Most founders approach their first hire like they're shopping for pain relief—looking for someone to handle the tasks keeping them up at night. But treating hiring like a band-aid solution is exactly why 46% of small business failures are attributed to incompetence in hiring and managing people.
The key lies in shifting your mindset from task delegation to outcome generation. Instead of asking "Who can help me with all this work?" start with "What needs to be different in my business?" This simple shift transforms hiring from a gut-feeling gamble into a strategic investment.
Consider Wrigley's story: In 1892, William Wrigley Jr. made his first hire not based on immediate needs, but on future business outcomes. Instead of hiring a salesperson to move more baking powder, he hired a candy maker who could create better premiums. That decision laid the foundation for what would become a global empire.
The modern founder's playbook needs to follow similar principles: Define measurable outcomes before skills, design roles around business needs rather than personal pain points, and maintain objective standards throughout the process. Remember, you're not just adding another person to your team—you're making an investment that should generate specific, measurable returns.
Watch the Full Episode on Making Your First Hire with expert Scott Morris below:
Scott is offering a free trial of his platform to How To Founder Listners: https://getpropulsion.ai/
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