Today, my guest today in the Mads Singers Management Podcast is none other than Melissa Maulini. Melissa is the CEO and founder of Maulini Creative, a small boutique marketing agency, starting as a freelancer specializing in social media management and influencer marketing until she eventually settled down with personal brand marketing. Initially working alone, Melissa grew a team that she calls her marketers; and what journey it has been, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic where many brick-and-mortar businesses had to switch up their marketing to keep their business afloat during those challenging times.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many traditional ways of doing things were turned upside down, from digital marketing, social media marketing, social media management, and even operations had to be delegated. Despite these new challenges, the pandemic has brought on new opportunities for everyone, whether a restaurant in an old city or a small store set up in the middle of the town. Although there are many things to consider when hiring employees, especially when you're starting, such as taxes, laws, and other benefits in the country you are planning to set up your business. It would be best to skip hiring the right people because having the right staff will help you grow your business in no time. 

With our interconnected world, it's easier than ever to find the right people to do the job for you. However, one of the common mistakes new entrepreneurs and business leaders make is not making enough connections because many tend to set aside the networking aspect of their businesses. Rather than wait for a miracle, it's best for business owners and managers to take advantage of the tools they have at their fingertips, such as Facebook groups, LinkedIn, forums, and other social media platforms. Make connections along the way because you'll never know where your next adventure will be if you don't make connections with the people you meet along the way.

Like Melissa, I highly encourage exploring new tools and software once released because it allows you and your team to learn new things. However, while exploring is fun, it's essential to stick with those that work well for you. Often, it's not the number of tools, apps, or software that ruin productivity in a company or business but instead failing to implement it all over your staff or company, so it's essential to consult everyone before jumping ship. Being an entrepreneur is not an easy journey; there will be bumps and even roadblocks along the way. However, having a mentor who you can turn to for advice, gain feedback, or help solve problems will benefit you.

Don't be afraid to cast your net and let your voice be heard, especially during challenging and difficult times. Also, ask for feedback from your clients or anyone you work with. This gives you a fresh perspective on things, so you can also learn how to pivot according to their needs.

Key Learning Points:

1. Melissa shares that she started with interns. However, she then realized that she needed to bring in people with specialties in their respective fields rather than a person who knows a bit of everything. - 04:33
2. Melissa realized that hiring people who don't necessarily have the skills to do the job could be costly and time-consuming because you'll need to take a chunk of your time to train and teach them. - 06:01
3. Mads says that most companies and managers struggle with hiring the right people because they don't know what they need until the problem becomes more apparent. - 06:46
4. Mads continues that many business owners and managers are reluctant to pay their employees the proper salary, especially those specializing in a specific niche. - 07:00
5. Melissa says she learned to hire people who know what they are doing rather than bringing on someone that you have to teach, and promote from within as much as possible because they are the ones who can fill the spot as they already know you and your business. - 08:53
6. Mads stresses that rather than hiring people who resemble you, business owners and managers should look at the most critical piece needed in their business and how they should be finding someone who is excellent at that work/role. - 11:45
7. Melissa's goal is to grow her team in the industries that she likes while also learning new things and taking the best practices.. - 18:17
8. Melissa stresses the importance of having a clear structure for your business to be easy onboarding, training, production, and even offboarding. Having a system will also allow you to improve or change things quickly if you face difficulties. - 20:57
9. Melissa shares that she and her team have tried several project management tools and software but have settled on what works well for them. She encourages you to try new tools and software once released to help you and your team learn new skills and knowledge to attract more clients and build your portfolio. - 22:42
10.  Melissa stresses the importance of having a mentor and guiding you in your entrepreneurial journey while also learning, gaining feedback, and even seeking insights into problems you may have. - 25:05

Resources Mentioned:

Asana

AirTable for content calendar and paid advertising

Slack

Connect with Melissa:

Company Email

Personal Email

Instagram

Company Instagram

Website

Twitter

LinkTree

Facebook Page