As a small business owner, the goal of appointing your first employee is twofold: to alleviate your workload and to enable the business to grow.

The way Steve Walters went about it allowed him to do both.

Steve is the founder and owner of The Cure House, a proudly South African small business selling meat in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. He sources from a nearby farm and processes the beef into various high-end products that he sells in his shop and supplies other retail outlets.

He is a well-seasoned entrepreneur and no stranger to startups. His business has survived a recession, a pandemic and last year’s KwaZulu-Natal riots.

How did his enterprise stay afloat? He ascribes it to the people he employs. ‘One major advantage an SME has over a corporate business is that you can appoint people with whom you feel a “good vibe”. If I have to choose between a candidate who is qualified but humdrum and one with personality, passion and potential, the choice is obvious for me.

‘Regardless of the industry; every successful business is people-centric. Except, maybe, if you’re running a lighthouse.’

Salaries and finances are, of course, big considerations for small business owners but there will come a time when continuing to go it alone simply becomes bad for business. ‘When your company reaches a certain velocity – you will know when that happens – it’s time to employ talent. One person simply cannot be everything to everyone all the time. That’s a recipe for burnout and losing out on opportunities.’

How, then, does an entrepreneur decide which role to fill first?

Your business has to be operationally strong: that is non-negotiable. If that is the case, drill down to define the core motivation for your business and hire to support the primary focus. All the while, you should take your personal values into account.

Since The Cure House is all about providing the best local meat, Steve decided to employ blockmen as his first hires. However, he also wanted to uplift the local community. Thus, he chose unemployed young men with the dexterity and potential to be trained as specialists in meat cuts and cutting. He outsourced their training to an expert and joined them in learning the craft. Together, they developed a bespoke production process (with trust and buy-in as byproducts).

As the business grew, so did the shop and the time customers spent there. Steve saw the potential and increased his offering by adding coffee. He invested in a top-of-the-line machine and asked his teenage sons to join the team as baristas. Not only did this move upskill them, it also fostered buy-in from his sons to promote the business. (It’s important to Steve that everybody he hires feel vested in the business’s success.)

Learn how Lere Mosieane of Lere’s Shoe Shine Experience turned his customers into brand ambassadors.

Invest in technology – digitise and automate business processes

Once you’ve secured your essential employees, it’s time to investigate the next best thing: digitisation and automation.

Technology is filling the gap between doing it all yourself and appointing people to get the job done. Whether you need to balance the books, generate invoices or manage stock, there’s an app (or at least software) for that. Investing in customer-management software means you can track interactions, store client data and view lead processes.

Don’t forget that cyberspace – and now the metaverse – has become a key sales channel. The pandemic has accentuated consumers’ preference for technology and digital platforms. When it comes to sales, you probably don’t need a full team of salespeople. Instead, consider a fusion between digital and physical experiences.

Build bridges and network to boost your business

Technology aside, we are people through other people. No-one is an island. Establish good relationships with suppliers, neighbouring businesses, existing and potential outlets and competitors. The more people in your circle, the bigger impact you will make.

Your influence through this network won’t only boost business growth but will also help to fill talent gaps with internships and apprenticeships. The familiar and friendly voice you hear when calling The Cure House came recommended by the owner of another business. Today, she keeps things running smoothly when Steve is out delivering products.

Although he’s not against outsourcing per se, Steve believes that certain aspects can only be solved in-house. ‘As a small business owner, you know precisely what it is you need. Even the best consultant in the world won’t understand your unique requirements.’

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