team Archives - Step & Stone

how to stop burnout from stopping you

July 20, 202212 Comments

I’ve met plenty of business owners who boast about the number of hours they put into their business, almost as though it’s a badge of honour they proudly wear on their sleeve.

They talk about being part of #TeamNoSleep, as though it’s a competition on who can get by on the least amount possible.

They tell me that if you love what you do, it’s not really work.

They tell me that they’ll work an 80-hour week for themselves to avoid working a 40-hour week for someone else.

I understand the excitement of starting a business. I understand that there are so many things to do and how difficult it can be to fit it all in. I understand how when you’re just about to go to bed, thoughts come pouring into your head and keep you from falling asleep. It happens to me, too.

I’m guilty

how to hire the right team

June 15, 2022Be the first to share your thoughts...

When I first started Step & Stone, I was figuring out everything, as well as doing everything. Hiring the ‘right’ team was yet to cross my mind. But like all business owners, I had to teach myself as I went, sometimes spending days trying to figure it all out.

As my business grew, I was able to hire service providers for graphic design, web design, accountancy and social media management.

By 2019, I felt like this wasn’t enough. I was spending a ridiculous amount of time on the day-to-day tasks required to run my business. The more time I spent on these, the less I could spend on revenue generating activities.

it was time to hire

how to manage your team

August 6, 2019Be the first to share your thoughts...

Many businesses, particularly startups, follow the motto of “hire slow, fire fast”.

And I’m no exception.

When business is new or volatile, having a regular monthly expense can be daunting. No longer are you responsible for just your own livelihood, but now others are depending on you to perform. Now their livelihood is on the line too.

And that can be a lot of pressure for a one-woman shop or small business.

But, a couple months ago, I decided it was worth it. I could no longer manage on my own. I needed some help.

And so, I hired two people to come into my business and provide that much needed support. (I shared the process I followed while hiring, here.) For the first time in my 6 years of business, I had a team.

But once you have some people to work for you, what do you do next?Continue Reading

when your team is not pulling their weight

August 5, 20142 Comments

You’re sitting in the corner, working away at your business plan while the rest of your team is nowhere to be seen. I see the frustration on your face when I ask how things are going. I sense that there are things you want to say but that you just instead decide to keep plowing away at the task at hand, hoping to get it all completed before your deadline.

If you could speak confidentially you would tell me how frustrated you feel. If you could be unafraid of the consequences, you would say that you’re doing all the work while the others are uninterested in demotivated. You would scream out “they’re just not pulling their weight”.

But instead you sit in silence and don’t say what’s really on your mind.

So what can you do the next time you’re in a team and someone isn’t pulling their share of the weight? Try these 5 tips.Continue Reading

the right (and wrong) way to build a team

February 24, 20144 Comments

During a recent Six Steps to Getting Strategic session, James and I discussed his goals for the year ahead: he wants to attract investment, build a team, and propel his business to the next level.

“Great”, I said. “So what does your team look like?”

“Hmmm”, he muttered pensively. “I want a sales team, a tech team, someone to run finance, HR….”

James rattled off a handful of functions. Yet as I probed deeper, he wasn’t able to tell me why those functions mattered, how having those people on board would improve the company’s position, or what all of it might cost.

James isn’t alone. It’s easy to get caught up in the buzzwords of organisational management.

I would hate to see any of you haphazardly build out a team. You’ll end up with deep rifts in your business model and lackluster performance from the people around you.

So what is the right way to build a team? Try these five steps.Continue Reading