Growing of my business from 2023 to 2025
Looking back at 2023, my business was still small. At that time, I had only one staff member assisting me with packing and responding to customer inquiries. Two years ago, I was thinking about how to take my business to the next level. I had a vision for my company growth and realized that leveraging my time effectively was the key to scaling up at that time.
In 2023, my main focus was to establish a strong foundation in the ecommerce market. By 2024, I shifted my focus to strengthening the business, ensuring that it was set up for rapid growth and higher profitability. This marked the beginning of my next phase — hiring.
The Power of Hiring as a Growth Lever
In this phase, I aimed to use manpower as leverage to scale my business. By reducing the number of repetitive tasks I handled daily, I could redirect my focus to activities that would drive expansion. Some strategies worked well, while others didn’t go as planned. But as an entrepreneur, I firmly believe that even the smallest tasks contribute to long-term success. Sometimes, a task may seem insignificant, but in the bigger picture, it plays a crucial role in guiding the business in the right direction.
The Challenge of Building the Right Team
My first phase of hiring was about building a team that shared my vision, people who worked smart and thought smart. However, building a strong team is never easy, and I didn’t get everything right in the beginning. Interestingly, most of the staff who fit well with my work style happened to be born in 1999. I’m not sure how that happened, but my first few employees who are still with me today are all from the 99’s generation. Maybe we understand each other better? I haven't figured that out yet… I'll write another post when I do.
Looking Ahead: Goals for 2025
By the end of 2024, I had grown my team to four or five people. My goal for 2025 is to further strengthen my workforce while accelerating the company's growth. I know this phase will require significant financial investment, but in the long run, it’s not just about spending money, it’s about building value for the company.
Hiring is easy, but hiring the right people is a challenge. Not everyone is willing to work hard for you, and as a business owner, you have to find ways to reward and motivate your team. Creating a strong team culture and fostering good relationships among employees is just as important as hiring itself.
This journey has been a learning experience, and I’m excited to see where 2025 will take my business.
