MoneyMar 28, 2026 · 6 min read
The first hire nobody tells you to make
Everyone says hire a marketer. Three founders hired a bookkeeper instead, and all three say it paid for itself before the quarter was out.
When Tamsin opened her second studio, her inbox was full of advice. Hire someone for social media. Hire a salesperson. Hire an assistant. What she hired, four hours a week, was a bookkeeper.
Within a month the numbers told a story she had felt but never seen: her most popular class was losing money once instructor time and room hire were counted. She changed one price and one schedule. Nothing else.
“I did not need more customers. I needed to know which ones were making me money.”
The other two founders we spoke to had similar stories. A clear monthly picture made every later decision faster, including the eventual marketing hire, which they could now measure.
If you are drowning in admin, start with the hours that protect your cash. Growth hires work better when you can see what they change.
