Red Flags Don’t Change Color

This morning, I woke up to a golden sunrise over the Atlantic.

But down at the beach entrance, there it was: a red flag.

A Category 4 hurricane is churning offshore, and that flag is a warning:

• Rough surf.

• Strong currents.

• Don’t swim.

And it hit me... red flags in business are just the same.

They’re warnings. But we don’t always treat them that way.

Especially when it comes to hiring.

I’ve ignored red flags before.
Thought yellow ones would turn green.
Hoped someone would rise to meet the role, even when the signs said otherwise.

I was wrong.

Red flags don’t turn yellow.
Yellow flags don’t turn green.

The Hiring Process I Use Every Time

So what do you do when you’re hiring?

Here’s the exact process I follow now:

1. Get crystal clear on what you need. Role, hours, availability, skills.

2. Communicate your non-negotiables. Be upfront in interviews.

3. Test their fit in your kind of “crazy.” For me? It’s Slack. I expect replies within 4 hours.

4. Do the beer/coffee test. Would you hang with this person outside of work?

5. Give them a test project. Like Dan Martell says: “You can’t work with someone until you work with someone.”

6. Only then make an offer. No skipping steps. No hiring on hope.

Just clear decisions and calm confidence.

What If You’re Not Ready to Hire?

Maybe you’re thinking… “Ashley, I’m nowhere near hiring a team. I’m still trying to hit $5k months.”

But this process works even if you’re only hiring a VA for a few hours a week. That’s how I started.

I’ve used it for full-time staff and part-time help. Every time, it works.

Because here’s the truth:

• I stopped believing I could change a red flag.

• I stopped looking past the yellows.

• I accepted that I can’t control the ocean, and I can’t change people.

But I can lead my business like the creative CEO I am.

And so can you.