How Empowering People Smarter Than You Can Skyrocket Your Business

How Empowering People Smarter Than You Can Skyrocket Your Business

I’m often asked what’s my one key piece of advice I’d give to business owners. And while I’ve made a lot of mistakes and learned a lot of lessons over the years, the most valuable insight I’ve discovered is to surround yourself with people who are smarter than you. And then, get out of their way.

It took me years to figure that out. And I don’t say that lightly.

From a one-man band to full-service agency with specialists across 11+ departments, the past (almost) 16 years has been a wild ride. But the single biggest driver of our growth was me letting go.

Involved in Everything

I used to do everything – literally.

When I started Reech, I was involved in every pitch, every client call, every project. Most obviously because at the very beginning, it was just me. But as time went on, this was a tricky habit to break. Because I am immensely proud of the work we put out into the world, and obsessed with upholding the standards I built this agency on.

But as we grew, that level of involvement became unsustainable.

I didn’t want to admit it at first. I thought my hands-on style was positive leadership. That being present in the detail was how you ensured quality and consistency. But the truth is, I wasn’t leading. I was holding things back.

I had become the bottleneck, the blocker, without even realising it. Projects were slowing down, decisions were stalling, and my team – talented as they were – couldn’t step into their full potential because I was always hovering just behind them.

Letting Go

So, I did something that terrified me: I hired people better than me. Bringing in specialists, people who had years of experience in their own right. People who weren’t just good at what they did, but better than me in their own individual areas.

That was tough to swallow, at first. But it was also the turning point.

Hiring business-minded experts and giving them room to lead, learn, and develop has changed everything.

Our services deepened.

Our thinking sharpened.

Our value to clients skyrocketed.

I was no longer running an agency where I had to be involved in everything. I was now building a business where every function had a leader, a focus, and – most importantly – accountability.

From Founder-Led to Team-Led

One of the biggest shifts in our evolution was forming a Board. That felt like a big move, personally and professionally. Entrusting others with the decisions and development of this agency I’d built from the ground-up.

But it gave us exactly what we needed: new perspectives, strategic clarity, and an even greater level of trust in our senior leaders.

Today, I don’t need to be in the nitty gritty. And that’s a good thing. I’m still here, guiding the vision, setting the pace, and making sure we never lose our creative edge. But we have individuals and departments leading from the front, backed by tools, processes, and autonomy that makes the business run like a well-oiled machine.

It’s a far cry from the early days. And honestly? It took me too long to get here. But I’m proud of the progress we’ve made, and how far the team has taken this business.

Trust the Talent

Empowering your people is uncomfortable. At times, it’s terrifying. You’ll wrestle with questions like:

• Will they do it the way I would?

• What if they drop the ball?

• What if clients don’t respond well?

But here’s what I learned: if you’ve hired right and set the direction clearly, they’ll do it better than you would. Because they’ve got the space, the skill, and the focus to do what they were hired for, and they’ll bring a fresh new perspective to it too.

The Next Chapter

Almost sixteen years after starting Reech, we’re more aligned, more focused, and more driven than ever. With dedicated teams in place, a leadership structure that’s built for scale, and a creative new office space, we’re entering the next exciting chapter.

We’ve created an environment where people thrive, ideas flourish, and clients get access to the best of everyone’s brilliance.

And that’s the secret. If you want to grow a business that truly lasts, build a team of people who are smarter than you and then trust them to get on with it.

Why settle for one expert when you can have a whole team of them? Let’s get to work!