Hire Well, Chill More: The Creative's Guide to Team Building
If you’ve been searching for ways to earn passive income, frequently working weekends, or drowning in admin tasks, it may be time to grow your web design team. Bringing someone into your business can feel intimidating, but it’s often the key to reaching your next set of goals.
At Circle Day 2025, owner of acclaimed design agency Soft Launch and illustration business Georgia Draws A House, Georgia Norton Lodge shared how building her ideal team empowered her to grow her creative business to nearly a million dollars while keeping evenings, Fridays, and summers free.
Here is a preview of Georgia’s 10-step plan for hiring with confidence.
1. Start with a clear vision
While setting an income goal might be the most tempting, Georgia suggests aiming even higher. Think about what type of lifestyle you want—whether working fewer days, taking sabbaticals, or some other type of fulfillment—and hire to make that possible.
2. Make your first hire
Start by hiring an intern, junior designer, or some other type of entry-level role. Look for a low-cost, high-value addition that can quickly take work off your plate. And most importantly, give them time to grow into their role.
3. Develop a sub-contractor program
Subcontractors serve one of two important purposes. They lighten your load by handling your tasks for you, or they extend your capabilities. For example, a copywriter, photographer, or SEO specialist may be a key role to hire to broaden your offerings. You can bake them into your client billing and increase the value you bring to every project.
4. Set up and automate foundational systems
Automated systems are essential to freeing up your time so you can focus on high-impact tasks and growth opportunities, instead of getting bogged down in day-to-day operations. From scheduling to emails to client management tools, the right automations ensure your business keeps running, even when you’re not there.
5. Delegate (and keep delegating)
Once you have your new team member(s) and subcontractors on board, remember why you hired them: to take work off your plate and help you achieve your goals. Train them, then task them with the things you need to accomplish.
6. Grant ownership
This one is tied directly to #5. To succeed at the jobs you’ve delegated to them, your team must feel a sense of ownership over their roles. Empowering them to make decisions and operate autonomously (and allowing room for mistakes and growth) builds a stronger team and gives you more freedom.
7. Offer retainer services
While every design project may seem to have unique requirements, you can often reduce variables and build consistency by offering clients a retainer-style menu of services to choose from. This plug-and-play system keeps workflows from straying too far from your approach and sets your team up with a playbook to handle any job.
8. Pressure test your system
Step away for a day, two days, even a week to let your team take the reins and operate without your guidance. From there, you can identify what’s working, what’s not, and make adjustments as needed.
9. Grow at a healthy, manageable pace
Scaling your business and managing growth in a sustainable way means not rushing it. Gradually build your team, make sure each hire aligns with your company culture, and give them room to grow into their roles.
10. Savor the freedom
Now that you’ve got your team in place, implemented your systems, and pressure tested everything, it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Take a vacation, enjoy some downtime, relax into your three-day weekends—you’ve earned it.
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