Unlocking Growth Without Losing Control
Running a growing business is both exciting and exhausting. If you’re an SME owner, you probably feel like you’re spinning endless plates—juggling sales, operations, finance, and recruitment, all while trying to grow. At some point, though, the workload becomes unsustainable.
We see this all the time when speaking to business owners. They know they need extra leadership but worry about letting go. The reality? Holding on too tightly is what holds businesses back. So, how do you know when it’s time to hire your first manager, and how do you do it without losing control?
The Signs It’s Time to Hire a Manager
One of the biggest concerns we hear is, “What if no one can do it as well as me?” That’s completely understandable. But the reality is, holding onto too much for too long can actually hold your business back. Here are some of the tell-tale signs we look for, to show time-pressed and ambitious business owners that it’s time to take the plunge:
- You’ve become the bottleneck – Everything has to go through you. Your team is waiting on your decisions, things are slowing down, and your to-do list never shrinks.
- Service or quality is slipping – When you and your team are stretched too thin, mistakes happen, customers don’t get the attention they deserve, and important tasks get pushed back.
- Your team needs more leadership than you can provide – Employees thrive when they have clear direction, support, and someone to develop them. If you don’t have the time to be that person, a manager can step in and fill the gap.
- You’re turning down opportunities – If you’re saying “no” to new business because you simply don’t have the capacity, then you’re limiting your own growth.
What Type of Manager Do You Need First?
We’re often asked this question (and asked to put together a ‘wish-list’ job spec!), but the reality is there’s no one-size-fits-all answer —it depends on where you’re feeling the strain the most. When we help business owners recruit their first manager, we always start by asking:
- What’s taking up most of your time that someone else could handle?
- Where are the biggest inefficiencies or challenges in your business?
- Which role, if properly managed, would allow you to step back and focus on growth?
For many SMEs, this first hire is an Operations Manager to oversee day-to-day running, a Sales Manager to drive revenue, or a Production/Service Manager to maintain quality and fulfilment. The key is to choose someone who will free you up to work on the business rather than in it.
How to Let Go Without Losing Control
The fear of letting go is real. We’ve seen it time and time again—the hesitation, the what-ifs, the “I’ll just wait a bit longer.” But when done right, hiring a manager isn’t about losing control; it’s about setting yourself up for sustainable growth. Making this transition work comes down to trust, clarity, and support. Hiring someone who aligns with your values and work ethic will make delegation easier. Setting clear expectations from day one—outlining responsibilities, defining success metrics, and ensuring they know what good looks like—prevents misalignment. Even the best managers won’t instantly read your mind, so investing in onboarding and ongoing communication is crucial. And most importantly, reframing delegation as empowerment rather than a loss of control will help you focus on the bigger picture, knowing your business is in good hands.
The best part of our job is hearing the relief in business owners’ voices after they’ve made that first managerial hire. Suddenly, they’re able to step back, take a breath, and think strategically again. Their business is running more smoothly, their team is happier, and they have the headspace to focus on growth.
So, if hiring your first manager has been on your mind, we’d encourage you to explore it further. We’re always happy to have an informal chat about what that could look like for your business—no pressure, just practical advice to help you figure out your next steps. If that sounds helpful, let’s talk.
