Business Education

Want to Grow Your One-Man Show into Big Business? Then Follow George Washington’s Example

In 1775, the Continentals were planning to exit royal crown rule, but needed a leader. They were looking for someone with experience and who commanded great respect. Among the many meetings, one individual stood out among the rest. Towering above his contemporaries at 6 feet 2 inches, weighing 200+ pounds, was an impressive figure who always wore a military uniform to such patriot gatherings. It was a not-so-subtle way to convince the colonial leaders he’d be a perfect fit.

But when named the General of the Continental Army, George Washington quickly realized that almost all of his troops lacked military experience. In fact, very few had any military experience whatsoever. So, he had to train them, starting with the basics: how to march in formation, how to pitch a tent, how to dig holes for latrines, how to load and clean their weapons. In other words, every single skill a soldier needed.

This is a great example of how today’s solopreneurs can grow their businesses by enlisting the help of industry outsiders and training them in detail.

How Solo Business Owners Can Grow by Hiring and Training Inexperienced Talent

As a solo business owner, scaling your company can feel daunting, especially when resources are tight. Hiring experienced professionals might seem ideal, but their salaries and expectations can strain a small business. Instead, hiring and training people with little industry experience can be a cost-effective, sustainable way to grow. This approach not only builds a loyal, tailored workforce but also fosters a culture aligned with your vision. Here’s how to do it in just five steps.

Why Hire Inexperienced Talent?

Inexperienced hires, such as recent graduates or career switchers, often come with lower salary expectations than seasoned professionals. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, entry-level workers earn about 20-30% less than their experienced counterparts, freeing up capital for other growth initiatives.

These candidates are typically eager to learn, adaptable, and less set in industry-specific habits, making them ideal for molding into roles that fit your business’s unique needs. Plus, investing in their growth can foster loyalty, reducing turnover—a costly issue for small businesses, with replacement costs averaging $4,700 per employee, per the Society for Human Resource Management.

Step 1: Identify the Right Candidates

Hiring inexperienced doesn’t mean hiring unqualified. Look for candidates with transferable skills, a strong work ethic, and enthusiasm for your industry. For example, a retail business owner might prioritize candidates with customer service experience, even from unrelated fields like hospitality. Use job platforms like Indeed or LinkedIn, but also tap local resources—community colleges, job fairs, or social media groups. Craft clear job descriptions emphasizing growth potential over prior experience. During interviews, ask behavioral questions like, “Tell me about a time you learned a new skill quickly,” to gauge learning agility.

Step 2: Design a Scalable Training Program

A structured training program is critical to turning novices into assets. Start by documenting your business’s core processes—sales, customer service, inventory management, or whatever drives your operations. Break these into bite-sized modules to avoid overwhelming new hires. For instance, a solo bakery owner might create a week-long onboarding plan: Day 1 for hygiene protocols, Days 2-3 for basic baking techniques, and Days 4-5 for customer interactions.

Leverage free or low-cost tools to streamline training. Platforms like Google Classroom or Trello can organize materials, while YouTube tutorials or industry-specific online courses (e.g., Coursera) can supplement hands-on learning. Pair new hires with yourself or a trusted employee for shadowing, ensuring they learn by doing. Regular check-ins during the first 90 days help address gaps and build confidence.

Step 3: Foster a Growth-Oriented Culture

Inexperienced hires thrive in environments that encourage learning and experimentation. Set clear expectations but allow room for mistakes as part of the growth process. For example, a marketing agency owner might let a new hire draft social media posts, providing constructive feedback rather than demanding perfection. Recognize small wins—public praise or a $50 gift card can go a long way. Data from Gallup shows that employees who feel recognized are 20% more engaged, boosting productivity and retention.

Encourage ongoing learning by offering access to affordable resources, like industry webinars or local workshops. A solo business owner in tech, for instance, could provide a Udemy subscription ($20-$50/month) to help a new hire master coding basics. This investment signals commitment to their development, increasing loyalty.

Step 4: Delegate and Scale

As your team gains competence, delegate tasks to free up your time for strategic growth—marketing, partnerships, or new revenue streams. Start with low-risk responsibilities, like handling customer inquiries, before entrusting bigger roles, such as managing inventory. Use tools like Asana or Slack to track progress and maintain communication. A 2023 study by McKinsey found that effective delegation can increase small business revenue by up to 15% by allowing owners to focus on high-impact activities.

