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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5 Effective Ways to Increase Team Motivation

March 15, 2018 No Comments

Team motivation. It’s an ongoing challenge in some organizations. Team motivation is actually more about the role of management than employees themselves. In fact, a study by Harvard found that the majority of companies demotivate their employees. Now, that sounds strange at first but it’s completely sensible. So, let’s take a look at both team motivation and employee demotivation. Why Employees Lose their Motivation According to the Harvard Business School Working Knowledge, a full 85 percent of employees’ morale decreases after just six months on the job. (That survey included a whopping 1.2 million team members from 52 Fortune 1000 companies.) Perhaps most surprisingly, that same study reveals it’s actually management which is squarely to blame for the loss of motivation. There are a number of benefits to having highly motivated employees in your ranks but for business owners, all roads eventually lead to the bottom line. High levels of employee motivation are intrinsically linked to high levels of employee engagement, which is something that organizations are paying much more attention to these days, and with good reason. —Business.com That’s an incredible fact. And, it means you’re probably (albeit unwittingly) inflicting more damage than you are creating a productive workplace. It’s all about the dynamic between employees and managers, when it comes down to it. 5 Effective Ways to Increase Team Motivation So, how do you motivate your employees? What do you do to keep them upbeat and ready to tackle the next challenge? It’s really not that difficult. Team motivation just requires a bit of self-awareness and a few changes in your day-to-day work life. Here are five effective ways to increase team motivation: Forgo useless meetings. Did you know the average company wastes 3.8 hours every week holding truly unproductive meetings? That’s a significant amount of time that could be otherwise spent much more wisely. So, only invite the necessary people and keep the meeting on-track. Don’t micromanage. Micromanagement is one of the biggest demotivators in the workplace. One survey even reveals 38 percent of employees would actually prefer performing unpleasant activities than deal with a micromanaging boss. Provide them with a pleasant environment. There are a number of ways to create a more pleasant work environment. For instance, allowing pets at work. Or, giving employees more flexibility with their work hours. Simply put, the more pleasant the environment, the more happy your employees and that’s good news for everyone. Quickly forgive mistakes. Everybody makes mistakes. It’s just part of life. And, it doesn’t help to ruminate over an error. It’s also unhelpful to go so far as to punish an employee for a mistake. Forgive mistakes quickly and move on with a healthy dose of encouragement. Pay employees what they’re worth. Here’s a disturbing statistic — 26 percent of productive employees report they’d leave their companies for just a 5 percent pay increase. The lesson, of course, is to pay your employees what they are worth. How do you motivate your employees? What methods make your team members more effective? Please share your thoughts and experiences by commenting! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

