World's Greatest Boss

We’re seeing a major labor market shift towards the gig and freelance economy, and no one knows that area of hiring better than Lisa Cumes. She’s a hugely successful freelance copywriter, scaled her business to include a team of copywriters and contractors, and she now specializes in helping other freelancers build thriving brands. 

We get into everything from what types of projects lend themselves best to freelance work, how to utilize different platforms like Upwork, and what her approach is for test projects. Lisa shares the pros and cons of Upwork from both the client and freelancer side, and breaks down exactly how she scaled her business as a copywriter. Lisa gets real about the lessons she’s learned when it comes to freelancing, and she also breaks down exactly how she weeds out the candidates that aren’t the right fit. 

IN THIS EPISODE, I TALK ABOUT:

• When to hire an employee versus a freelancer 
• The four main payment structures for freelancers on Upwork
• The reality that a lot of people don't talk about when they dream of quitting their job and becoming a freelancer
• Tools for perfecting your sales pitch and making sure that your proposal gets seen by clients 
• Lisa’s advice for people who want to start freelancing or scale their existing operation 

CONNECT WITH LISA 

Follow Lisa: @lisacumes 

Check out Simple Story Solutions: simplestorysolutions.com

Learn more about Full Thrive Freelancers: fullthrive.co 

CONNECT WITH JACKIE

Follow People Principles: @peopleprinciples

Let’s TikTok: @peopleprinciples

Learn more: peopleprinciples.co 

GUEST BIO

Lisa Cumes is a freelance copywriter and StoryBrand Guide who has built a multiple 6-figure, online copywriting agency, over the past 4 years. Last year she shifted and scaled her business by bringing on a team of other copywriters to help more businesses and personal brands simplify their message and streamline their content marketing. 

She also has a passion for helping freelancers stop hustling and start building thriving full time businesses. As a mom of 3 kids, she knows how to navigate mommy guilt, actually be productive working from home and coaches other freelancers through Full Thrive Freelancing with online courses, coaching and free training focused on leveraging the Upwork Platform. 

Compliance issues aren’t the most exciting part of the hiring process, but it’s so important to get these details right because they can end in costly, time-consuming legal battles if they’re not. When determining if an employee should be paid hourly or salaried, there's a few key considerations you have to make. I break down the differences between paying someone a salary versus paying someone an hourly pay rate and explain why it's crucial to be clear about that decision before hiring a full-time W2 employee. I get into what non-exempt and exempt employees are, how you can qualify for an exempt-level role, and I also share examples of local laws when it comes to minimum payment requirements. 

IN THIS EPISODE, I TALK ABOUT:

• What it means when an employee is eligible for overtime pay, and any state or local mandatory rest and meal breaks
• The five exemption categories 
• Figuring out the job duties and the scope of the job to make sure that you can prove that it qualifies as an exempt role 
• Paying attention to federal, state, and local minimum wage requirements, especially for remote workers 
• Timetable requirements for hourly employees
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CONNECT WITH JACKIE

Follow People Principles: @peopleprinciples

Let’s TikTok: @peopleprinciples

Learn more: peopleprinciples.co 

A major part of being a business leader is learning how to have tough conversations with your employees about their performance and potential termination. There are six main reasons that contribute to someone underperforming in their role, and in today’s episode, I break down what those are and how to address underlying issues with your employees. I also explain what a performance improvement plan is and get into why firing someone isn’t always the right solution. This topic is something that I see a lot of business owners struggle with, so tune in to learn more about how you can conduct effective performance reviews and retain your team members. 

IN THIS EPISODE, I TALK ABOUT:

• Tell-tale signs that a team member is struggling in their role
• Recognizing why an employee is no longer growing or learning in their position 
• Creating dynamic roles and opportunities for your team 
• Why you should have honest conversations with your team about their ambitions, goals, and what they want in their career 
• What to do when team members are losing belief and disagreeing with your business decisions 

CONNECT WITH JACKIE

Follow People Principles: @peopleprinciples

Let’s TikTok: @peopleprinciples

Learn more: peopleprinciples.co 

In honor of graduation season, I wanted to talk about hiring recent graduates and entry level roles. These positions are great to consistently have in your business so that new talent is coming through your door and you're constantly training and developing new people who can grow into different roles at your company.

