---
name: hiring-and-managing-a-team
description: Use when hiring or onboarding an appointment setter (growth specialist), a virtual assistant, or any remote team member for an agency/coaching business - covers role definition, pay structures, onboarding cadence, management rhythm, and how to fire correctly. Source - Grow Acquisition 3.0 (Nikk Kleinherenbrink).
---

# Hiring & Managing a Team

Phase 4 ("work ON the business, not IN it"): delegate to skilled, autonomous team members. "Most teams fail not from lack of talent but lack of leadership."

## Know the role you're actually hiring

| Role | Decides | Rate (guide) |
|---|---|---|
| **Virtual Assistant (Follower)** | neither what nor how; follows processes | $3-8/hr |
| **Freelancer (Doer)** | the how, not the what (outcome given) | $10+/hr |
| **Expert (Creator)** | the what, when, why, how | $20+/hr |

Don't hire a VA for: marketing strategy, running ads/funnels without a clear process, web dev without a process, or appointment setting (that's a trained setter role). DO hire a VA for repeatable tasks: admin, lead-gen, support, research, bookkeeping, personal assistant tasks. Philippines preferred (good English, work ethic, affordable).

## Creating a VA role

1. Confirm it's actually a VA (not freelancer/expert).
2. Main purpose: lead-gen / customer support / general admin (can be a mix).
3. Full-time or part-time (budget + workload).
4. Track your repetitive tasks over 3-5 days → "buy back your time" first.
5. Add other responsibilities → write job description → post.

## Hiring a Growth Specialist (appointment setter) — 8 steps

1. Finish the program phases yourself first.
2. Train them on: IG prospecting; conversations → relationships → booked meetings; weekly Q&A/roleplay/call review + shadow; daily workflow; tracking sheet; working independently.
3. Pay model (decided on onboarding call): per qualified appointment / per close (commission) / per outreach / per show-up / base pay (cheapest). Top performers can move to base + %.
4. Onboarding call: hours & days, goals & role, daily KPIs (e.g. 100 new DMs, 50 follow-ups), expectations, EOD + EOW reports, payment frequency (weekly recommended) + channel (PayPal/Wise/Stripe). Give access to market-analysis + tracking sheets.
5. Start: setter hits daily/weekly KPIs, fills EOD, follows up. You monitor campaign performance and unblock.
6. Daily calls early on to build the relationship and solve problems.
7. Work ethic: show them the vision, make them feel part of it, celebrate wins.
8. Monthly review on the 1st: what went well, improvement points, next-month plan.

## Onboarding a VA

Make an offer → Orientation call → Set up with software.
- **Offer conversation** (zoom/slack): make offer, on-call vs scheduled, internet & power check, set expectations, Q&A → if accepted, set start date + book orientation.
- **Orientation call (30-60 min):** share about yourself, ask about them, build schedule, go over job description, software, communicate culture, Q&A → ensure they're set up on all software.

## Management rhythm

Communication via Slack (day-to-day) + Zoom (calls).
- Daily check-ins; weekly huddle (20-30 min, near start of week); quarterly 1:1 (30-60 min).
- First 2 weeks: a call EVERY day, 10-15 min (role, SOPs, support).
- Next 30 days: 2-3 calls/week, then reduce to what's needed.
- **Culture = values + beliefs + standards.** Aim to be their favourite client; even great coaching fails in a toxic culture. Self-audit: do they feel valued, see their impact, believe the work matters, are you upfront vs passive-aggressive?

## Handling issues & firing

Most issues are prevented by strong onboarding. When they arise (lateness, tasks wrong/undone): address immediately — Slack for small, a call for serious. Be clear, repeat the key parts, reset expectations, get confirmation in writing. **No one should be surprised to be fired** — have the lead-up conversations first.

Firing sequence: wait until they're offline → change passwords / revoke LastPass → remove chat & software access → double-check access removed → inform your team → then reach out and explain.

## Common mistakes

- Hiring a VA for strategy/ads/setting work that needs an expert or trained setter.
- No repetitive-task tracking first, so the role is vague and time isn't actually bought back.
- Skipping the daily-call onboarding window — the relationship and standards never set.
- Firing as a surprise with no documented lead-up conversations.
- Cutting access AFTER you message them instead of before.