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Hi everyone,

It’s Stephen Edwards from Gro Profit First Accountants, and welcome to this week’s Profit First Club Newsletter.

After spending a month in Florida with the family (yes, a full month away from the business!), I’m back feeling refreshed—and I’m walking the walk. The firm didn’t fall apart while I was gone, which just reinforces the mission we’re on: helping business owners build companies that don’t rely on them 24/7.

Even if you're a solo business owner, thinking about your ideal team structure is critical. If you've already started hiring, you might relate to the frustration: hiring people who don’t quite care like you do, or employees who just want to clock in and out without any ownership.

Here's the truth: it's your business—they're never going to care as much as you do. But that doesn't mean you can’t build a great team. The key is getting clear on your core values (covered in Step 3) so you know exactly what kind of people will thrive in your culture.

Our firm’s values follow the KAN model:

Kaizen (continuous improvement)

Above-the-line thinking (no blame, no denial)

No Eeyores (we don’t hire drainers—only energisers)

I’ve hired based on urgency—quick fixes when the business was growing fast. Sometimes it worked, but often it didn’t. They weren’t the right fit because I wasn’t clear on my long-term goals or core values.

What I learned: You need to think further ahead. Do the thinking for your business.

Here are some tools and concepts I’ve personally used and recommend:

Accountability Chart (from the EOS system): Who reports to who? What are they responsible for?

People Analyzer (also from EOS): A simple tool to assess fit based on values and performance.

Jack Welch Matrix: High performer with poor values? They’re toxic. No matter how good they are, they’ll poison your culture.

E-Myth by Michael Gerber: “People are unmanageable.” It’s the system that matters.

Clockwork by Mike Michalowicz: Great if you liked Profit First—Mike’s writing is accessible and practical.

"People are more like cats than dogs—independent, not always loyal. So build a system that manages people. You manage the system."

Earl Nightingale once said the reason most people aren’t successful is because they don’t think. So here’s your challenge this week:

Ask yourself:

What does my team structure need to look like to get me where I want to go?

No structure = no scalability.

Just like a football manager knows the kind of striker or defender they need, you need clarity on the type of team members required for your business vision.

Leading your team starts with clarity. Clarity on your values, your structure, your standards, and your goals. You can’t say it once—you need to repeat it over and over until it sticks.

Got someone who’s talented but draining? Speak to a HR expert and use the tools above to make the right call. Don’t let toxic attitudes stall your growth.

As always, if you’ve got questions, feel free to reach out. We help entrepreneurs scale profitably and sustainably—and we’d love to help you, too.

Until next time—keep putting Profit First!

Stephen Edwards
Profit First Accountant & Business Coach
Gro Profit First Accountants
[email protected]

wearegro.co.uk