When I started scaling my first agency, I made the same mistake most agency owners make: I hired too fast, I compromised, and I paid the price.

In those early days, we were moving fast, and I was desperate to get help. So I’d write a job post in 10 minutes, interview in 30, and hire based on gut. No real vetting, no clear job scorecard, no process. Just vibes.

It didn’t take long to realize that every bad hire slowed us down. These weren’t just poor performers. They were anchors.

People who took up my bandwidth, diluted the culture, and created messes that the rest of the team had to clean up. One hire in particular cost us almost six months of momentum. I thought I was bringing in a project manager who’d make things easier. Instead, I got someone who couldn’t make decisions, created chaos for the team, and nearly burned out one of our best designers. Letting her go wasn’t just a relief…it was the start of our turnaround.

That’s when I made a rule that changed everything.

👉 Once you start hiring, don’t compromise 👈

Said better by author Derek Sivers in his book, Anything You Want, “It's either a hell yes or it's a no.”

Define the role clearly. Know exactly what the job is. And only bring on someone who is capable of doing that job, and someone you want to work with long-term. Anything less will cost you more than it helps.

Although I started writing down job descriptions, inevitably, when I found a talented person who kind of, sort of, fit the requirements, I would be tempted to justify them by remolding the job description to match them. That was a big mistake. If you’re going to have a process, respect it and stick to hiring only someone who can do the exact job you need done.

Later, when I got this right, everything improved. We brought on a team lead who actually led. They had the skill, the mindset, and the drive we needed. Because we were crystal clear about the role and the kind of person we needed, we didn’t settle. And it paid off.

Client satisfaction went up. Internal stress dropped. Projects ran smoother. That one hire put us back on a growth trajectory.

If you’re doing $250K–$500K a year and you’re starting to scale, this is the hiring moment that makes or breaks your agency. Don’t let urgency fool you into lowering your bar. Bad hires are hard to recover from, especially when you’re still small. Build a team that moves the business forward, not one that keeps you stuck in the weeds.

I hope that helps.

~ Erik

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