👤 Solo CEO: How to Know When It’s Time to Hire Help (and Where to Find It)

Because just because you can do it all doesn’t mean you should.

If you're running your business solo, you’ve probably said something like:

“I’ll hire someone when I’m making more.” “No one will care as much as I do.” “It’s faster if I just do it myself.”

And hey—you’re not wrong… until you're completely maxed out and realizing you're the bottleneck in your own business.

Hiring help doesn’t mean scaling a team of 10. It just means getting your time and energy back—so you can actually grow.

Let’s break down when to do it, who to hire, and where to find the right people.

🧠 First: Signs You’re Ready (Even If You Don’t Feel Like It)

• You’re doing repeat tasks weekly that don’t need your brain

• You’re turning down work (or worse, dropping the ball)

• Your income has plateaued—not because there’s no demand, but because you’ve maxed your time

• Your mood is swinging based on whether you slept 6 hours or 4

• You daydream about cloning yourself… daily

✅ If you nodded at more than two of these? It’s time.

🛠 Start Small: What to Delegate First

“Hire for your worst task, not your biggest.” The goal isn’t replacing you—it’s relieving you.

Start with one of these:

• Inbox and scheduling

• Social media posting (not content strategy yet—just the posting)

• Uploading blogs/podcasts

• Invoice tracking + client reminders

• Admin systems you never seem to update

You’ll be shocked how much mental space you gain by offloading just 2–5 hours/week of grindy work.

🔍 Who to Hire (and What to Call Them)

Need	Hire	Platform
Admin help	Virtual Assistant (VA)	OnlineJobs.ph, Upwork
Graphics/content	Content Assistant	Fiverr, Design Pickle
System setup	Tech VA / Ops Assistant	WeAreIndie.io, Discord/Slack biz communities
Writing/editing	Copy Editor / Blog VA	Workello, Twitter/Threads hires
Generalist	Freelance VA with a jack-of-all skillset	Facebook groups, Indie Collective, local recs

✅ You don’t need a unicorn. You need a willing, trainable human and a clear task list.

💬 What to Say When Hiring

When posting or asking around, use this format:

“Hey! I’m a solo [type of business] looking for someone to help me [do task] for ~[hours] a week. Ideally someone comfortable with [tools]. Start rate is [$X], but happy to grow this into more for the right fit. DM me if you’re detail-oriented, reliable, and cool with async work!”

✅ Be clear. Be casual. Be human. No need to sound like HR.

💰 How Much to Pay (Ballpark Rates)

• Overseas VAs: $4–$10/hr

• US-Based VAs: $20–$35/hr

• Designers: $25–$75/project (or monthly retainer)

• Tech help: $50–$150/hr depending on skill level

Start small. Then scale as they earn your trust.

🧩 The Key to Making This Work: System + Simplicity

• Record screen walkthroughs with Loom

• Create 1 Google Doc per task with clear steps

• Don’t try to delegate everything at once

• Give them space to mess up a little—it’s part of the process

✅ Your job shifts from doing to leading—and that’s where your real growth begins.

🧠 Final Thought:

You’re not weak for needing help. You’re smart for realizing that your energy is too valuable to waste on things someone else can do 80% as well as you.

Hiring isn’t the goal. Sustainability is.

📥 Coming Soon: The First Hire Toolkit – Job post templates, task delegation planner, SOP builder, and onboarding emails you can plug-and-play.