When you work alone, you’re in control. But as your client base grows and your task list piles up, you’ll start running low on time and energy to tackle every job yourself.
Scaling as a solopreneur requires a mindset shift. Learning how to grow a small business means recognising when it’s time to step away from doing everything on your own, building a team, and taking on the role of a business leader.
This guide will help you make that transition. You’ll learn how to spot the right time to make your first hire and how to lay the foundation for a small business team that can scale sustainably. You’ll also discover the key leadership skills that will help you go from solopreneur to effective team leader for your company.
Running your business solo has its perks – full control and the satisfaction of doing it all yourself. But as your client list expands and your responsibilities multiply, time becomes your most limited resource. Suddenly, wearing every hat isn’t just exhausting – it’s unsustainable.
Growing from solopreneur to small business owner requires more than just working harder; it takes a shift in mindset. At some point, scaling means stepping back, delegating tasks, and embracing your new role as a leader.
This guide is here to help you navigate that transition. You’ll learn how to identify the right moment to make your first hire, build a team structure that can grow with your business, and develop the leadership skills needed to inspire and manage others effectively.
Whether you’re just feeling a little stressed or already on the edge of burnout, this is your roadmap to sustainable growth and long-term success.
Key Takeaways
- Consistently working long hours and missing out on opportunities can indicate it’s time to hire.
- Recruiting for long-term potential and cultural fit is often as important as technical skills or experience.
- Solopreneurs can start building a team by developing leadership skills, such as delegating, empowering, and empathising with others.
Signs you’re ready to build a team
The founder heads up every department in every new, small business. However, managing every task alone can slow a company’s potential to scale over time.
Equally, it’s easy to get so caught up in running your business that you don’t realise when you need an extra pair of hands. See if you can relate to any of these common signs that you’re ready to hire:
- You’re consistently working long hours, often late into the evening or on weekends
- You’re turning down opportunities or clients because you lack capacity
- You carry out repetitive admin tasks, leaving little time for strategic thinking
- Revenue is stable and predictable
So, how do you know when it’s time to hire? Use this simple checklist to determine whether you’re ready.
Your time is one of your most valuable and limited assets as a business owner. In the early stages, it’s common to handle everything yourself, from admin tasks and customer service to marketing and fulfilment. But over time, this all-hands-on-deck approach can become a bottleneck to growth. That’s why building a trusted team is a critical step in scaling your business.
Delegating routine or time-consuming tasks to capable team members doesn’t just lighten your workload, it enables you to reclaim time and mental bandwidth to focus on other areas that drive your business forward.
Whether it’s refining your product or service, nurturing strategic partnerships, developing new revenue streams, or closing more sales, your attention can return to the bigger picture. With the right people by your side, you not only gain operational support but also create space to think, lead, and innovate.
What to consider when hiring for the first time
Your first hire doesn’t have to be a full-time employee. You can start with a freelancer or part-time support, depending on your needs.
What matters most at this stage is choosing someone who’s strong where you’re stretched. Their skills and experience should complement yours, and they should be able to take ownership of the areas where you lack capacity.
Should I hire a freelancer or a full-time employee first?
If you’re unsure whether to hire a freelancer or an internal employee first, refer to the table below. It outlines some of the common first hires in different business types.
If you need flexibility or want to solve a short-term problem, start with a freelancer or contractor. However, if your priority is to find ongoing support and a loyal team that can grow with the company, investing in an internal employee could be more beneficial. While it requires more commitment upfront, it often leads to better cultural fit, stronger engagement, and higher retention.
Where can I find talent?
The next question is where to find the people you need. Here are some valuable platforms to try, depending on the type of hire you’re looking for:
- Freelancers – Fiverr, Upwork
- Contractors – Checkatrade, Toptal, Deel
- Employees – Indeed, LinkedIn, Reed, Glassdoor
For full and part-time staff, it’s also worth partnering with a recruitment agency. While you can post a job ad for free on most job boards, manual recruitment is time-consuming. A professional recruiter will speed up the hiring process and connect you with valuable candidates.
Also, speak to colleagues and friends who might know someone for the job. Personal referrals make it easier to find skilled, trusted people to join your team.
A practical 4-step hiring approach
It’s often better to prioritise applicants who show potential to grow with your business rather than simply filling a gap. Here’s how to start building a team for your company in 4 easy steps:
- List the most pressing tasks you can no longer do yourself.
- Draft a clear role description focusing on values, soft skills, and long-term potential, not just technical skills or relevant experience.
- Define measurable outcomes that the hire should support you in achieving (e.g. reduce time spent on appointment scheduling by 80%).
- Set a budget. What can you afford to spend each month? Be clear about the minimum results or deliverables required for this spend.
Once you’ve covered these steps, you’ll have the clarity to make a strong first hire who adds genuine value and supports business growth.
