How to Clone Yourself in Your Business and Hire Your Dream Team
Summary: Aack! I have got to get help! I need to hire some more team!! But I have so much going on; how do I find time to do that???”
I get it! The day is winding down, but you still have an endless list of tasks. You’re juggling client calls, managing paperwork, and handling every small detail. Your business is thriving, but you’re swamped with tasks that consume your time and energy. You know you need help, but hiring the right team seems overwhelming.
If this is you, you're not alone. Many entrepreneurs feel the same way. But, as we all know, building your dream team is the key to unlocking your business's full potential and giving you room to thrive personally and professionally.
Let's explore how you can clone yourself in your business by finding and training the right people to embody your values for the business you have worked so hard to build!
Why Entrepreneurs Delay Hiring
Before we get into how to hire your dream team, let's identify what might be holding you back. Many entrepreneurs struggle with the decision to hire because of several common concerns. Understanding these obstacles is the first step to overcoming them and moving your business forward.
Money Worries
Hiring seems expensive, especially when you’re trying to save every dollar. It’s easy to think, “I can’t afford to pay someone else right now.” But consider this: hiring the right person can help you make more money. They can take over tasks that bog you down, allowing you to focus on growing your business and generating more revenue. Their pay rate may be much less than yours, allowing you to concentrate on what is really important.
Time Limits
You’re already swamped, and training someone new feels overwhelming. The thought of spending hours showing someone the ropes seems impossible. But think about the long-term benefits. Investing time in training now can save you countless hours in the future. Plus, having a documented process can make training quicker and easier next time.
Fear of Mistakes
What if you hire the wrong person? This fear can be paralyzing. Especially if you have hired the wrong person in the past. But remember, perfection is a myth. It is not achievable. Every entrepreneur makes mistakes. The key is to learn from them. If your first hire isn’t perfect, use that experience to improve your hiring process.
I always hear the reasons and excuses from business owners just like you. You might think, “But I’ve tried that before, and it didn’t work.” Well, guess what? It’s not just you! I’m not perfect, either. Often, the first thing I try doesn’t work. For instance, I started sharing insights via videos through a series called "Coaching from the Carpool," but it didn’t happen overnight. Getting there took four years of podcasts, blog posts, and experimenting with different formats. Even after I spent all the time getting there, I am doing something different today. I continue to evolve and learn and just strive always to do better.
There’s no magic pixie dust for success—just persistence. If your approach doesn’t work the first time, try refining it again. This mindset is essential for hiring and almost every aspect of your business.
So, don’t let these concerns stop you. Start the hiring process, even if it’s not “perfect.” The important thing is to begin. With each step, you’ll learn and get closer to building your dream team.
Cloning Yourself: Building a Team that Embodies Your Business
When discussing “cloning yourself,” I mean building a team that reflects your business’s values and work ethic. I also mean a team that embodies YOU! You are the heart and soul of your business, but you can’t be everywhere. I like to call this the “mini-me” stage. Think of it like Despicable Me, with all the little minions running around. Each has a different personality; without clear direction, they might do the craziest things. But with clear direction, they all work together to help Gru accomplish his goals. Here are four steps to get you on the path to hiring your dream team that embodies your business.
Step 1: Define Your Business Persona
The first step on your hiring journey is to shape your business identity. Most small and service-based businesses don't start with a formal mission, vision, or value statement because YOU, as the business owner and as a person, define these. The people buying from you buy because they like you as a person. These formal statements can also be hard to define early on when you're still figuring out your place in the market. However, as your business grows and you begin hiring, having a clear set of values and a defined business persona becomes essential. Remember: you are finding your dream team, which means they need to share some, if not all, of these values.
For most business owners, describing their mission and vision is somewhat intuitive. They know what they want to sell, the life they want to lead, and how they want to do it. I see many business owners get stuck on creating their values. I felt this way. Let me save you some time. I created a list of values with over 500 possibilities broken into categories. Defining these values doesn’t have to be complicated or set in stone. (a.k.a. You do not have to be perfect.) It needs to be good enough to guide your hiring decisions and help your employees feel passionate about their work.
The other key aspect to define as you begin to hire a team is a business persona. Think of your business as a person with its personality. This includes the traits and characteristics you want your business to be known for. It could be professionalism, innovation, friendliness, reliability, etc. It is also the voice and tone you want to communicate with the outside world. Is your tone formal or casual? Is your voice authoritative or friendly? It helps employees connect with the business and understand its mission and vision. If there are multiple business owners with multiple personalities, you will need to meet together to establish a clear personality for the business. This personality acts as a ruler to measure all decisions.
Creating a documented business persona that includes your mission, vision, and values allows your team to connect with it and lays the foundation for a motivated and aligned workforce.
Step 2: Document Your Processes
Let’s think back to those barriers to hiring that we discussed earlier. One of them was not having enough time. I hear you. I feel that way on busy days. I would also challenge you to take the time to document your processes as you begin working with them. Adding that extra step in your process can help free up hours of your time in the future.
