Scaling a business isn’t about chasing “unicorn” hires—the so-called A-Players who are perfect from day one. If last week’s conversation about building processes before hiring resonated, here’s the next step: design systems that help everyday folks succeed, not just mythical superstars.
Systems for Regular People, Not Unicorns
Want to add people and grow? Focus on building simple, solid systems before searching for the “perfect” hire. Overly complicated processes or expecting everyone to be a top performer only bogs things down. The companies that grow the fastest are the ones that make it easy for regular people to accomplish great work—with protocols, cheat sheets, and quality controls.
When your systems outline clear steps, set expectations, and eliminate room for guesswork, even an average new hire can deliver consistency and quality. Instead of constantly searching for unicorns, invest that energy into designing the playbook.
The Power of Clear Protocols and Task Breakdowns
A scalable company sets up quality controls and breaks complex work into bite-sized, understandable tasks.
- Map out every key process step-by-step—when someone joins, they should know what’s expected right from the start.
- Build in checkpoints and feedback loops, so standards never slip.
- Use checklists, templates, or even simple diagrams to make things easy to follow, no matter who’s doing the job.
Your best systems don’t require every hire to reinvent the wheel—they make excellence the default, not the exception.
Why This Matters for Growth
When you rely on “hero” employees to keep things running, growth becomes risky. What happens if those people leave? If you want to scale sustainably, design processes so anyone can step in, ramp up, and drive results. Quality and consistency improve. Leadership spends less time training or troubleshooting, and more time focusing on what’s next.
Think of your business like a team sport. The championship teams win not because they only have star players, but because everyone knows the plays. Your systems are those plays.
So Now What?
If your business depends on finding unicorn hires, it’s time to flip the script. Start by simplifying, outlining, and documenting your systems. Need help mapping out protocols so any team member can succeed? Let’s connect—I can show how building the right systems means you never have to rely on magic to get reliable results.
Stephanie German is a business coach for small businesses focused on strategy and impact who are ready to take action with scalable guidance without the non-sense. She directly works with owners, founders, and leaders through a specific framework to compress time, increase income, and boost productivity. Find out ways to work together here.