There comes a point in every growing business where your biggest bottleneck… is you.

You’ve built the brand, the systems, the relationships — but your time is maxed out. Every day is a tug-of-war between growth and operations. You can see the vision clearly, but you can’t keep up with the execution.

That’s when it’s time to hire a General Manager — the person who turns your ideas into organized action. But here’s the truth most founders don’t realize: hiring a GM isn’t about handing off your business. It’s about learning to lead differently.

Step 1: Know What You’re Really Hiring For

A GM isn’t there to “do what you do.”
They’re there to make what you do scalable.

When I coach founders through this stage, I always ask:

“What would free you up to focus on the work that actually grows your business?”

That list becomes your hiring brief.

You’re not looking for another set of hands — you’re looking for someone who can:

• Manage the moving parts you shouldn’t be managing anymore

• Build consistency where chaos currently lives

• Translate your big ideas into executable plans

• See around corners and anticipate needs before they become problems
  

Think of them as the bridge between your vision and your team’s performance.

Step 2: Don’t Hire for Today, Hire for Six Months from Now

In one of my recent coaching sessions, a founder had just hired a “floor lead” with a growth path into GM over six to nine months.

We mapped out clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and milestones that tracked both skill development and leadership readiness.

That’s the key — hire with a path, not just a position.
Your GM should grow into the role as your company scales into its next phase.

Ask yourself:

• What will success look like at 90 days?

• What skills or traits signal they’re ready for full ownership?

• How will I know when it’s time to step further back?
  

Step 3: Lead With Clarity and Cadence

The biggest mistake founders make is hiring a senior person… and then disappearing.

You think, “They’ve got it!” but they don’t have your brain, your priorities, or your instincts — yet.

That’s why I teach my clients to establish a consistent rhythm with new hires:

• Weekly check-ins for the first 60 days

• Biweekly strategic reviews after that

• Quarterly calibration to realign priorities
  

In these meetings, ask:

1. What’s working?

2. What’s blocking progress?

3. What have you learned that we can improve?
   

You’re not just managing them — you’re mentoring their leadership thinking. Because a great GM doesn’t just follow directions — they learn to think like you, so one day you don’t need to be there.

Step 4: Groom for Ownership, Not Dependence

A GM’s real purpose is to make you replaceable.
That doesn’t mean irrelevant — it means your business can grow without breaking.

When your GM begins owning decisions, managing the team’s rhythm, and anticipating challenges before you do — that’s success.

Your job shifts from operator to architect.
From checking on progress to casting the vision.

Step 5: Build Trust Through Transparency

If you want your GM to act like an owner, give them the visibility of one.

Share your financial targets, your strategic goals, and your “why.”

They can’t execute your vision if they can’t see it.
Transparency builds trust. Trust builds autonomy.
And autonomy builds freedom — for both of you.

Final Thought: You’re Not Losing Control, You’re Gaining Capacity

Hiring a GM isn’t a risk. It’s a relief.
It’s how you make space for creativity, strategy, and scale.

So before you think, “Can I afford a GM?” ask instead,

“What is it costing me not to have one?”

When you hire and lead with clarity, you don’t just build a stronger business — you build a sustainable one.

✨ Minimal effort. Maximum reward.