This week, I’m diving into my journey towards hiring an assistant (mistakes were made) and how I intentionally created their role to sidestep the pitfalls I’ve fallen into before.

• My 2025 “word of the year” and how it’s guiding my decisions this year;
• Two key tips from the business book that I now swear by; 
• Mistakes made and lessons learned on the path to hiring the right kind of assistant (aka not a VA!)
• Some of the ways that my role and approach to business has already changed for the better after just one month of having an assistant

Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates on all the new laws and rollbacks in this new political climate, and how they may impact your small business.

Sign up here: https://the-paradigm.com/newsletter 

This one is for the entrepreneurs who are ready to get off the roller coaster.

In this episode, Kira reflects on her journey through 2024 and sets the stage for 2025 and how her word of the year for 2024 drove her takeaways from the year, which had more ups and downs than usual.

We discuss:

• the challenges Kira faced in her business,
• the importance of community and relationships,
• how innovation can stem from curiosity, and
• Kira emphasizes the value of personal development and the lessons learned from navigating the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, ultimately looking forward to a more connected year ahead.

For information about Fractional HR for your small business, please visit https://www.the-paradigm.com or to connect further with Kira, reach out via instagram at https://www.instagram.com/theparadigmm

We did it! We’ve hit the big 1-0-0! In what was originally planned to be a celebratory episode, we’re talking about something a little heavier, because we know it's been on a lot of your minds right now. And that is...

How to manage your team’s post-election stress and shaky team dynamics - especially when politics aren’t part of your company culture. 

No matter what side of the aisle you sit on, this episode offers actionable advice on setting boundaries, aligning values with culture, and creating environments where tough conversations lead to growth - not tension. We also unpack why avoiding conflict isn’t the answer and how focusing on shared values can serve as a bridge during divisive times.

So click play and celebrate 100 episodes of learning, leading, and leveling up with us! 🎉

Discover your people leadership style and unlock your management potential: https://the-paradigm.com/quiz 

Learn more about our signature management and leadership training program, People on Purpose: https://the-paradigm.com/people-on-purpose 

Kira chats with Adrienna McDermott, founder of Ava and the Bee, about what it takes to build a successful wedding industry business. Adrienna shares about her journey from solopreneur to running a full-blown marketing agency – and the lessons she learned along the way about scaling with intention and why treating your people right is the right way to grow your business.

Whether you're a wedding pro or just someone who loves a good entrepreneurial success story, this episode is full of insights, laughs, and relatable moments.

Find Ava & The Bee and all their incredible resources at: https://avaandthebee.com/

Ever wondered if social media is actually making a difference in your business, or if it’s just another time suck? 🤔 

In today’s episode of On The Up & Up, we answer this question with Emma Tessler, founder of Ninety-Five Media. Emma’s been in the social media game since back when Instagram was all filtered food pics and sepia sunsets (we’ve come so far!). She’s seen firsthand how social has evolved from an afterthought to a make-or-break marketing tool, and she’s here to spill all the tea.

If you’re a small business owner feeling overwhelmed by the ever-changing social media landscape, this episode is your guide. We cover:

• How social media influences 74% of buyers’ decisions (yep, that many!), making it a key player in your business’s success.
• What she thinks about the advice floating around saying, “You can totally scale your business without social media.” (Spoiler alert: She has thoughts).
• How to build a seamless brand experience on social media while still keeping it personal and relatable.
• The evolution of social media marketing and how it’s changing the way small businesses create content in 2024.
• The #1 key performance indicator Instagram looks at for their algorithm – so you know where to focus your energy for max impact.
• Her advice for founders who are ready to transition their social presence from “It’s just me!” to a full-blown company brand now that they’ve got a team backing them up.
• Her take as an agency owner on building, managing, and leading a team.

Whether you’re thinking about transitioning from a personal brand to a company presence or figuring out how to streamline your content creation, this episode offers tangible tips, like:

• Leveraging trending content your way.
• Using Instagram DMs as a powerful sales tool (hint: there’s more money in your DMs than you might think!).

If you want to level up your social game and align your brand for 2025, this episode is packed with strategies you can start using now!

• Explore Ninety Five Media’s services, sign up for their value-packed newsletter, and get into their free “Master Your Marketing” course: https://ninetyfivemedia.co/ 
• Follow Ninety Five Media on IG @ninety.five.media 
• Tune into the Ninety Five Media Podcast, Stop Scrolling Start Scaling: https://ninetyfivemedia.co/category/podcast/

Did you know the average business owner wastes 250 hours a year on tasks that could be automated? 

