Small Team SOP

Solo operations hit capacity around $3,000-5,000/month. A small team extends this ceiling.

First Hire Decision

When to Hire

• Consistent monthly profit covers hire cost + 20% buffer
• You work 50+ hours/week regularly
• Revenue growth is constrained by your time, not demand
• Quality or customer service is slipping

What to Hire First

| Constraint | First Hire | Cost Range |

| Customer service | Virtual assistant | $200-500/month |

| Production/design | Freelance designer | $10-25/hour |

| Listing/SEO | Content specialist | $300-800/month |

| Fulfillment | 3PL or packing help | Per-order fee |

Hiring Process

1. Document the exact tasks and time required
2. Create SOPs for each task
3. Post on Upwork, Fiverr, or niche job boards
4. Test 2-3 candidates with small paid projects
5. Select best fit and start with 10-20 hours/week