There’s so much more to building your business than increasing sales and attracting new patients. Every day, I speak to aesthetic entrepreneurs who think these are the only metrics that matter. But aesthetic training solutions are just as important, if not more so.
This misconception is understandable, because that’s what most business education teaches us. But, if you’re looking to build a business that can lead itself, there’s another secret ingredient: the people you choose to work with!
No matter what phase your business is in, you simply cannot create leverage to profitably scale without a winning team.
I’ve learned this lesson firsthand. Both by building and scaling my own business, and through my work as a female business coach, mentoring and advising others.
In this blog post, let’s walk through the challenges of building a winning team and a successful company that will ultimately become self-led.
Your business is people
Everyone’s journey is different. However, if you’re looking to build a business that will become your legacy, your organization’s culture must be:
- led with vision
- growth-centric
- fueled by contribution
Your team, from your receptionist to aesthetic practice manager, is the basis of all these capabilities. You simply cannot, and will not, create entrepreneurial freedom without a winning team. And you won’t create that team without optimal aesthetic training solutions and strategies!
Many ambitious entrepreneurs are unsure how to approach this area of their business. Recently, I led a masterclass about building a people plan that supports profitable growth. Here are some of the most important topics and most common questions that were raised.
Hire first, or grow then hire?
Which comes first? Do I hire in order to grow, or grow a bit and then hire to fill that need?
This question came to me from a young, ambitious facial plastic surgeon. His practice has two staff members, but they’re both spread thin and wearing many hats. He was at a point of massive growth potential for both his company and team, but he wanted to pursue it in a sustainable, future-facing way.
When I’m asked a question like this I’m delightfully surprised. Because my approach is generally conservative when it comes to protecting profits, my answer may surprise you.
3 common pitfalls to building a winning team:
These three overarching pitfalls commonly pop up when practice owners have hit a plateau, or are stuck on hiring and managing. If you relate to any of these, it’s time to fine-tune your aesthetic training solutions.
1. Leading and managing become obstacles to growth
It’s very common that management can feel like a chore. However, developing people is a critical component of your success! Struggles in this area must be dealt with, or they’ll hold you back from reaching business goals.
2. Assumption that leadership is a “born with” skill
Many of my clients have brilliant minds, skills, and techniques. But they still don’t feel confident in their ability to lead and manage a team. The reality is that these are learned skills! If you invest time in mastering team management, you can become an exceptional leader and manager.
3. Waiting too long to hire
This is the classic chicken and egg conundrum. Should you wait until there’s a need to hire, or hire to stimulate and catapult growth? In both my own business and my clients’, I’ve found that waiting too long to hire can be counterproductive.
We often underestimate how much time it will take to find an A-player. Then we accept someone who’s not quite the right fit, because the need is so urgent. But this can have devastating effects on your company culture later down the line.
Finding the right people
When building a winning team, what you’re looking for is an intrapreneur, not an employee.
An intrapreneur is passionate about upward mobility, eager to make an impact in their role, and is naturally autonomous and willing to make decisions independently without you having to micromanage their every move.
Let’s get real — this is about 2% of the population. You must be very clear about who is the right fit for the role, and for the company as a whole. Then, you must be prepared to spend as long as it takes to find them.
Depending on the role, such as aesthetic practice manager, expect that it will take three to six months to find the right fit. Onboarding your new hire is the next step. Plan on another three to six months for onboarding. That will get your hire to a place where they’re autonomous, acclimated to your team, and part of your culture.
If you wait too long, you’ll end up rushing the process, and making compromises on either the candidate or their training. Both scenarios are a recipe for performance or behavioral challenges.
A team built to scale
You’ve heard the saying “you’re only as strong as your weakest link.”
You’re ready to invest time, money, and resources into building your brand. But your success comes back to the strength of your team. Your people are your brand’s frontline ambassadors; the ones who breathe your brand and culture into life.
When you have a clear people plan, and a team of strong, capable A-players you will:
- observe what’s happening with a calmer, more confident mind
- have clarity in your long term vision and people you needed to get you there
- have unbreakable confidence in you team, and their ability to execute short term tactics in alignment with that vision
As a female business coach, I help aesthetic entrepreneurs establish growth systems that will produce consistent six-figure revenues every single month.
If you’re Interested in learning more and joining my community, there are so many ways to get involved.
Get on my email list for access to free team building resources. And tune into my podcast, The Fierce Factor. Every week I lead honest, personal conversations about scaling your business as a wellness entrepreneur.