Then I knew that I was going to be moving to North Carolina with my family and I didn’t want to just close the business and lose all of the hard work that I put into it. Read more>>

Marcey Rader

I hired a Virtual Assistant five hours a week in my first year of business. In year two, I decided I needed more hours but didn’t have the funds to hire in the US, so I sought help overseas in the Philippines using Virtual Staff Finder. I hired a website specialist who did everything – admin, presentation design, marketing materials, and websites – for six years. Read more>>

Phil Svitek

When it comes to hiring someone, my process typically begins with determining where to look for potential candidates. One common approach is seeking recommendations from people I trust, as their firsthand experiences can provide valuable insights into the capabilities and work ethic of potential hires. Another option is to explore freelancer platforms like Upwork or similar websites, which offer a wide pool of skilled professionals. Read more>>

Cyndi Cote

Since we are a business with a lot of one on one help, we hired 6 employees before opening. Some were kids looking for a first job, some were professionals looking for a “fun” second job and also a couple retirees. We liked the diversity of the staff and everyone’s excitement to start a new business. Training was the 2 weeks before our soft opening. Read more>>

Olga Ten

Before I validated my idea, I was on my own. However, once I received positive feedback from my target audience I needed to build out a team to make my idea a reality. Because I was bootstrapped, I had a very limited budget therefore I could not hire anyone full-time. Therefore, I had to be creative. My whole business is built on a combination of freelancers and small agencies. Read more>>