If you’re thinking about hiring but something’s holding you back – you’re not alone. This is something I observe in many business owners and a question that I am often asked.
Most business owners reach a point where they feel stretched, but aren’t quite confident enough to commit to bringing someone in-house.
The key is this that feeling “not ready” doesn’t always mean you don’t need help. It usually means you’re unsure about the risk.
Firstly I encourage you to understand why you feel you really need to hire.
Before making any decision, take a step back and ask:
- Are you overwhelmed with workload?
- Are there areas of the business outside your expertise?
- Are things slipping, delayed, or not being done properly?
- Are you stuck doing low-value tasks instead of focusing on growth?
If the answer is yes to any of these, the issue isn’t whether you need help it maybe how you access it.
Consider what is actually holding you back.
Most hesitation around hiring comes down to a few common concerns:
- Cost – Hiring someone, especially full-time, is a significant financial commitment in terms of salary, tax, pensions, training etc
- Lack of consistent workload – You might need help, but not enough to justify a full-time role.
- Uncertainty – You’re not 100% sure what the role should look like, or what skills you really need.
- Risk of getting it wrong – A bad hire can cost time, money, and momentum.
These are all valid concerns and they shouldn’t be ignored.
I often speak with my clients about their ‘Trigger Points’ – the considerations that would make such a hire more comfortable. For example, the amount of cash in the bank ot money owed to you, the strength or value of your pipeline, or the amount of work booked forward.
But Hiring is not the only option.
This is where many business owners get stuck as they assume the only solution is to hire.
But in reality, there are other, often smarter, ways to get support:
✔ Outsourced support – Bring in specialists only when you need them.
✔ Fractional expertise – Access experienced professionals without full-time commitment.
✔ Project-based work – Get specific tasks or outcomes delivered without ongoing overhead.
This gives you flexibility, reduces risk, and helps you understand what your business actually needs before committing to a hire.
Let’s reframe the question.
Instead of asking – “Am I ready to hire?”
Ask – “What support does my business need right now and what’s the smartest way to access it?”
That shift changes everything.
There will come a point where hiring is the right move.
Usually when:
- The workload is consistent and predictable
- The role is clearly defined
- You have the budget and structure in place
- The function is core to your business
Until then, forcing a hire too early can create more problems than it solves.
If you’re unsure, take a phased approach:
- Start with external support
Solve immediate gaps without long-term commitment - Understand your needs properly
What tasks are recurring? What skills are required? - Build towards a role
Only hire once you have clarity and consistency
Feeling “not ready” to hire doesn’t mean you should do everything yourself.
In most cases, it means you need support – but in a more flexible, lower-risk way until your ‘Trigger Points’ are met.
The businesses that grow sustainably aren’t the ones that hire fastest…
They’re the ones that access the right support at the right time.
And remember two things:
- You are not committing to £50,000 as an annual salary, but roughly £5k per month
- You can ‘Fire Fast’ if needed, as not all hires are the right ones!
