Building an online business team

Let’s talk about expanding your team. Often, as online business owners,  we delay building a team longer than we should. I did the same, and while I’m not an expert on this topic, I’ve learned a lot from my experience.

Looking back, I realise I waited too long to hire. From the beginning I was managing everything on my own. However, I reached a point where I clearly needed help, but the idea of delegating tasks made me nervous. I worried that if I handed over responsibilities, the new hires wouldn’t perform as well as I did. This fear, in hindsight, seems pretty unfounded—after all, their job is to excel in their areas of expertise.

Another concern was that new team members might just copy my methods and potentially start their own businesses. I was also anxious about exposing all the behind-the-scenes details.

Initially, the only person I hired was a tech virtual assistant (VA). They worked for a few hours a day or week and were self-employed. 

At first, hiring a VA was daunting because I couldn’t afford it. But I’d read that outsourcing is essential for growth, even when you’re not financially ready. It made sense because handling every task myself meant I wasn’t focusing on what I did best. For example, it took me four days to create a sales funnel, but my tech VA could do it in an hour. Spending four days on a task that someone else could complete in an hour didn’t make sense.

So, despite my initial fear and financial concerns, hiring the VA helped me grow my business faster. Eventually, even though my business reached seven figures, I was still just managing it with my tech VA. People kept telling me I needed to hire more staff, and although I was apprehensive, I decided it was time to expand.

I started recruiting in the usual way—posting ads on job sites and social media, and looking for an assistant. This was my first step towards building a more robust team.

However, that initial hiring process didn’t go as smoothly as I hoped. I brought on two employees, but I learned that having employees wasn’t as straightforward as I thought. I wanted employees because I believed they would be more invested in my business compared to self-employed workers who juggle multiple clients.

However, one of the first hires didn’t work out well. Despite being full-time, she wasn’t fully committed to the job. She would finish her four hours of work and then clock out, regardless of whether the task was complete. This approach didn’t suit the demands of an online business, where work can be unpredictable—sometimes you’re swamped, and other times you have a lighter schedule.

Looking back, I realise I wasn’t a great boss. I lacked clear boundaries, which blurred the lines between us being colleagues and friends. I allowed personal conversations to take up work time and struggled to set expectations. I was hesitant to be the strict boss, which led to inefficiency.

A major lesson here was that effective delegation requires setting clear expectations and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). It’s not fair to expect someone to meet high standards without providing proper guidance and expectations.

Seeing this, I decided to change my approach. I started paying closer attention to my audience and the talented people within it. For example, I noticed an operations manager, who consistently shared impressive work on social media, such as pivot tables and launch metrics. I realised I needed someone with those skills in my business.

Then, I considered my own network. My sister, a skilled graphic designer, had just finished maternity leave. She had always excelled in graphic design and was known for her efficiency. After some persuasion, she agreed to work for me. She handled graphic design, course workbooks, and even social media posts. Her familiarity with my voice meant her posts sounded just like me, which resonated well with my audience.

With my sister on board, I began to see the value of hiring people who were not only skilled but also deeply understood my business and style. As our business grew and we handled larger launches, I knew I needed a key person to support me further and that’s when I reached out to an operations manager. Her social media content had shown that she had the exact skills and approach I needed for my business.

By focusing on hiring talent from my audience and network, I found the right people who were a better fit and could help my business reach new heights. This approach proved successful, so I started actively seeking out people with the skills I needed from my network and audience.

For instance, my husband, who was already doing copywriting for others, started working for me. 

The common thread in all my hires was their positive attitude and passion for the business. While skills are important, having a genuine interest in the business often matters more. This approach has worked remarkably well.

Our team has grown rapidly. Although hiring more staff initially reduces profit margins, it’s a trade-off I’m happy with. Our profit margin decreased from around 90% to about 78%, but I value the freedom and scalability that come with having a dedicated team.

I focus on fostering an environment where mistakes are acceptable. I encourage my team to experiment and try new ideas without fear of harsh consequences. If a mistake happens, we acknowledge it and learn from it. This open culture of accepting and learning from mistakes helps everyone improve and contributes to our overall success.

From the beginning, I knew I didn’t want to impose strict holiday policies. Not long ago, I was working in a big bank where I had to be at my desk from 9 to 5, regardless of whether I had work to do. Taking time off meant I had to carefully manage my limited holiday days. I hated the rigidity of it—if I wanted to work remotely from somewhere nice, I wasn’t allowed.

So, I decided that my team would have the freedom to take as much time off as they needed, as long as their work was completed or handed over to someone else. Surprisingly, this policy led to them taking even less time off than expected. Knowing they could take time off whenever they wanted seemed to reduce the pressure to take a mandatory amount of days off. We actually have to encourage them to take breaks now, which is a great problem to have.

Additionally, I don’t micromanage when people work. Some team members work better in the evening, while others prefer early mornings. As long as the work gets done and meets our high standards, I’m flexible about the hours. This approach has worked well for us—our team members manage their own schedules and still produce excellent results.

We also have a generous bonus system. Everyone, not just those directly involved in major launches, receives bonuses because everyone contributes to the overall success. For example, I often win affiliate prizes—like iPads and Tiffany necklaces—which I share with the team. It’s a way of acknowledging that their efforts play a crucial role in these successes.

Regular communication is essential for us. We hold fortnightly online meetings where we catch up on each other’s work and discuss any challenges. Even though all the team is remote, these meetings ensure that everyone stays connected and aligned with our goals.

Training is another key area. If someone wants to pursue training that benefits their role or the business, I’m happy to fund it. Investing in their development ultimately enhances our business.

Overall, maintaining flexibility, promoting open communication, and investing in team development have been key to our growth and success.

If you’re starting to grow your online business team and aren’t sure where to begin, I recommend tracking all your tasks for a week. Note how long each task takes and categorise them by cost, such as administrative tasks versus high-value activities. This approach will help identify which tasks you can delegate first and determine what type of roles you need to hire.