The #1 hiring mistake that’s killing your scalability (and how to fix it)

The #1 reason agencies stop scaling is because they reach a critical mass of mediocrity.

This is why hiring is the most dangerous growth trap for agencies. 

The right hire unlocks scale, profitability, and efficiency. 

The wrong one? 

They create bottlenecks, slow down decision-making, force you into micromanagement, and make everyone around them worse.

Hey, I’m Nick Avaria, agency owner, and founder of Agency Acquisitions. I help overworked agency owners scale to 7 & 8 figures while working less hours per week.

If you’re on LinkedIn, and we’re not already connected, send over a request to get in touch. Want to catch up on past training? Subscribe to my YouTube channel for case studies on scaling to 8-figures.

If you want to scale, here’s the golden rule: 

Only hire people have who already achieved the goals of the job before.

No step up opportunities for people coming in from the outside. No one that you think can do the job - but hasn’t actually done it before. 

Recruiters will give you lines about some great hire that didn't have the experience. It’s probably true 1 out of 20 times. Don’t do this for your agency. 

If you don't have the following, you cannot hire people that have not already achieved the goal of the job before:

• Every aspect of the role is SOP’d (standard operating procedures)

• A built out HR function (more than one internal person)

• A internal support infrastructure with peer coaches

Why Experience Matters More Than Potential

• When your agency is below 50 people, you don't have the resources to actualize people's true potential. No, I don’t care if you can SEE their potential, you will not be able to fully bring it out unless the person is unreasonably driven.

• Training someone from scratch slows down your agency’s growth. It's actually cheaper to hire someone that costs more - A LOT MORE. 

• People with direct experience in achieving the goals you have not achieved before can optimize and improve processes immediately, shortcutting the time to goals.

• They optimize for the company, not just themselves or their team. Most candidates are focused on making their job easier rather than driving agency success.

• They know how to balance speed and accuracy because they focus on triple net wins - a win for the agency, for the client, and themselves at the same time. 

The Three Hiring Filters Every Agency Should Use

1. Have they done the job before?

   • If they haven’t already executed at your level, they’re not a fit. No exceptions.

2. Do they have a strong business acumen?

   • Will they optimize for themselves, their team, or for the organization. Can they articulate how their work impacts the agency’s bottom line?

3. Are they a strategist, optimizer, or a task-doer?

   • Do they solve problems and improve processes or just complete assignments? The right ratio is to have 1 strategist, 1 optimizer and 5 doers.

Bottom Line: Hire for Scale, Not Survival

Most agencies hire reactively, looking for bodies to fill gaps. The best agencies hire for scale, bringing on proven, business-minded individuals who make everyone more efficient and profitable.

If you’re scaling, don’t just hire more people—hire the best people and pay above market for those people. 

That’s how agencies scale sustainably.

Ready to scale your agency in 2025?

Book a time with me to connect about how to hold your team accountable to your 2025 revenue goals.

Nick

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