The First 3 Hires Every Agency Needs
Your first hire might be a designer. Your second might be a developer.
But if you hire randomly, you won't scale. You'll just have a bigger mess.
Here's the order that actually works.
Hire 1: Account Manager or Project Manager
This is your first hire. Not the most senior. But the person who organizes everything.
Why? Because you can't scale while managing clients.
An account manager handles:
- Client communication
- Project scheduling
- Feedback collection
- Status updates
This frees you to sell and strategize.
Cost: $40-50k Impact: Frees 20+ hours per week of your time
With this person, you can take on 30% more client work.
Hire 2: Your Core Skill (Executor)
Now hire someone who does your core work.
If you're a design agency: Hire a designer. If you're development: Hire a developer. If you're strategy: Hire a strategist.
This person amplifies your best work.
Cost: $50-70k Impact: Doubles your capacity in your best skill
Now you can take on 3x the work compared to solo.
Hire 3: Complementary Skill
Now hire someone who does the work you don't.
If you're designer+developer, hire a copywriter. If you're strategy+execution, hire a designer.
This fills the gaps in your service offering.
Cost: $50-70k Impact: Lets you offer complete solutions
Why This Order Matters
Wrong order: Hire designer, developer, then manager.
Now your three staff are doing work, but nobody's managing clients. You're still managing everyone. You're not actually freed up.
Right order: Hire manager, then your skill, then complementary skill.
Now you have a functioning team. Manager keeps clients happy.
Your skill grows. Complementary skill fills gaps.
After the First 3
Once you have a team of 4 (you + 3 hires):
- You're project manager for bigger projects
- You're sales for new clients
- You're strategy lead
- Your team executes
You're in a different business now. You're an agency owner, not a doer.
The Profitability Equation
With team of 4:
Let's say:
- You: $100k salary
- Account manager: $45k
- Designer: $60k
- Developer: $60k
Total payroll: $265k
You need $500k+ revenue to support this (with healthy margins).
If you have $300k revenue, you lose money.
Build to $500k revenue before hiring 3 people.
Hiring Gaps
Some agencies skip the account manager. Mistake.
They hire two doers and still manage everything themselves.
The manager hire is the use play. Don't skip it.
The Timeline
Month 1-3: Hire account manager. Months 4-6: Hire skill person. Months 7-9: Hire complementary skill.
Spread it out. Hire one person every 3 months.
This lets you absorb each hire and adjust.
Warning Signs You're Hiring Wrong
- Your team doesn't understand your vision
- Projects are still overdue
- Clients are unhappy
- You're still working 60+ hours
If multiple apply, you hired the wrong people or in the wrong order.
The Retention Challenge
First few hires are scary. If they leave, you're back to solo.
Prevent this:
- Pay fairly
- Give them clear roles
- Give them growth opportunity
- Listen to their feedback
FAQ
What if I'm only strategy? Do I hire a manager?
Yes. Even more so. You need someone coordinating clients while you develop strategy.
Should all three be full-time?
Yes, for account manager and core skill. Complementary skill could start part-time.
What if I don't have $500k revenue yet?
Hire slower. Hire part-time. Build revenue before hiring full-time.
How do I know if my first hire is good?
After 30 days: Are they self-sufficient? Are clients happy? Are you actually freed up?
If no, keep trying.
What if I can't afford all three hires?
Hire slower. Get the account manager first (they free up your time).
Then get one executor. You can do contract work or part-time for the complementary skill until you can afford full-time.
Should I hire people faster if I have the revenue?
No. Hire every three months minimum. One hire at a time lets you absorb them and adjust your systems. Too many hires at once creates chaos.
What if my first hire quits?
It happens. Don't panic.
You'll be back to solo temporarily, but you learned what works. Your next hire will be better because you're clearer on the role.
How much should I pay each hire?
Account manager: $40 - 50k. Core skill person: $50 - 70k. Complementary skill: $50 - 70k.
Adjust for location, experience, and your revenue. Underpaying causes turnover.
Can I hire family or friends?
Possible but risky. Professional relationships are easier than personal ones.
If someone doesn't work out, firing a friend is painful. Hire based on skill first, relationship second.
Should I hire remote or in-office?
Either works. Remote gives you access to more talent.
In-office makes communication easier. Pick what works for your agency culture and cash flow.
What if we can't afford $500k revenue yet?
Delay hiring. Build revenue first.
Hire part-time contractors if you need help. Don't hire full-time people if you can't sustain their salary long term.