I unpack the job requirements for roles that are designed for people who are at the learning stage in their career, and what to consider when you’re putting together the job description. I explain the benefits to hiring recent graduates and entry level positions, as well as key factors to consider before taking on someone with little or no professional experience. Plus, I share some of the common feedback I hear from young people who are trying to break into the workforce and how you can address their concerns in your hiring plan. 

IN THIS EPISODE, I TALK ABOUT:

• How hiring entry level positions can help with your budget 
• The fresh perspective and can-do attitude that a new professional can add to your business 
• Creating mentorship and coaching experiences 
• Tips for interviewing people without a lot of professional experience 
• The best times of year to position yourself for hiring college graduates 
• Why a lot people entering the workforce are looking for hybrid work environments 

CONNECT WITH JACKIE

Follow People Principles: @peopleprinciples

Let’s TikTok: @peopleprinciples

Learn more: peopleprinciples.co 

I’m joined by Aisha Marshall, a content strategist and branding expert who's built and scaled a full-service marketing agency, as well as a luxury fine jewelry brand. Aisha is a pro when it comes to hiring and building teams, and she has tons of experience with internships. She shares her top two methods for finding great interns on college campuses and how she comes up with projects that help both the business and intern grow. Aisha breaks down her hiring strategy, application process, and approach to onboarding. We also discuss the importance of tracking your time against how much you’re billing and how to forecast a hire instead of hiring from scarcity. 

IN THIS EPISODE, I TALK ABOUT:

• What motivated Aisha to launch her own marketing agency 
• Aisha’s biggest takeaways from her first hire 
• Aisha’s experience working with ASU and other universities to hire interns 
• What Aisha considers to be the most important part of a job description 
• Advice on how to get to know your new team members, especially in a hybrid or fully remote work environment 
• How to tap into what motivates your employees and makes them feel seen 
• Aisha’s top two tips for small business owners who are ready to make their hire or scale their team 

CONNECT WITH AISHA

Follow Aisha: @aisha 

Follow WHXTE Atelier: @shopwhxte 

Follow AAM Consulting Firm: @aamfirm 

CONNECT WITH JACKIE

Follow People Principles: @peopleprinciples

Let’s TikTok: @peopleprinciples

Learn more: peopleprinciples.co 

I recently read that 52% of interviewers make their decision about a candidate within five to 15 minutes of an interview starting. If someone is coming to a conclusion that quickly, it’s clear to me there’s a lot of unconscious biases at play in their interview process. All humans experience bias, but I have a few key tips to reduce your preconceived notions and make smarter hiring decisions. I break down the eight common interview biases that creep up when we’re interviewing candidates and explain how having a hiring plan in place can help you avoid falling into those traps. I also share a preview of my new hiring course that I’m launching very soon! 

IN THIS EPISODE, I TALK ABOUT:

• How setting up a structured hiring plan helps you reduce biases that are specific to the interview process
• Why we should never make assumptions about someone based on their age 
• Surprising ways that the education and experience biases might show up during an interview 
• What the ‘halo’ and ‘horns’ effects are 
• Learning how to look out for green flags instead of going into an interview with a skeptical mindset 
• Exciting news about my upcoming hiring course  

CONNECT WITH JACKIE

Follow People Principles: @peopleprinciples

Let’s TikTok: @peopleprinciples

Learn more: peopleprinciples.co 

I think there are misconceptions about the saying ‘hire slow, fire fast,’ so on today’s episode, I’m clarifying what it means when it comes to your team and business. When it comes to hiring slowly, it’s all about making sure you're hiring the right role and choosing the right person for that position. It’s not about creating unnecessary hoops for candidates to jump through, or generally dragging your feet with the hiring process. And when you notice that somebody is not working out in their position or their performance isn’t up to par, you need to take swift action. It’s not about creating a culture of fear and terminating people without giving them a chance to improve, but rather having an open dialogue and providing opportunities for your employees to excel. Tune in to hear my take on what it looks like to hire slow and fire fast. 