Step 5: Overcome Challenges

Hiring inexperienced talent isn’t without hurdles. Training takes time, and early mistakes can frustrate busy owners. Mitigate this by setting realistic timelines—expect 3-6 months for full proficiency. If a hire struggles, assess whether it’s a training gap or a poor fit. High turnover early on can signal unclear expectations or inadequate support, so refine your process as needed.

Want to Accomplish More?

Do you want your company to grow faster and earn more while spending more time with your family doing everything you started your business to do?

We can make that dream a reality. Give us 30 minutes, and we will show you how to get your life back. Skeptical? Good! Put us to the test.

You can call us for your free appointment at 480-636-1720, or, if you prefer, Waters Business Consulting Group to learn more about us and the services we offer.

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During the Coronavirus Quarantine, Communication is Key

April 1, 2020 No Comments

With the massive disruption the coronavirus has foisted on businesses and consumers alike, it’s more important than ever to keep an open line of communication. While many focus on the need for telecommuting or teleworking, they do not highlight on the very vital role of maintaining good relationships with not only customers, but vendors, and peers as well. What the Coronavirus Quarantine Teaches Businesses If COVID-19 teaches businesses large, medium, and small anything, it’s the fact to always expect the unexpected. Or, be prepared for as many contingencies as possible. While you can’t proactively guard against every single scenario, there are situations which your business should be equipped to handle. For instance, natural disasters, criminal activity, and of course, epidemics or as we’re experiencing now, a pandemic. Because nobody can predict what will happen next with the coronavirus, this causes great uncertainty. And this uncertainty has a direct impact on businesses. The only thing they can do is try to prepare for all outcomes. —JD Supra This isn’t by any means easy, but it is necessary to at least have a framework to deal with emergency situations, particularly those that have a long-term impact, such as the one the business world is experiencing right now. If you aren’t prepared, it will have a more disastrous impact on your company than it otherwise would. How to Maintain Business Relationships during a Time of Crisis When catastrophe strikes, it can come in many forms. If you’re business is able to continue operations, even in a very limited capacity, then it’s of utmost importance to keep lines of communication open with everyone. Here are a few helpful suggestions for how to do just that: Reassure employees. Although no one can predict the future, you do need to be upfront and honest about your situation with your team members. While you don’t need to paint a doomsday scenario, you do need to let them know where things stand and what’s likely to happen. Reach out to customers. Many churches around the country are digitally broadcasting their weekly messages. And, some are even taking it a step further by personally phoning every single member. You can do the same with your customers, starting with the most valuable. Give them a call personally, or have employees join you to touch base with everyone. Speak with your vendors. This is basically the same idea. But, here you’re doing two things — giving them a heads-up of where you stand and inquiring as to what they are doing and have planned for the near future. Take some time to reflect. You should also take advantage of any downtime to do a little introspection. Use the opportunity to unplug in a quiet place and think about your next course of action and how you can improve your business. What other suggestions do you have? Please comment to let everyone know about your thoughts and experiences! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

Business Owners Thinking about Switching to a 4-Day Workweek Here’s What You Really Need to Know

March 24, 2023 No Comments

The 4-day workweek continues to gain traction, though it’s a long, long way from becoming standard. Still, recent trials by companies have shown promise for reducing the workweek by one day (something instituted almost one-hundred years ago in 1926 by Henry Ford). The change is definitely full of ostensible advantages – and big potential. But, this certainly doesn’t mean it’s all upside and no downside. So, let’s take a look at what business owners need to know about switching to a 4-day workweek and what to expect. 4-Day Workweek Pros Switching to a 4-day workweek can have several benefits for a business. While some are obvious, others may not be so intuitive. Here are a few reasons a company might want to switch over: Increased productivity Research shows that shorter workweeks can lead to increased productivity. Employees may feel more motivated to get work done if they have more time to rest and recharge. Better work-life balance A 4-day workweek can give employees more time to spend with their families and pursue personal interests, leading to better mental health and job satisfaction. Cost savings A shorter workweek may lead to reduced operating costs for businesses, such as lower energy bills and reduced use of office resources through less use of computers, lights, climate control, and more. It can also help to rein in office expenses as it offers an opportunity to scrutinize spending expenses. It’s hard to say if many employers will find the 4-day workweek structure agreeable. Everyone is watching these kinds of experiments and learning. Plus, it depends on how the economy and workforce evolve and whether these become new expectations from the vast majority of the workforce—as being able to work at least part-time remotely has become for most knowledge workers. —Boston University So, the very fact that a business will be operating fewer hours translates directly into operating expense savings. (This is something that generally comes to light when there’s a big change and businesses are forced to examine their spending amounts and frequency.) Attract and retain talent Offering a 4-day workweek can be a unique and attractive perk that helps businesses stand out in a competitive job market. It can also help retain current employees by increasing their job satisfaction and loyalty. 4-Day Workweek Cons While these are certainly compelling reasons and sound good in theory, in practice they may not necessarily materialize (or simply manifest in different forms). Of course, as with any new idea, there are bound to be possible drawbacks and problems that could arise unexpectedly. Here are some things you might encounter by adopting a 4-day workweek: Reduced hours A 4-day workweek means employees will work fewer hours, which could lead to reduced productivity and output, especially for businesses that require around-the-clock operations. Workload distribution Businesses may need to redistribute workloads or hire additional staff to compensate for the lost hours of those who are working a 4-day week. Operational difficulties A 4-day workweek could create operational difficulties, such as coordinating schedules with clients or customers who operate on a 5-day schedule. Reduced profits Reduced hours could lead to lower profits for businesses that rely on hourly work or have tight deadlines to meet. Ultimately, whether a 4-day workweek is a good fit for a business depends on its unique needs and goals. It’s important for businesses to carefully consider the potential advantages and disadvantages before making the switch. What other considerations would you suggest be a part of these? Please take a moment or two to comment so others can benefit from your thoughts and experiences! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

