Hiring is a big part of growing your firm.
But most owners skip a critical step.
They don’t ask: what should I delegate first?
Instead, they jump straight to the obvious answer:
“Let’s hire another CPA.”
The First Hiring Mistake
On the surface, it makes sense.
More clients → more work → hire someone technical to handle it.
But in most cases, that’s not the right first move.
Hiring a $100k–$120k CPA too early usually creates more pressure than it relieves.
Because the real constraint in your firm typically isn’t high-level technical work.
It’s everything surrounding it.
The admin.
The communication.
The back-and-forth.
The small tasks that constantly pull your attention away.
Start Small, Not Big
Instead of starting big, start small.
Your first hire should be an administrative person…
This person takes care of client communications, collecting documents, emails, and all the basic admin that steals 5 min here, 5 min there.
Your next hire should be someone who takes low-leverage work off your plate.
Think:
Managing the client portal
Chasing down documents
Responding to basic client questions
Keeping things organized behind the scenes
None of this requires a CPA.
But all of it consumes your time.
And more importantly, it fragments your focus.
What Actually Changes When You Delegate
Once you remove that layer, something interesting happens.
You don’t just “save time.”
You create mental space.
And that’s what allows you to start thinking at a higher level.
The Hiring Ladder
After all of the above tasks are taken off your plate, you can move up the ladder.
1) Junior Support
A junior bookkeeper or tax preparer who can take on defined fulfillment work.
2) Mid-Level Operator
A senior bookkeeper or manager who oversees work and creates consistency.
3) Client-Facing Advisor
Someone handling advisory calls, strategy, and relationships.
4) CFO (Optional, Later Stage)
If you offer it, but only once, demand and systems support it.
This progression might feel slower than hiring a “big” role upfront.
But it’s actually faster.
Because it removes the real bottlenecks in the right order.
Why Most Firms Stay Stuck
Most firm owners aren’t blocked by a lack of talent.
They’re blocked by where their time goes.
They’re answering messages.
Fixing small issues.
Handling things that someone else could easily do.
And as long as that’s true, growth stays capped.
Because you don’t have the time, or the energy, to focus on what actually moves the business forward:
Marketing.
Sales.
Positioning.
Systems.
Hiring = Buying Back Attention
Hiring isn’t just about getting help.
It’s about buying back your attention.
There’s a quote that captures this well:
“He who works all day has no time to make money.”
— John D. Rockefeller
If you’re spending all day inside the work, you don’t have time to build the machine that generates it.
Thanks for reading!
Peter Vander Wall
Founder @ Social Club Studios
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