Automate, Delegate, or Hire? Here’s What Comes First
When most entrepreneurs hear “you need systems and automation,” they immediately picture:
Zapier zapping things all day & night. Hiring a tech VA to connect 37 different tools. Or investing in some expensive software that promises to do everything for you
But here’s the actual truth:
Automation doesn’t only mean "automatic." It definitely doesn’t mean complicated. And it sure as shit doesn’t mean “set it and forget it.”
Real automation is just anything that makes your work repeatable.
And if you don’t build those SIMPLE systems first, hiring someone will only create more work — not less.
So today, I’m breaking down:
The biggest myth about automating your business
How to know if you actually need to hire, delegate, or automate
And what to fix before you add another person to your team
By the end, you’ll know exactly where to focus — so you can get your business running smoothly without breaking it in the process.
The Mistake: Confusing “Automation” with “Automatic”
Most entrepreneurs are overcomplicating automation — and underutilizing it.
They think automation means setting up fancy tools, hiring a tech person, and connecting 85 different apps with Zapier and some hopes & dreams.
So instead of building SIMPLE systems they can actually use, they do… NOTHING.
Or worse, they decide automation is too hard, and default to “I’ll just hire someone to handle this.”
And that’s how they end up with a bloated team and a bloated payroll — all while the business is still a mess, and you're still working all the time.
Hiring doesn’t solve a systems problem.
And automation doesn’t require fancy tech.
And if you skip over both, you're just gonna end up in the exact same mess, just with more people involved.
The truth is, 90% of what you’re doing right now could be systemized, templated, or streamlined. You don’t need software—you need structure.
Why People Default to Hiring Instead of Fixing Systems
So, why do people default to hiring instead of fixing their systems?
Well, in a nutshell:
CEOs are overwhelmed as fuck
They know things are falling through the cracks. It's not like they're unaware.
But they don’t have time to breathe, let alone build a backend.
So they default to: “Let me just hire someone to figure this out.”
But here’s the thing — if YOU don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes, how is a new hire supposed to figure it out?
They’re not a miracle worker. They’re just another person walking into a mess you haven’t defined.
That’s why I always say:
YOU don’t need to do everything.
But ya DO need to know what’s going on.
And you need to fix what’s broken before you hand it off.
If you can’t explain how something works, you’re not ready to delegate it — and you’re DEFINITELY not ready to hire someone to own it.
Hiring vs. Automating vs. Delegating: What Comes First?
Here’s a better way to think about this:
Your job isn’t to hire your way out of problems.
It’s to create a business that runs efficiently, with or without more people.
Here’s the order that actually works:
First, you want to Always Be Automating (ABA)
No, you don’t need a coder. You don’t need a VA to build fancy automations. And you probably — definitely — don’t need more tech.
You need repeatable workflows.
Honestly, automation can be as simple as:
A saved email template
A checklist for onboarding a client
A repeat task in Asana
A form that collects info instead of playing email tag
Automation = repeatability. Not magic. Not software. Just systems.
And here’s the rule: Anyone you hire should also be automating.
If someone’s doing the same task manually over and over? That’s a waste of time and payroll.
Second, you want to Delegate Before You Hire
Once you’ve automated the basics, it’s time to look at your team.
Delegation = Giving work to people you already have
Hiring = Adding someone new to take work off your plate
If you already have a VA or contractor, and you’re still spending time on low-value work?
You don’t need to hire.
You need to delegate better.
Delegation only works when:
You’ve documented the process
You’re clear on the outcome
You’re willing to let go of perfection
You can’t expect someone to run a process you haven’t built yet.
Last, you want to do these things Before You Hire Anyone
Let’s say you’ve automated what you can. You’ve delegated what makes sense. And you still need more help.
Cool. Now you might be ready to hire.
But only if these 3 things are already handled:
Step 1: Document your Core Processes
Don’t wait until someone starts, to explain what you want.
Create simple, step-by-step SOPs or Loom videos before they come on board.
Think: “Here’s how we do this. Follow this to get it done. Feel free to make it better.”
Step 2: Create Templates for Repeatable Work
If the role involves any repeatable work (emails, content, client follow-up, reporting), create templates first.
You don’t want new hires wasting time starting from scratch or inventing their own crazy system that only works for them.
Step 3: Define Success Clearly
If you can’t answer these three questions, you’re not ready to hire:
What are this person’s top 3 responsibilities?
What does success look like 30/60/90 days in?
How will you measure their performance?
Don’t micromanage — but don’t abdicate responsibility either. Be clear about what “great” looks like, or you’ll end up frustrated on both sides.
Hiring isn’t the problem. Hiring too soon (without systems, clarity, or direction) is.
So before you go post that job on LinkedIn or Upwork…
Start with automation
Delegate what you can
THEN decide if hiring makes sense
If you want help figuring out where to start and what to fix first, book a free strategy call and let’s talk.
Because throwing people at a broken system doesn’t make it scalable. It just makes it messier.