IN THIS EPISODE, I TALK ABOUT:

• Tactical things that you can implement in your business to hire slow and fire fast 
• What hiring slow and firing fast doesn’t mean 
• The importance of taking the time to clearly map out and prepare for your hiring process
• How the 80/20 rule applies to hiring 
• How to approach conversations with employees when you notice they’re not meeting your expectations 

CONNECT WITH JACKIE

Follow People Principles: @peopleprinciples

Let’s TikTok: @peopleprinciples

Learn more: peopleprinciples.co 

Over my 15 years in the hiring and recruiting field, I’ve noticed that the lack of formal interview training has led to awkward, and sometimes illegal, practices. There are certain laws that prohibit us from asking questions about protected information that might lead to discrimination or the apperance of discrimination. I’m breaking down the exact topics that you need to avoid when you’re interviewing, and how to refocus your hiring techniques so that you’re getting the information you need without stepping over any boundaries. I also walk you through what to do if you learn about any protected information during the interview process, and how to steer the conversation in a better direction. 

IN THIS EPISODE, I TALK ABOUT:

• How to protect your business from different claims that may come up during the interview process
• The different laws that are in place to protect employees during the hiring process 
• What exactly is considered protected information 
• Being mindful of your small talk topics and not getting too personal with follow-up questions
• Ways to talk about salary expectations without blatantly asking a candidate what they’re currently making 

CONNECT WITH JACKIE

Follow People Principles: @peopleprinciples

Let’s TikTok: @peopleprinciples

Learn more: peopleprinciples.co 

Going from a corporate background in hiring experts and building teams to launching your own small business has its advantages, but there’s always more to learn when you’re starting from the ground floor. Nobody knows this better than today’s guest, Kelly Kussman, the founder of Cayla Gray, a luxury perfume and candle company. Kelly went from having endless HR support at PetSmart to now navigating the world of contractors, freelancers, and virtual assistants on her own. Luckily, she has solid interviewing skills and has been able to adapt her hiring practices to find the perfect candidates. 

We discuss how her priorities have changed now that she’s a small business owner, what her go-to interview questions are, and the number one trait that she looks for in a candidate, regardless of what the role is. Kelly shares her top team building tips for other solopreneurs and explains why it’s important to start with generalists at the beginning of your hiring journey. 

IN THIS EPISODE, I TALK ABOUT:

• What inspired Kelly to take the leap and go all-in on Cayla Gray 
• The lack of interview training across industries 
• Who Kelly’s first hires were and who she’s brought on as the business has grown 
• The importance of weaving in projects or activities during the interview process
• Kelly’s favorite question to ask during an interview 
• Where Kelly goes to find candidates 

CONNECT WITH KELLY

• Follow Kelly: @kelly_ward_kussman 
• Follow Cayla Gray:@caylagrayco 
• Shop Cayla Gray: caylagray.com 

CONNECT WITH JACKIE

Follow People Principles: @peopleprinciples

Let’s TikTok: @peopleprinciples

Learn more: peopleprinciples.co

I’m sharing tips and tricks on how to become a good interviewer and get the results you're looking for. Not only does a solid interview help you make the right hire for your business, but it also helps the candidate see what it'll be like to work for you and determine if they can see themselves thriving in that environment. It gives people a peek inside your company culture and sets behavioral standards. I have five main tips for how to become a better interviewer, keep the conversation on track, and organize your interview process. I dig into why interviewing well matters and share what I’ve learned from the thousands of hires that I’ve made over the course of my career. 

IN THIS EPISODE, I TALK ABOUT:

• Why it’s important to build up your emotional intelligence skills for interviewing 
• Being aware of your body language and facial expressions during an interview 
• Examples of effective follow-up questions 
• What to do when you feel stuck or don’t like the direction the interview is going in 
• How to create a simple applicant tracking system 

CONNECT WITH JACKIE

Follow People Principles: @peopleprinciples

Let’s TikTok: @peopleprinciples

Learn more: peopleprinciples.co