Most owners wait until they feel ready to hire. That’s backwards. You don’t hire because you’re ready, you hire to become ready for the next level. You buy back your time before you think you can afford it, or you’ll stay trapped in the job you built for yourself.
Start small if you need to, bring someone on part-time, even just 2–3 days a week, to test the waters and create some breathing room.
What changed everything for me was shifting my profit focus from “What did I make this week?” to “What am I building this year?” That meant accepting temporarily lower margins in exchange for time. I had to let go of “I can do it faster and better,” and embrace “Who can do it 80% as well and free me up for growth?”
Waiting for the “perfect time” kept me stuck. What gave me real confidence was giving my first hire crystal-clear checklists and KPIs from day one, no guessing, no gray areas. That made delegation easier and performance measurable.
I would also track your closing rate, if its above 60% I would recommend increasing your prices.
