
Stop Hustling, Start CEO-ing: How to Scale From 1 to 10 Employees
By Jeremy Martin • December 15, 2025

The "grind" is glorified in our culture. We praise the sleepless nights and the "team of one" mentality. But in 2025, the goal isn't just to be busy—it's to be profitable without doing everything yourself. According to the 2024 census data, while Black entrepreneurs account for nearly 10% of all US businesses, the vast majority are solopreneurs with zero employees. To close the wealth gap, we have to bridge the scaling gap.
The "Super-Producer" Trap Many Black founders fall into the trap of being a "Super-Producer"—you are the best at what you do (baking, coding, consulting), so you fear delegating. But you cannot scale a business if you are the bottleneck. Scaling requires moving from doing the work to designing the systems that do the work.
Automate Before You Hire. Before you take on the payroll burden, look at your tech stack. In 2025, AI is the great equalizer. Tools like ChatGPT for customer service scripts, Zapier for workflow automation, and QuickBooks for finances are cheaper than a human assistant. If a task is repetitive (e.g., invoicing), automate it. If it requires critical thinking, then hire for it.
The First Hire: Admin vs. Revenue A common mistake is hiring a clone of yourself. Instead, hire for your weakness.
- The "Buying Back Time" Hire: An Executive Assistant or Operations Manager. They handle the inbox and scheduling so you can focus on sales.
- The "Revenue" Hire: A salesperson or marketing lead. This person should pay for themselves within 3–6 months by bringing in new business.
Key Takeaway: You are not a CEO until the business can function for a week without you. Your goal for this year is to fire yourself from at least three daily tasks.
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