Is Crazy Creating Chaos in Your Company?

May 5, 2017 No Comments

We all deal with crazy (read: difficult) people in life. They are rude, obnoxious, oblivious, pitiful, without fault, always victims, stir up drama, and what’s worse, don’t know so. You see, the problem with him or her is someone else besides he or she: another coworker, a family member, perhaps even you. As the head of an organization, no matter its size, you’re bound to run into crazy and what’s simply insane is the fact that you let them through the door in the first place. This is just one way business owners and managers rationalize a situation that’s spiraling out of control. “It’s a phase,” or “he or she just needs a little extra motivation.” Though these thoughts might bring a modicum of comfort, it will be short-lived. If you are faced with an employee that’s ultimately doing more harm than good, you’ve got to deal with the situation before it has time to inflict more damage. Ways to Deal with Difficult Employees In most instances, people that behave this way aren’t at all aware of reality. While you and the rest of your team know it, the problem personality probably has a peculiar position. This is a moving or adaptable perception that assigns blame away from him or her. Of course, this makes things worse because he or she won’t be easily convinced as to what’s truly going on. Often, when an employee is difficult we stop paying attention to what’s actually going on. We’re irritated, it seems hopeless, and we’ve already decided what we think about the employee – so we just turn our attention to other things, out of a combination of avoidance and self-protection. But the best managers get very attentive when someone’s not doing well. They know their best shot at improving the situation lies in having the clearest possible understanding of the situation… —Forbes.com The very first thing you ought to do is to take stock of the dynamics. Put yourself in his or her shoes to try and gain some perspective. If that comes up short and doesn’t provide any tangible answers, you now know he or she is the real source of the problem. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to take crazy out of the company: Separate fact from friction. Yes, friction, as well as fiction. Friction between employees can easily lead to you taking sides because of your affinity for one over the other, which is where fiction comes into play. You should act on facts, not feelings, and not because of favorites. Don’t confuse performance with conduct. One rationalization for keeping problematic employees in the company is because of their so-called “redeeming qualities.” While he or she might well possess some great performance traits, it is his or her conduct that’s actually most important. What he or she might be producing individually could well be undermining his or her peers. Take time to listen and offer solutions. Should the person who brings crazy chaos into your company be a productive team member, you ought to try to invoke a turn-around. Go into a private place and ask if he or she is having any problems, then, tactfully offer solutions. If the response is knee-jerk or obtuse, it’s probably time for ultimatums. Lend a helping hand. Not your own, but someone within your organization you trust. This works best peer-to-peer, where coaching captures cooperation. Though this can work wonders, it can also become a tempting choice in the future. Don’t use it as the fallback position or you’ll simply be known for passing difficult personalities out for others to deal with. Ultimately, you are fighting to deal with a situation, not to win by wrangling control away. You want to create a solution, not to win an argument. If you do chose the latter, you are choosing to join in the craziness and even make the environment worse. Also, know when you’re at your limit, as not every situation can be resolved. There will be times when simply parting ways will be the best solution for you and your business. [shareaholic app=”follow_buttons” id=”26833294″]