3 Biggest Inflation Price-Adjustment Mistakes to Avoid

November 26, 2021 No Comments

Inflation in the United States is at its highest level in 31 years, according to the Wall Street Journal. Currently, it’s measuring around 6%, and complicating matters more is supply chain issues, along with shortages in key materials, as well as labor availability. Due to these factors, businesses are faced with the decision to raise prices. Although practically any business owner would resist, this just isn’t a sound strategy. When a company’s costs rise, it must pass on at least a portion to consumers. If businesses don’t raise prices, they obviously reduce their margins, thereby reducing their revenues. So, do small businesses deal with inflation? How Small Businesses can Deal with Inflation Fortunately, there are a few key strategies you can employ to help your company through an inflationary cycle. One step you can take is to offer bulk discounts on the products you sell, incentivizing your customers to purchase more in exchange for paying less overall. Another thing that you can do is to use the same strategy for wholesale vendors, asking them for a slightly higher discount in exchange for purchasing more inventory, or materials and supplies. The PPI — producer price index– measures the prices of goods immediately postproduction and serves as a critical indicator of the pressure facing companies. Companies that weathered previous storms the best took decisive steps to counter rising inflation by pushing through price increases consistent with PPI — but that alone was not enough. —Havard Business Review Small businesses can also help to offset inflationary pressures by scheduling jobs further into the future. Since materials are more scarce at the moment, this might not be a viable strategy. Of course, this does come with a good deal of risk, because you don’t have a crystal ball into what will unfold over the next several months. Yet another strategy for coping with inflation is to move to alternative materials and supplies that cost a little less. But, be aware this might also mean having to settle for a lesser quality product. 3 Biggest Inflation Price-Adjustment Mistakes to Avoid If these strategies aren’t enough or don’t appeal to you, there are definitely things you should avoid doing. Because any one of these will likely be extremely costly in one way or another. Here are the three most dangerous mistakes businesses really need to avoid in their inflation adjustment pricing: Apologizing. Sure, it’s human nature to empathize. But, you’re not the driving force in rising prices, nor are you in control of the elements that are causing inflation to rise. Although it’s tempting to apologize for having to charge more, it puts you in a position of weakness and can easily lead to you reducing prices at a time where it’s just not feasible. Overcharging. Obviously, price gouging is illegal. But, charging more (particularly above the new, higher market rate) in order to cover your rising costs and increase your margin at the same time is not advisable. Doing this will only result in driving customers to look for less expensive alternatives in your competitors and leave you with a guilty conscience. Undercharging. This is perhaps the biggest temptation small business owners face during inflationary periods. They empathize with their customers, being affected in their own personal lives too. So, they decide to keep their prices the same or only raise them as little as possible, thereby cutting into their margins. While customers will certainly appreciate the break, it could very well become a self-inflicted wound that leads to ruin. What other suggestions do you have for dealing with inflation price adjustments? Please take a brief moment to leave a comment and share your thoughts and experiences so others can benefit from your strategies. Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

How to Solve the Biggest Problem a Work Routine Creates

March 4, 2020 No Comments

Every entrepreneur has heard the advice to adopt a work routine. While it’s certainly helpful in a number of ways, it can eventually lead to feeling stuck, stifled, and unrewarding. That’s definitely no place anyone wants to be because it becomes counterproductive. What’s more, it drains your energy and doesn’t help to fulfill your passion. It’s called a rut and it’s the single biggest problem with following a routine. Advantages of Having a Routine Now, there’s a whole lot of good that comes from establishing a routine. It helps you to keep focused, stay on-task, on-time, and avoid wasting effort on unimportant tasks. Plus, a routine helps to ensure you check off entries on your to-do list, one prioritized item at a time. A routine that is too rigid can become a rut, and a rut can become a trap. Some people are so adamant about sticking to “the routine,” that it becomes a full-blown stress when anything disturbs it. And you can count on disturbances! They are a part of life. But these people have forgotten how to think outside the cherished routine. The joy of spontaneity is missing. —Self Growth Moreover, a routine lets you know precisely where you are at any given time. Then, there’s the psychological and emotional benefit of having peace of mind. When you follow a routine, you’re much less likely to feel anxious or stressed out. 3 Effective Ways Entrepreneurs can Break Out of Work Rut Although there are a number of benefits to following a routine, the biggest downside is it turning into a dreaded rut. This is a bad situation and will only worsen, if you don’t stop the cycle. Here are three effective ways entrepreneurs can break out of a work rut: Change things up. Okay, this one’s obvious but it’s necessary because it’s so hard to actually do. When you change things up, you’ll feel like chaos has broken loose. You’ll also probably feel a bit lost. But, when you change things up, you’ll also start to feel more free, realizing your routine isn’t always the best way to work on your business. Give yourself new tasks. Try giving yourself at least one or more new tasks to complete. It will challenge you to think in a way that you haven’t before and help to unleash your creativity. Plus, it will give you a real sense of accomplishment because it’s something you’re not accustomed to doing. Spend some time in different places. Work ruts can happen anywhere, not just the office or shop. You probably run in the same circles all the time, frequenting the same locations over and over again. So, try something new in order to experience new environments and people. It will only widen your perspective and might even inspire you in a totally unique way than ever before. What other suggestions do you have? Please comment and share your thoughts and experiences! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.