One hire multiplied our growth overnight

When I started my bakery, I was fed up with being a small business.

After building four other businesses from scratch, I thought, “This time, I’m building something bigger...”

I was so tired of being stuck in the grind, feeling like I was wearing 50 different hats and constantly solving some type of daily crisis.

When I had the opportunity to start Three Mills, I wanted to grow something that could employ talented people to help drive the business, solve those problems, and make it thrive without me micromanaging every detail.

We grew to over 100 amazing people in the first five years.

But when we hit 30–40 employees, I hit a wall.

I was still solving every tiny problem.

I was delegating tasks like a pro, but I hadn't figured out how to multiply decision-making.

Part of that was because I was always there.

Always available.

All roads led to me.

It’s a slippery slope.

When you’re constantly there to solve problems, you breed dependence instead of independence.

Curious and capable team members often become hesitant or avoid decision-making altogether.

I tried hiring more supervisors and managers to lighten the load.

Instead, they pointed back to me too! I was coaching them and their teams.

I couldn’t scale without recruiting someone to lead. Someone to coach the team, solve problems, and start to guard my time so I could focus on growing the business.

The Turning Point

I hired an Operations Manager with real experience.

This wasn’t about delegating tasks. It was about empowering someone to manage daily issues, coach the team to autonomy, and uncover inefficiencies I hadn’t noticed.

The impact on me? Immediate and transformational.

My load was lighter, my team became more independent and I finally had time to think strategically.

Together, we worked side-by-side for a year to hand over clients, operations, and insights that couldn't be written in a handbook.

Why This Matters To You

Imagine having the freedom to innovate, strategise, and scale without being stuck in operational bottlenecks.

The key step: Replace yourself in the operational role.

Find the right person, empower them, and focus on the single biggest lever for your business right now—whether it’s sales, recruiting, innovation, systems, or expansion.

Ask yourself:

• Where are your bottlenecks?
• What's stopping your business from growing?
• What 20% of problems are causing 80% of your headaches?

Focus there once you’re free.

That’s where real growth happens.

How to Get Started

Most owner operators overcomplicate recruiting. They make it bigger than it needs to be.

It starts with just ONE exceptional hire.

Shift your mindset:

1. Stop thinking HOW can I solve that? and start thinking WHO can help me solve that? Find someone who can solve some of the high-level problems you’d normally tackle yourself.
2. Recruit top-down. Don’t get stuck hiring from the bottom up like you normally do at the start when you don't have the cash for big hires. At some point, make the call to recruit high level doer and thinkers.

This was exactly what I did. And if I didn't? Three Mills wouldn't be what it is today.

I bootstrapped for a year+ with everyone reporting directly (and indirectly) to me. And then started looking for that operational glue to help hold things together while I kept chasing growth.

I was lucky to find one superstar who had the experience and fit the culture I was trying to create.

Together, we moved mountains.

It wasn't 1+1=2. Instead, we multiplied efforts.

Once we had momentum, we repeated the process, helping other people on the team attract one brilliant person at a time into their crew.

That single hire and the decision to empower them changed everything for me and the future of the business.

It’s not easy, and you want to hold off for the right person, but it’s as simple as:

1. Deciding to recruit to find the right person.
2. Giving them the authority and sharing knowledge.
3. Stepping back and focusing on what truly drives your business forward.

The right person depends on your skillset and the gaps in your business. But hope you find your ONE.

And I hope that one finds their one too. 

Your business (and you) will be so much better for it.

Have an excellent week ahead.