I Had to Give Myself a Promotion
A mindset shift that helped me build my business—and my workforce.
As small business owners, we wear every hat: CEO, project manager, HR, marketing, technician, IT… you name it. But at some point, we have to ask:
Are we building a business—or just running one?
That question hit me hard. I realized the work I was doing day-to-day wasn’t aligned with the future I envisioned. The disconnect wasn’t just slowing growth—it was capping my capacity, my revenue, and my team’s potential.
So I did something bold: I gave myself a promotion.
When You Promote Yourself, the Work Changes
I started thinking like a VP or project sponsor at a larger firm. In that role, what would I stop doing immediately?
More importantly: What would others expect me to stop doing?
- Clients don’t want their CEO building spreadsheets.
- Teams don’t grow when the owner holds on to every task.
- Opportunity doesn’t scale when leadership is stuck in the weeds.
That clarity changed everything.
By clinging to every task, I was clinging to control—and limiting the growth of both my business and my people.
Backfilling Is the Secret
Promoting yourself is only half the shift. The other half is making a plan to backfill the role you’re leaving behind.
That means:
- Hiring the right talent—not just fast, but fit.
- Investing in training—not just once, but consistently.
- Delegating with clarity—not just dumping work.
It’s not always easy—especially in the messy middle, when you're growing but not quite ready to let go. But that’s exactly when leadership matters most.
Strategic Hiring Is Workforce Development
Giving yourself a promotion creates space. But the real opportunity lies in how you use it.
That’s where Kuniklo Corporation's Workforce Development Services come in. We help businesses—big and small—build the internal capacity to scale with impact.
Small business owners can use the same tools to:
- Forecast future workforce needs
- Train employees through hands-on, meaningful work
- Develop in-house talent aligned with long-term goals
- Create careers, not just roles
This isn’t just hiring. It’s capacity-building. It’s economic empowerment.
Small Business as a Launchpad
Small businesses are some of the most powerful environments for workforce development.
New hires in small firms gain exposure to a wide range of challenges and decision points—experience they might never get in a larger organization. But that growth only happens when the owner steps back from the weeds and lets others step up.
If we want to grow leaders, we have to release tasks. If we want to build wealth in our communities, we have to start by building capacity inside our companies.
Ready to Think Bigger?
If you’re a small business owner stuck in the weeds, it’s time.
🔁 Give yourself a promotion.
📈 Build your team with intention.
💼 Train them to grow alongside your business.
You’re not just building a business. You’re building capacity—for yourself, your team, and your community.
What’s one task you’d stop doing if you gave yourself a promotion today? Let’s talk about it in the comments.
