SMB Owner — Hiring & Expansion Timing
12-Person Agency Scaling
The Challenge
A boutique consulting agency was growing rapidly but hiring decisions felt chaotic. Previous hires didn't work out, cash flow was inconsistent, and the founder felt overwhelmed deciding when to hire, who to hire first, and how to structure growth. Revenue was up 60% YoY but profitability was declining due to mistimed hires and operational inefficiency.
Impact
- Hired 3 key roles in PDA-recommended windows (vs. 5 rushed hires originally planned)
- All 3 hires still with company 2+ years later (vs. 40% previous turnover)
- Revenue grew 140% YoY with profitability improving 25%
- Founder: 'Hiring with timing intelligence completely changed our outcomes'
- Quarterly check-ins caught 2 potential mis-hires before they happened
Architecture & Approach
Business Timing Blueprint engagement spanning 6 weeks with 3 deep-dive sessions. We mapped: (1) Founder's Leadership Energy Curve showing burnout risk windows, (2) Business revenue cycles revealing 90-day momentum patterns, (3) Team capacity and role gaps using Capability Index Evaluation, (4) 12-month hiring roadmap tied to cash flow and momentum windows. Created hiring scorecard aligned with business cycles.
Agent Roles
Engagement Type
Business Timing Blueprint
Duration
6 weeks, 3 sessions + quarterly check-ins
Industry
Professional Services / Consulting