8 Proven Tips for Managing a Growing Team
Scaling your business? Take note of these pro strategies for keeping your team energized and efficient
Expanding your business is a huge milestone — and one to be celebrated. But transitioning from a solo operation to managing a team brings with it a whole new raft of challenges. Effective leadership, communication and delegation suddenly become key as you move from wearing all the hats to building a cohesive, productive team that will take your firm to the next stage. We asked design pros on Houzz who have walked this path to share what they’ve learned along the way, so you can apply their insights to your own team management.
2. Share Your Vision
To get the best from everyone on your team, particularly as numbers grow, it’s important to share your company’s overall mission and vision — and your passion for it, says Julie Cavanaugh, founder and principal designer at Design Matters, which operates across five studio showrooms in Northern California; Jackson, Wyoming; and Park City, Utah. “If you can’t be passionate about the work, the passion won’t translate to your team,” she says. “I show up every day, in every way, for the good of my organization. It feeds my soul to do what we do.”
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To get the best from everyone on your team, particularly as numbers grow, it’s important to share your company’s overall mission and vision — and your passion for it, says Julie Cavanaugh, founder and principal designer at Design Matters, which operates across five studio showrooms in Northern California; Jackson, Wyoming; and Park City, Utah. “If you can’t be passionate about the work, the passion won’t translate to your team,” she says. “I show up every day, in every way, for the good of my organization. It feeds my soul to do what we do.”
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3. Meet Regularly With Your Team
Good communication is essential, whatever the size of your team, says Michael Winn, founder and CEO of Winn Design + Build in McLean, Virginia. “It aligns your team’s efforts, prevents misunderstandings and ensures everyone is working toward the same goals,” he says. “We keep it going through regular team meetings, open-door policies and using collaboration tools to track progress and share updates in real time.”
Machi Medrzycki, general contractor at MLM in New Orleans, agrees. “Hold regular meetings and use clear, concise instructions,” he says. “We hold two in-person meetings per week to hash out issues. There is something to say about in-person meetings — we get to read the room and sense the energy.”
But communication shouldn’t stop with your team, says Tracy Hains, founder and CEO of Che Bella Interiors Design + Remodeling in Burnsville, Minnesota. “It’s critical to communicate with clients and vendors too,” she says. “If we hit snags or something does not go right, we talk about it and try to learn for the next project.”
At the same time, be aware that there’s a fine line between effective communication and micromanaging, says Clark Harris, president of Innovative Design Build in Atlanta. “I have learned to step in when needed, but I try to stay out of people’s day-to-day activities,” Harris says. “I also try to use radical candor [where you give feedback that’s kind, clear, specific and sincere]. If I feel something is happening, I will tell the person what I am feeling. I want to discuss it, solve it and move on without any drama.”
Having the right business software helps keep everyone aligned and projects on track. The Delight in Designs team has found that Houzz Pro software works for them. “We use it to create estimates, manage change orders and finalize project approvals,” says Delight in Designs interior designer Oliver McCarthy. “It helps streamline our workflow, especially during busy times, by allowing us to quickly generate accurate estimates, keep track of changes and ensure clients can easily review and sign off on projects.”
Learn about Houzz Pro software
Good communication is essential, whatever the size of your team, says Michael Winn, founder and CEO of Winn Design + Build in McLean, Virginia. “It aligns your team’s efforts, prevents misunderstandings and ensures everyone is working toward the same goals,” he says. “We keep it going through regular team meetings, open-door policies and using collaboration tools to track progress and share updates in real time.”
Machi Medrzycki, general contractor at MLM in New Orleans, agrees. “Hold regular meetings and use clear, concise instructions,” he says. “We hold two in-person meetings per week to hash out issues. There is something to say about in-person meetings — we get to read the room and sense the energy.”
But communication shouldn’t stop with your team, says Tracy Hains, founder and CEO of Che Bella Interiors Design + Remodeling in Burnsville, Minnesota. “It’s critical to communicate with clients and vendors too,” she says. “If we hit snags or something does not go right, we talk about it and try to learn for the next project.”
At the same time, be aware that there’s a fine line between effective communication and micromanaging, says Clark Harris, president of Innovative Design Build in Atlanta. “I have learned to step in when needed, but I try to stay out of people’s day-to-day activities,” Harris says. “I also try to use radical candor [where you give feedback that’s kind, clear, specific and sincere]. If I feel something is happening, I will tell the person what I am feeling. I want to discuss it, solve it and move on without any drama.”
