What’s In This Episode:

Oh, summer. That time when all kids, everywhere, come down with the affliction known as "boredom." Jill and Brad have found some creative - and not so creative - ways to keep their kids busy. But what happens when your employees (the "kids" of your business) start complaining? How do you handle that?

"It's excellent to clarify what they're missing versus your expectations." - Jill

If your employees are reaching out because they're bored or they're done with their tasks, the problem might be that you as their boss haven't done a great job of explaining their responsibilities. And if they're getting unruly, Jill thinks it might be because they're having a bad day and she'll take a step back.

Brad will address it one-on-one because he doesn't want that attitude to become the new normal. But if someone has a consistent attitude, they may be unhappy with their position.

"Good employees verify boundaries with you." - Brad

If the employee has a sense of entitlement, both Jill and Brad take steps to call it out. They'll ask questions to get to the root of the problem. Jill and Brad talk about the difference in reaction between entitlement and unruliness, plus how they work to set boundaries.

What do you do when the "kids" get unruly?

TOMORROW! Want more info about hiring when you are trying to grow? Brad's doing a webinar, How to Win the War for Talent: Actionable Strategies to Attract and Retain Top Talent at Your Business, on July 31! Just sign up at this link and let Brad and two others help you be better at hiring.

What has happened in the evolution of your business? Jill and Brad reminisce about how they felt when they first started their businesses... and what's changed.

"When you're 23, what do you have to lose?" - Brad

Jill began her first business around the age of 23 and felt pretty confident. Brad started his business more out of necessity and he didn't want anyone to know how scared he was feeling - and faking otherwise just meant he felt like he couldn't ask anyone for help.

"The stakes are higher now." - Jill

Now that they're more experienced in running their own businesses, the old fears are gone, but some of the anxiety remains. Once you're established, the fear changes: How will you deal with the loss of revenue? Maintaining your reputation? Once you have some success, holding on too tightly can also cause your business to fail.

Perhaps the thing that's changed the most? Not being afraid to ask for help.

How have you and your business evolved?

Want more info about hiring when you are trying to grow? Brad's doing a webinar, How to Win the War for Talent: Actionable Strategies to Attract and Retain Top Talent at Your Business, on July 31! Just sign up at this link and let Brad and two others help you be better at hiring.

Want more info about hiring when you are trying to grow? Brad's doing a webinar, How to Win the War for Talent: Actionable Strategies to Attract and Retain Top Talent at Your Business, on July 31! Just sign up at this link and let Brad and two others help you be better at hiring.

"No small business owner knows what they need or want in the beginning." - Jill

How do you hire people when trying to grow your company? Why is it so hard? We're so busy, and on top of all of the things we're doing, we now have to worry about the hiring process. Everyone's looking for the quick and easy shortcut, but sadly there is none.

We're also not great at recognizing what it is we need. A lot of small business owners think that if they just had someone else who was exactly like them, they'd be fine. But that doesn't exist either (and you don't really want that). Brad has a system for figuring out what he actually needs for the task at hand.

Also, you'll probably need to spend more on hiring quality people. You can mitigate risk by hiring part-time to start out.

"Always be hiring." - Brad

You can start collecting resumes with Google or some software so that when you're ready to hire, the talent pool is there for you. You can also meet face-to-face with people to see how you feel about them, but it doesn't mean you have to hire everyone you meet.

And once you have hired, if they're not working, don't feel bad about moving onto the next person.

How do you hire when you're trying to grow your business?

What’s In This Episode:

Brad's back from the ConvertKit Craft + Commerce Conference, which celebrates creators across platforms. He met some really interesting people and got a lot out of it... and now he's going to reiterate what he tells people all the time: CHARGE MORE.

"You can spend that time doing something you enjoy. " - Brad

Lidia Varesco Racoma's design aesthetic is clean, understandable and adaptable. She's been in business for a while, and as she grows, she needs to outsource responsibilities. But which one and how do you get over the feeling that you need to check their work?

"I might not be as parental. I think I'm more of a teenager running the show." - Jill

Sometimes there's a parent-child dynamic that sneaks into the company. Is it a good thing? And how do you deal with it? Jill and Brad discuss.

Do you parent in your business? 

Guest:

• Lidia Varesco Racoma is an art director and designer with over 20 years of experience and a passion for marketing. Visit her website.

What’s In This Episode:

Kids take up a lot of our time and energy. So why would we choose to build our businesses at the same time? But if it's all chaos all the time, you might as well!

"There's a whole new method to the madness." - Jill

Do kids help or hurt your business? Kids are great for your business, says Jill. They make you figure out how to be more organized with your time. And when you're starting out your business, the skills you learn as a parent - like multitasking - are useful, says Brad, but it becomes less so as the business grows.

"I have kids. I have a business. Make it work." - Brad

When Jill built her businesses, it wasn't like she had everything set up right away. She experienced a lot of trial and error. So when Maddie Boening of Sunstone Candles leaves a voicemail about how to connect her brand message to her brand, Jill knows there's a whole lot of trial and error that goes into something like that. It's extremely rare that you have everything ready to go, even brand messaging. So now's the time to do it, starting by writing a brand message in your own voice. If you're not sure how, ask your customers, your friends, your followers!

Do kids help or hurt your business?