Sounds like you tackled it the right way. If the schedule is full and there's no shortage of new leads, it's the perfect time to increase prices for existing customers and push your pricing on quotes to test the waters (you don't actually need the new work, so this is totally safe - there's no downside). Dropping dead weight in the form of difficult/non-compliant customers is always the right move - doing it when you're at capacity is just a low risk option.
If you're looking for the magic number of when to hire - it's when you're at 80% capacity.
Process improvements etc. are important, but they'll be ongoing forever. So don't get caught waiting until they're all "right". If you want to grow your business your #1 goal needs to be adding crew. Also when you get a good admin/office manager they'll actually help write up your policies, processes and procedures. You can start with a rough framework - but it's like handing off a baton in a relay race.
Growth is uncomfortable and sometimes scary - you just need to lean into it. Don't let the safety of the familiar hold you back.