Having the right business software helps keep everyone aligned and projects on track. The Delight in Designs team has found that Houzz Pro software works for them. “We use it to create estimates, manage change orders and finalize project approvals,” says Delight in Designs interior designer Oliver McCarthy. “It helps streamline our workflow, especially during busy times, by allowing us to quickly generate accurate estimates, keep track of changes and ensure clients can easily review and sign off on projects.”
Learn about Houzz Pro software
4. Set Clear Goals and Define Roles
“Define shared objectives and ensure everyone understands their role,” Medrzycki says. “There is nothing more frustrating than people not knowing their boundaries within the organization. There is an old saying, ‘How to starve the horse — have two people feed it.’ Clearly defined roles and responsibilities are the key to efficiency and organization.”
“Define shared objectives and ensure everyone understands their role,” Medrzycki says. “There is nothing more frustrating than people not knowing their boundaries within the organization. There is an old saying, ‘How to starve the horse — have two people feed it.’ Clearly defined roles and responsibilities are the key to efficiency and organization.”
5. Nurture Culture as You Grow
“The main challenge you’ll face managing a growing team is evolving beyond your job description into a leader and mentor,” Sakai says. “As your organization grows, maintaining transparency and personal connections becomes harder, but it’s vital for fostering a healthy culture.”
Sakai no longer manages projects, which frees up time to focus on team relationships. “I make an effort to talk to everyone in the office each day, whether it’s something small, like asking about their weekend, or something meaningful, like discussing a project, performance feedback or growth plans.”
Sakai emphasizes the importance of nurturing careers while offering challenges. “We’ve built a culture where people feel supported but also pushed to grow — a fine line that’s not always easy to walk,” he says. He credits his team’s longevity to this balance. “We have people who’ve been with us for over a decade, and I hope we continue to provide an environment where everyone thrives.”
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“The main challenge you’ll face managing a growing team is evolving beyond your job description into a leader and mentor,” Sakai says. “As your organization grows, maintaining transparency and personal connections becomes harder, but it’s vital for fostering a healthy culture.”
Sakai no longer manages projects, which frees up time to focus on team relationships. “I make an effort to talk to everyone in the office each day, whether it’s something small, like asking about their weekend, or something meaningful, like discussing a project, performance feedback or growth plans.”
Sakai emphasizes the importance of nurturing careers while offering challenges. “We’ve built a culture where people feel supported but also pushed to grow — a fine line that’s not always easy to walk,” he says. He credits his team’s longevity to this balance. “We have people who’ve been with us for over a decade, and I hope we continue to provide an environment where everyone thrives.”
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6. Get Comfortable With Delegation
“As leader, your primary role is to set the vision and strategy for the team — steering the ship toward its goals,” Hains says. “By delegating tasks and responsibilities, you not only free up your time to focus on higher-level priorities but also empower your team members to develop their skills, take ownership of their work and contribute to the team’s success. Effective delegation builds trust within the team.”
“No one person can do it all,” says Jeff True, vice president of operations at Hursthouse Landscape Architects and Contractors in Bolingbrook, Illinois. “If you want to keep people for their entire career, they have to feel they are growing. Growth comes from delegation. It allows a more timely response to clients and lets people be specialists in their area of expertise. A high-performing team that is both efficient and results-oriented is rooted in delegation.”
“When delegating, I focus on the bigger picture and hand off tasks like project management, client communication and execution to my incredible team,” Crosby says. “At first it was hard — especially because I’m a bit of a perfectionist. But once I saw the results of trusting my team, it became easier.”
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“As leader, your primary role is to set the vision and strategy for the team — steering the ship toward its goals,” Hains says. “By delegating tasks and responsibilities, you not only free up your time to focus on higher-level priorities but also empower your team members to develop their skills, take ownership of their work and contribute to the team’s success. Effective delegation builds trust within the team.”
“No one person can do it all,” says Jeff True, vice president of operations at Hursthouse Landscape Architects and Contractors in Bolingbrook, Illinois. “If you want to keep people for their entire career, they have to feel they are growing. Growth comes from delegation. It allows a more timely response to clients and lets people be specialists in their area of expertise. A high-performing team that is both efficient and results-oriented is rooted in delegation.”
“When delegating, I focus on the bigger picture and hand off tasks like project management, client communication and execution to my incredible team,” Crosby says. “At first it was hard — especially because I’m a bit of a perfectionist. But once I saw the results of trusting my team, it became easier.”