Once you have documented your processes, your hiring process becomes much easier. It creates a centralized way for new team members to see how to do things and have the necessary resources to do their jobs at their fingertips. It also frees up your time by offering a place for them to check before coming to you. Clear documentation ensures consistency and quality and streamlines your business operations.
If you still don’t have time, make documenting processes part of your new hire’s job. Have them watch you work and write down the steps. Then, review what they’ve documented and make any necessary corrections. This way, you’ll have clear instructions ready for others in your business.
You can implement documenting your systems at any point in your business, but the sooner, the better!
Here’s how to get started:
Begin by writing down each step of the tasks you perform regularly. This doesn't have to be fancy. A simple notepad or Word document will do it. (After you complete the steps, you can rewrite them on a shared document.) Break down each task into manageable steps. For example, if you're documenting how to send an invoice, list each action required, from opening the invoicing software to sending the email.
Visual aids can make your instructions much clearer. Use snipping tools to capture screenshots of each step. Highlight important areas to draw attention to specific actions. For instance, if a particular button needs to be clicked, highlight or circle it in the screenshot. Add detailed directions along with your written steps and screenshots. Be explicit about what needs to be done at each stage. If a step involves entering specific information, specify exactly what and where it needs to be entered.
Note: Sometimes, written instructions aren’t enough. Consider creating video tutorials for more complex tasks. Screen recording tools can capture your actions and voice, providing a step-by-step guide that's easy to follow.
Store your documented processes in an easily accessible place. Whether it’s a physical binder, a digital folder on your computer, or cloud storage like Dropbox, make sure everyone on your team knows where to find these documents. Consistency is key, so having a central location for all your processes helps keep things organized.
Your documentation should be a living document that can be updated and improved over time. Encourage your team to provide feedback. If they find a step unclear or have a better way to do something, update the document. This collaborative approach ensures that your processes remain relevant and efficient.
Step 3: Train and Empower Your Team
Training your team doesn’t have to be a daunting, time-consuming task. This is where it all comes together. With an efficient approach (and documenting your systems), you can quickly get your new hires up to speed while fostering a sense of responsibility and independence.
Here’s how to effectively train and empower your team:
Initial Training and Encouraging Self-Reliance
Begin by focusing on your new employees, showing them how to perform their tasks, and going over the values and business persona you have created. Hands-on training is essential at this stage. Walk them through each process step-by-step, using the documented procedures you’ve created. This helps them understand the workflow and sets clear expectations for their roles. Ensure that they understand your values and how their tasks can foster these and company goals.
After the initial training, encourage your employees to use the documented processes as a reference. Remind them that these documents are there to guide them.
When they encounter a question or a problem, their first step should be to consult the documentation. This practice fosters self-reliance and reduces the number of interruptions, allowing you to focus on more strategic tasks.
Continuous Improvement
Create an environment where feedback is valued and acted upon. Allow your employees to provide input on the documentation and the processes themselves. If they find certain steps unclear or discover a more efficient way to complete a task, encourage them to share their insights. Your more trusted employees can update the documentation to be clearer for future employees based on their feedback, making it a living document that evolves with your business.
Another great way to promote continuous improvement is to encourage a culture of continuous learning and development. One way to do this is to give your employees helpful feedback to keep mastering their roles. In addition, Offer opportunities for training, workshops, or courses that can help your team grow their skills. Investing in their professional development demonstrates that you value their growth.
Empowerment Through Trust and Check-Ins
Empowerment comes from trust. Trust your team to handle their tasks independently once they are trained. Give them the autonomy to make decisions within their roles. This boosts their confidence and encourages them to take ownership of their work.
Employees who feel trusted and valued are likelier to go above and beyond. With this in mind, regular check-ins are still important! Schedule regular check-ins to review progress and address any concerns. These meetings provide an opportunity to reinforce key concepts, answer questions, and offer additional support where needed. Regular check-ins also show your team that you are invested in their success and are available to support them.
This training approach saves time and instills a sense of responsibility and independence in your team. Empowering your employees creates a dynamic and efficient workplace where everyone is aligned with your business's goals and values.
Step 4: Plan Now For Success
I know you are busy in your business and need help. So dream with me. Think about what you can hand off to someone initially with no training. What could they do in 30 days? What could they do in 60 days? What about 90 days? Document these items before you hire as an Employee Review Document. Share it with them so they can understand your expectations. In turn, this becomes your employee review process to know whether they are on track.
Are You Ready to Hire Your Dream Team?
Building a team that reflects you and your business is an ongoing journey that demands dedication and persistence. By defining your business persona and values, documenting your processes, and training your team effectively, you can clone yourself and create a system that allows your business to thrive.
Start small and build gradually. Don’t wait for the perfect moment—begin today and adjust as you go. Remember, every step forward is progress.
Are you ready to leap to hiring your dream team but feel like you could use some more guidance? That’s what we are here to do! We are ready to help you. Schedule a time to chat. Here's to your success in building a powerful team that propels your business forward!
