How to Build the Right Team for Your Business
Pros share their secrets for cultivating and retaining a powerhouse team that thrives under pressure
Scaling a business is exciting, but there’s no denying it can create tighter deadlines and greater expectations for your team. To rise to the occasion, you need people around you who are prepared to innovate, collaborate and stay resilient under pressure. Here, professionals on Houzz who have successfully built teams to support their expanding businesses reveal how to hire the right talent and create a culture of shared goals and trust so your people can thrive as your business grows.
Tap Into Your Network
“I start by leveraging my network — talking to peers, colleagues, vendors and trade partners — who often have insights or recommendations for potential candidates,” says Tracy Hains, founder and CEO of Che Bella Interiors Design + Remodeling in Burnsville, Minnesota.
“When evaluating candidates, I look for key qualities that align with our values: strong work ethic, honesty and integrity, communication, listening, an action-oriented mindset, alignment with company goals and collaboration skills,” Hains says.
Prioritize Team Harmony
When recruiting, never underestimate the value of cultural alignment, says Ginger Curtis, founder and CEO of Urbanology Designs in Dallas. “The importance of hiring for cultural fit, not just skill set, is something I wish I’d known from the start. A cohesive team with shared values is invaluable when scaling.”
“I start by leveraging my network — talking to peers, colleagues, vendors and trade partners — who often have insights or recommendations for potential candidates,” says Tracy Hains, founder and CEO of Che Bella Interiors Design + Remodeling in Burnsville, Minnesota.
“When evaluating candidates, I look for key qualities that align with our values: strong work ethic, honesty and integrity, communication, listening, an action-oriented mindset, alignment with company goals and collaboration skills,” Hains says.
Prioritize Team Harmony
When recruiting, never underestimate the value of cultural alignment, says Ginger Curtis, founder and CEO of Urbanology Designs in Dallas. “The importance of hiring for cultural fit, not just skill set, is something I wish I’d known from the start. A cohesive team with shared values is invaluable when scaling.”
Develop Systems and Processes
“Learning how to share my vision and trust others with tasks I used to handle myself was one of the biggest challenges I faced growing my design business,” says Jessica Crosby, owner and designer at Delight in Designs in Grand Rapids, Michigan. “Transitioning from doing everything to focusing on leading and strategizing required a mindset shift. Also, as the team grew, maintaining clear communication and alignment on goals became increasingly important.”
What helped? “I leaned into systems and processes — something I wish I’d done sooner,” Crosby says. “Tools like ClickUp and regular check-ins helped streamline communication. I also realized the value of hiring the right people, not just for their skills but for their alignment with our company culture. Empowering my team to take ownership of their roles helped me trust them more and allowed them to thrive.”
You can keep everyone on your team connected, no matter the number of jobs you’re juggling, with Houzz Pro software. Use it to track and manage projects, communicate with other team members and improve everyone’s workflow.
Learn about Houzz Pro software
“Learning how to share my vision and trust others with tasks I used to handle myself was one of the biggest challenges I faced growing my design business,” says Jessica Crosby, owner and designer at Delight in Designs in Grand Rapids, Michigan. “Transitioning from doing everything to focusing on leading and strategizing required a mindset shift. Also, as the team grew, maintaining clear communication and alignment on goals became increasingly important.”
What helped? “I leaned into systems and processes — something I wish I’d done sooner,” Crosby says. “Tools like ClickUp and regular check-ins helped streamline communication. I also realized the value of hiring the right people, not just for their skills but for their alignment with our company culture. Empowering my team to take ownership of their roles helped me trust them more and allowed them to thrive.”
You can keep everyone on your team connected, no matter the number of jobs you’re juggling, with Houzz Pro software. Use it to track and manage projects, communicate with other team members and improve everyone’s workflow.
Learn about Houzz Pro software
Commit to Continual Training
“Invest in professional development and create a culture of continuous learning,” says Michael Winn, founder and CEO of Winn Design + Build in McLean, Virginia. “Investing in professional growth not only improves skills and productivity but shows team members that you value them, helping with morale, retention and overall company culture.
“It’s also important to set clear expectations and establish strong processes early on,” Winn says. “This reduces confusion, helps avoid duplicated efforts and ultimately boosts efficiency.”
Muse’s Secki is another proponent of having robust and scalable processes in place. “My secret to managing a growing team is staying organized and focused on process optimization,” she says. “I prioritize developing clear workflows, maintaining open communication and making sure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities.
“My advice would be to regularly assess your team’s needs, implement tools that can track and manage progress and foster a culture of trust and collaboration,” she says.
How to Build Systems and Teams That Can Handle Busy Times
“Invest in professional development and create a culture of continuous learning,” says Michael Winn, founder and CEO of Winn Design + Build in McLean, Virginia. “Investing in professional growth not only improves skills and productivity but shows team members that you value them, helping with morale, retention and overall company culture.