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7. Track Results and Provide Feedback
Be aware that effective delegation goes beyond just assigning tasks — you’ll need to offer support, track progress and give input where needed. “You need to learn how to delegate — there is a large difference between delegating and abdicating,” Harris says.
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Be aware that effective delegation goes beyond just assigning tasks — you’ll need to offer support, track progress and give input where needed. “You need to learn how to delegate — there is a large difference between delegating and abdicating,” Harris says.
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8. Tailor Roles to Individuals
Also give careful thought to who gets the assignment, Medrzycki says. “Assign tasks based on strengths and trust your team to deliver,” he says. “Never try to force a round peg in the square hole. I made plenty of mistakes around this. Just because I know how to build a particular project does not mean the team can. Build your business around your team.”
“One of the biggest challenges for me was transitioning from doing everything myself to trusting others to represent my brand. Delegation is an easy word to say and not always easy to do,” says Ginger Curtis, founder and CEO of Urbanology Designs in Dallas. “I found tremendous breakthrough when I started leveraging the talents of my team and delegated tremendous responsibility to them.
“Establishing systems and ensuring consistency across the team was another hurdle,” Curtis says. “Systems and processes don’t sound sexy, but they are the backbone of your company and what is essential to scale at a sustainable pace.”
“Another challenge was making sure I didn’t just have the right people on my team, but I also had them in the right positions,” Curtis says. “It was no easy task to dig deeper past a surface-level résumé and find out what truly made my team tick and what their greatest gifts and abilities were.
“I’ve learned to lead with empathy and focus on empowering others. Initially, I held too many things close, but now I prioritize trust and collaboration. I always remind my team: This is a safe place to fail. I would rather them take risks and achieve greatness than design mediocre and never do anything compelling or extraordinary.”
Tell us: What strategies have you relied on to manage your growing team? Please share in the Comments.
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Also give careful thought to who gets the assignment, Medrzycki says. “Assign tasks based on strengths and trust your team to deliver,” he says. “Never try to force a round peg in the square hole. I made plenty of mistakes around this. Just because I know how to build a particular project does not mean the team can. Build your business around your team.”
“One of the biggest challenges for me was transitioning from doing everything myself to trusting others to represent my brand. Delegation is an easy word to say and not always easy to do,” says Ginger Curtis, founder and CEO of Urbanology Designs in Dallas. “I found tremendous breakthrough when I started leveraging the talents of my team and delegated tremendous responsibility to them.
“Establishing systems and ensuring consistency across the team was another hurdle,” Curtis says. “Systems and processes don’t sound sexy, but they are the backbone of your company and what is essential to scale at a sustainable pace.”
“Another challenge was making sure I didn’t just have the right people on my team, but I also had them in the right positions,” Curtis says. “It was no easy task to dig deeper past a surface-level résumé and find out what truly made my team tick and what their greatest gifts and abilities were.
“I’ve learned to lead with empathy and focus on empowering others. Initially, I held too many things close, but now I prioritize trust and collaboration. I always remind my team: This is a safe place to fail. I would rather them take risks and achieve greatness than design mediocre and never do anything compelling or extraordinary.”
Tell us: What strategies have you relied on to manage your growing team? Please share in the Comments.
More for Pros on Houzz
Read more stories for pros
Learn about Houzz Pro software
Talk with your peers in the Houzz Pro Forum
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“My advice is simple: Invest in your people, not just your projects,” says Jessica Crosby, owner and designer at Delight in Designs in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
“Be clear about your expectations and values and never stop communicating them,” she says. “Make sure everyone knows their role and how it contributes to the bigger picture. Celebrate wins — big or small — and create a culture where people feel valued and heard.”
These are lessons that resonate with Eugene Sakai, CEO and partner at Studio S Squared Architecture in San Jose, California. “I wish I’d known at the start how to be a better employer — not just a better architect,” he says.
“In the early days, I was so focused on building the business that I lost sight of the need to manage as a human and leader — and not just as a breadwinner. The three or four people that were with me at the beginning were with a very different leader to who I am today.
“Architecturally, I was able to do the things that were required of a firm leader, but I was nowhere near prepared to be a leader of people,” Sakai says. “I don’t think I’m great at it now, but I’m better than I was, as evidenced by the fact that talented folks who have options and, quite frankly, could easily go and open their own firms, are sticking around.”