Ep 180: Your First Hires as a Solo Consultant: How to Hire, Onboard, and Build Systems Without Burning Out | Expert Guest Sara Nay
Why do so many first hires fail for solo consultants—even when the person seems perfect on paper? In this episode, Sarah Noel Block sits down with Sara Nay, CEO of Duct Tape Marketing, to unpack the hidden mistakes solopreneurs make when hiring and onboarding their first team members.
In this episode, Sarah Noel Block welcomes Sara Nay, CEO of Duct Tape Marketing, to discuss one of the biggest turning points in a solo consultant’s business: making your first hires.
Sara shares practical lessons from years of helping consultants transition from solo operators to small teams. They dive into how to decide who to hire first, why many onboarding processes fail, and how to build simple systems that allow new team members to succeed without overwhelming them.
You’ll also learn why hiring sooner than you think might be the key to sustainable growth—and how to do it in a low-risk, part-time way that supports both your business and your clients.
Takeaways
Start with values before skills when hiring. Clarifying your mission and values helps you find people who will stay aligned with your business long-term.
Do a time audit before deciding who to hire. Track your work in 15-minute increments for a week to identify what drains your time and energy.
Your first hire should often support operations. Roles like executive assistants or account managers free you to focus on strategy, sales, and growth.
Hire earlier than feels comfortable. Starting with a part-time contractor reduces risk while allowing your business to scale.
Onboard slowly and intentionally. Introduce team members to one client or responsibility at a time instead of overwhelming them with everything at once.
Break onboarding into small daily tasks. Short daily check-ins and clear task lists prevent overwhelm and speed up learning.
Turn training videos into checklists. Record Loom walkthroughs, transcribe them, and convert them into step-by-step SOPs.
Track time from day one. Time tracking reveals inefficiencies, informs pricing decisions, and helps maintain profitability.
Document only the processes that matter most. Focus on recurring workflows that directly impact your client experience.
Resources Mentioned
Duct Tape Marketing – Marketing systems and training for consultants and small businesses
Monday.com – Project management platform used for onboarding tasks and workflows
Loom – Screen recording tool for documenting processes and training team members
Slack – Team communication platform
Harvest – Time tracking and profitability reporting tool
Booked Out Blueprint Session – Strategy session mentioned in the outro for clarifying offers and marketing
Meet Sara
Sara Nay is the CEO of Duct Tape Marketing, where she helps small businesses and marketing consultants turn strategy into scalable, repeatable systems their teams can actually execute. She started at the company as an intern and has spent over 16 years helping grow the organization while working with thousands of entrepreneurs, agencies, and fractional CMOs.
Sara specializes in helping consultants move from solo operators to team leaders by building strong hiring practices, streamlined onboarding processes, and operational systems that support sustainable growth. Through her work with the Duct Tape Marketing network, she has helped train and certify marketing professionals around the world.
What next?
Take the next step with a Booked Out Blueprint session. It’s a practical, low‑pressure call to clarify your best offers, your most effective lead sources, and what will actually move the needle for your business this year. You can book through the link in the show notes — or email hello@sarahnoelblock.com to see if it’s a good fit for you.