Legal requirements when taking on employees
When you’re ready to start hiring, register as an employer with HMRC. This is a legal requirement, whether you bring on internal, external, permanent, or temporary staff.
Once registered, you’ll receive an employer PAYE reference number, allowing you to run payroll.
You also need to take out Employers’ Liability Insurance that covers at least £5 million.
Author's Tip
If you’re hiring people from abroad, check that they have the legal right to work in the UK.
Read our blog on what’s changing in the 2025-26 tax year for more details on UK employment laws you should be aware of when building a team.
Building a small business team that scales
Hiring is one of the most powerful strategies for growing a small business. Bringing on the right team provides the talent, capacity, and support you need to seize bigger opportunities and stay focused on your long-term goals.
However, building a flexible structure that evolves with your company is essential for creating a scalable team. Below are key ways to get started:
1. Define evolving roles
Create positions that are flexible enough to adapt as the business changes. For example, a Marketing Assistant could become a Marketing Manager. This approach allows junior team members to grow professionally within the organisation and take on more responsibility over time.
2. Create a structured onboarding process
Design an onboarding experience that sets expectations early and aligns new hires with your mission and ways of working. This transparency will also benefit freelancers and temporary staff.
3. Budget for growth
Hiring shouldn’t be an emergency response. Build recruitment into your cash flow plans to build your team in a strategic and financially safe way.
Rapid Formations’ Chief of Staff, John Carpenter, shares his expertise and experience on hiring for the first time:
Hiring my first team members was the turning point from running a business to building one. I learned that small business growth is about bringing in the right people, empowering others to take ownership, and trusting them to drive the vision forward.
What are the common mistakes solopreneurs make when hiring?
Building a team encourages lasting success. When done thoughtfully, it leads to stronger performance and meaningful growth. That’s why it’s important to be mindful of these common mistakes before making your first hire:
- Drafting vague or generic job descriptions
- Missing out on a thoughtful onboarding plan
- Neglecting to set up clear communication systems for your team
- Micromanaging employees – trust and accountability are key in small teams
- Ignoring cultural fit – shared values are just as important as hard skills
Avoid these pitfalls to create a strong foundation for trust and a productive team right from the start.
Becoming an effective business leader
Stepping into a leadership role for the first time can feel unfamiliar, even a little daunting, especially if you’re used to flying solo. As a solopreneur, you’ve been the driving force behind every decision, task, and outcome. But once you begin building a team, your success becomes connected to how well you lead others.
Becoming an effective business leader isn’t about having all the answers or micromanaging every move; it’s about setting a clear vision, and empowering your team to take ownership of their work.
Great leaders provide direction, but they also listen. They establish clear goals and expectations, but give their team the freedom to reach those goals in their own way. And above all, they lead by example, demonstrating transparency and integrity in everything they do.
Remember, people don’t just work for companies, they work for leaders they believe in. Becoming that kind of leader will not only improve your team’s performance but also strengthen your company’s culture and resilience for the long term.
What leadership skills should I develop as a solopreneur?
As your team grows, focus on nurturing these core leadership skills:
- Delegation – Leaders should be comfortable assigning tasks and communicating intended outcomes
- Giving feedback – Offer timely and constructive input that helps team members improve
- Motivation – Celebrate progress (big and small) and inspire your team to share your vision
- Organisation – Create systems that work for the whole team, not just yourself
- Empowerment – Allow people to take responsibility and solve problems
- Empathy – Listen to your employees and respond with understanding to foster trust and loyalty
These leadership traits will allow you to build an environment where people can thrive. In the words of the author and motivational speaker, Simon Sinek:
Leadership has nothing to do with being in charge. It’s the awesome responsibility of seeing those around us rise. It’s about taking care of those in our charge.
Embedding long-term growth and culture
Hiring is just one part of building a scalable business. It also means creating an environment where people can thrive and contribute meaningfully. Follow the tips below to build a long-term, high-impact team:
1. Establish consistent communication
Regular check-ins and clear communication channels will keep your team aligned and focused. To enhance collaboration, explore simple project management tools like Monday.com and Trello.
2. Link your business vision with specific roles
Ask yourself: What would my business look like in 12 months if everything went right? Once you’re clear on that vision, work backwards to identify the roles that would help you achieve it.
For example, if you run an e-commerce store and your goal is to generate £200,000 in annual revenue, you might need marketing or sales support, or a tech assistant to improve operations and customer experience.
3. Create a value-driven environment
Foster a strong sense of culture and belonging by investing in a Head of People. This person will help you build a value-driven foundation, attract and retain the right talent, and create consistent, people-first processes as you scale.
Go from solopreneur to business leader
Building your first team is a milestone, but it’s only the beginning. To truly scale your business, your next step is learning to lead with vision, shape culture, and unlock your team’s full potential.
If you’re ready to go beyond hiring and start building a team that performs and grows with your business, read our article on how to build a successful business team.
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