Week 22 – Hire What Hurts, Keep What Fuels You
The week I had to choose what kind of owner I want to be:
I hit another fork in the road this week. The calendar’s busy. The phone rings regularly. The follow-ups, emails, scheduling, report polishing, Realtor outreach—it’s all working. And it’s *all* too much for one person.
So I started thinking: What do I hire for first—admin support? Marketing help? Another inspector? And then I had a conversation with Curt that reframed the entire question.
What he asked me that changed everything:
“What do you like doing best?”
Not, “What’s most profitable?” or “What’s easiest to hand off?” Just a simple question that drilled into the heart of the problem: if I want to grow, I have to choose what *not* to do. And the choice gets a lot clearer when you’re honest about what lights you up versus what drains you.
What I realized about myself (and my limits):
I like inspecting. I like walking through houses, explaining findings, building trust. I don’t love the backend admin. I *really* don’t love constant marketing logistics. But here’s the hard truth: I can only do two, maybe three inspections a day. Tops. And that’s not how you build a seven-figure inspection business.
If I want to grow beyond “a guy with a full schedule,” I need help. Period. Systems alone won’t scale me. People will.
The options I mapped out—and where I’m leaning:
- Admin: Would take scheduling, follow-up emails, and report polishing off my plate. Huge time win.
- Marketing: Could help me automate social posts, event coordination, Realtor check-ins, and brand visibility.
- Inspector: A big move. Increases capacity but adds risk, training, and oversight. Not yet… but maybe soon.
For now? Admin support is the low-hanging fruit. If I can reclaim 5–10 hours a week from backend work, that’s 5–10 hours I can use to focus on *revenue*—inspections, relationships, strategic growth.
The mindset shift I needed this week:
This isn’t about “not being able to handle it.” It’s about designing the business I actually want. If I keep doing *everything*, I’m just building a job. But if I hire intentionally and build systems around my strengths? I’m building an asset. A machine. A company that can run without me doing every single thing.
What the franchise system reminded me of:
Inspections Over Coffee was built with this path in mind. I’m not the first one to hit this ceiling. There are workflows, hiring guidelines, onboarding templates, even tech setups ready to go. I’m not guessing—I’m choosing. That makes this way less scary.
Next steps: start small, but start now
I’m drafting a role description for part-time admin help. Just a few hours a week to test the waters. I’ll keep inspecting (because I love it), but I’m clearing room to grow—by hiring where it hurts most.
What I’ll keep doing forever:
Asking: “What do I love? What can I delegate?” Because the better I answer those questions, the faster this business becomes scalable—and the more fun it is to run.
→ Next up: Week 23: My First Bad Review — And How I Turned It Into a Win
← Catch how I rebalanced work and life last week: Week 21: Managing Personal Life While Growing the Business
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