Today’s guest, Rachael Mueller, Fractional COO & Systems Expert, is here to help you reclaim that time. She’s an organization fanatic and aims to make herself obsolete for her clients by setting up sustainable systems, tools, and automations so your business runs smoothly – without needing constant oversight.

PLUS, since this *is* an HR podcast, we talk about how operations experts can stay independent without risking compliance classification issues (think: good contracts, defined scope, solid boundaries). And for the business owners listening, this is your reminder to make sure you’re treating your working relationships with external experts the right way to keep things above board.

Tune in to learn how processes, tools, and automations can make you fall in love with your business again!

Connect with Rachael on IG: @hay.rachael

Rachael’s Website: https://heyrachael.com/

I always tell you to hire based on the role, not just the person you want... but today, I’m eating my words! At least I’m an honest hypocrite 😉

In this episode, I’m excited to introduce you to Ashley Mina, our newest team member at Paradigm. The moment I met Ashley, I knew we had to work together, so I created a whole new department just for her! (I know, do as I say, not as I do!)

Ashley’s here to share her insider insights about recruiting for small businesses. We got into:

• My fears around creating a whole new service and department
• Ashley’s transition from high-volume corporate recruiting to small business recruiting
• Balancing a “sales mindset” with a quality candidate experience
• Why small businesses should prioritize the candidate experience while hiring
• Trends Ashley is seeing in candidates applying to our clients’ small businesses vs. corporate roles
• The perks of using an external recruiter and hiring tips for DIY-ers
• Red and green flags in job descriptions
• Ashley’s advice for building diverse teams, even if you don’t come from a diverse background

Tune in to hear all of Ashley’s insider tips, why she’s such an amazing fit for our team, and how she can help yours! 

Episode 82: Are These 5 Biases In Hiring Sabotaging Your Dream Team? https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-82-are-these-5-biases-in-hiring-sabotaging-your-dream-team/id1661939979?i=1000661034302 

Find Ashley’s online: Your Work Wife Ashley (https://www.yourworkwifeashley.com/) 

Follow Ashley IG at @yourworkwifeashley 

Interested in our recruiting services? Learn more here! https://the-paradigm.com/recruiting 

Leadership is one of the biggest responsibilities you’ll take on in your career. But when you nail it, you don’t have to do it all yourself. You can actually hand off some of those people management duties to someone else (hello, delegation!).

As long as you’ve set your future leaders up for success first. That’s what today’s episode is all about: laying the groundwork so you can confidently pass the torch.

We’re giving practice advice about:

✨ What to look for when identifying future leaders

✨ How to keep your company culture intact when someone else steps up

✨ The must-haves before delegating any team management

Tune in now!

If you’re catching this before 9/30/24, you’ve still got time to save $200 and lock in exclusive access to mentorship, coaching, and community inside People On Purpose. This is our signature management and leadership training program, and it won’t be available in this format or price until next year, so don’t miss out!

https://the-paradigm.com/people-on-purpose

We’ve all been sold a big fat lie: that the ability to lead is something everyone’s born with.

Let’s talk about this is not only untrue, but it’s also kind of dangerous.

Plus, we’re also exploring the real difference between leadership and management. (Yes, they’re not the same thing, even though we tend to use them interchangeably around here.) Let’s clear up the confusion and talk about what it really means to be an effective leader and manager.

Take advantage of our special promo pricing for People On Purpose, AND get access to our exclusive community to enhance your learning: https://the-paradigm.com/people-on-purpose 

*Expires on 9/30

It’s here! The fifth edition of People On Purpose®, our signature leadership and management training program, has officially launched – and I want to dive into it.

But don’t worry, this episode isn’t a sales pitch. I’m not here to talk you into POP, but to share the philosophy behind POP and why I built it the way I did. Understanding that philosophy gets to the heart of what real leadership training is all about.

The biggest takeaway? People On Purpose® isn’t for everyone – and that’s by design. It’s built for managers and leaders who align with our core values, which I’ll be unpacking in today’s episode.

Tune in now to find out more!

Join People On Purpose® today: https://the-paradigm.com/people-on-purpose

Read more about the People On Purpose® Philosophy: https://the-paradigm.com/pop-philosophy/