“It’s also important to set clear expectations and establish strong processes early on,” Winn says. “This reduces confusion, helps avoid duplicated efforts and ultimately boosts efficiency.”
Muse’s Secki is another proponent of having robust and scalable processes in place. “My secret to managing a growing team is staying organized and focused on process optimization,” she says. “I prioritize developing clear workflows, maintaining open communication and making sure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities.
“My advice would be to regularly assess your team’s needs, implement tools that can track and manage progress and foster a culture of trust and collaboration,” she says.
How to Build Systems and Teams That Can Handle Busy Times
Says Curtis: “We maintain quality through standardized processes, regular training and thorough project reviews. Setting clear expectations from the start ensures consistency. Every single designer, and beyond that even our procurement department, gets regular feedback on their work — this is crucial.”
“Tools like Houzz Pro are beneficial in tracking sales milestones, managing customer relationships and streamlining communication within the team, all of which are important for operational efficiency,” Secki says. “Houzz Pro makes it easy to collaborate from anywhere, at any time, and keeps accurate communication history in one centralized location for reference throughout the design and build process with our homeowners.”
Provide Opportunities
Curating pathways of growth for each person on his team is how Eugene Sakai, CEO and partner at Studio S Squared Architecture in San Jose, California, fosters loyalty and long-term engagement. “Talented team members don’t feel the need to jump ship and find those opportunities for growth elsewhere — I believe it’s why they stick around,” he says.
For Machi Medrzycki, general contractor at MLM in New Orleans, effective leadership begins and ends with the person at the top — you. He shares his top tips for driving success and inspiring your team, whatever its size.
“Tools like Houzz Pro are beneficial in tracking sales milestones, managing customer relationships and streamlining communication within the team, all of which are important for operational efficiency,” Secki says. “Houzz Pro makes it easy to collaborate from anywhere, at any time, and keeps accurate communication history in one centralized location for reference throughout the design and build process with our homeowners.”
Provide Opportunities
Curating pathways of growth for each person on his team is how Eugene Sakai, CEO and partner at Studio S Squared Architecture in San Jose, California, fosters loyalty and long-term engagement. “Talented team members don’t feel the need to jump ship and find those opportunities for growth elsewhere — I believe it’s why they stick around,” he says.
For Machi Medrzycki, general contractor at MLM in New Orleans, effective leadership begins and ends with the person at the top — you. He shares his top tips for driving success and inspiring your team, whatever its size.
Lead by Example
“Demonstrate professionalism, accountability and work ethic,” Medrzycki says. “Remember, when good things happen in the company, it is always thanks to the team. When things go wrong, it is always your fault.”
Foster Team Morale
“Recognize achievements, provide feedback and celebrate milestones,” Medrzycki says. “Be mindful which projects to say no to. Your infrastructure and human resources are more valuable than one bad client who lowers morale.”
Resolve Conflicts Quickly
“Address issues directly to maintain team harmony. Fire fast, hire slow,” Medrzycki says.
Adapt and Grow as a Leader
“Be flexible, adjusting to your team’s needs and project demands,” he says. “Take your ego out of the equation — and expect the same from your team.”
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“Demonstrate professionalism, accountability and work ethic,” Medrzycki says. “Remember, when good things happen in the company, it is always thanks to the team. When things go wrong, it is always your fault.”
Foster Team Morale
“Recognize achievements, provide feedback and celebrate milestones,” Medrzycki says. “Be mindful which projects to say no to. Your infrastructure and human resources are more valuable than one bad client who lowers morale.”
Resolve Conflicts Quickly
“Address issues directly to maintain team harmony. Fire fast, hire slow,” Medrzycki says.
Adapt and Grow as a Leader
“Be flexible, adjusting to your team’s needs and project demands,” he says. “Take your ego out of the equation — and expect the same from your team.”
More for Pros on Houzz
Read more stories for pros
Browse millions of photos for inspiration
Learn about Houzz Pro software
Talk with your peers in the Houzz Pro Forum
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The experts we spoke to agree: Surrounding yourself with the right people as your business grows is one of the most important steps to success. So what do seasoned design-business owners value most in a candidate? “Passion is No. 1,” says Julie Cavanaugh, founder and principal designer at Design Matters, which operates five studio showrooms in Northern California; Jackson, Wyoming; and Park City, Utah. “If a candidate has a resume that is not exactly what we are in need of but [the skills] can be trained and developed, then I evaluate that candidate based on passion, commitment, team approach and overall fit for culture. If the passion is there, the rest can be taught.”
Alex Secki, operations and project manager at Muse Residential in Concord, North Carolina, says: “I look for candidates who demonstrate strong organizational skills, attention to detail and the ability to collaborate across departments. Additionally, I seek individuals who are adaptable, capable of working in fast-paced environments and have a willingness to learn.”