What should I be paying people to attract top talent?

You find the perfect senior hire. They have the résumé. The experience. The track record.
But the salary makes your stomach drop.
Do you stretch and hope it pays off? Or walk away and risk staying stuck?
In this episode, we unpack the real tension leaders face when hiring senior talent in a small business and how to think about compensation without blowing up your risk tolerance.
We talk about:
Why overextending on a big hire can create pressure that sabotages onboarding
How to think beyond base salary and use ownership, scope, equity, and incentives strategically
What to consider when deciding your true risk tolerance as a leader
Why no hiring process can guarantee success and how to de-risk smartly instead
If you are wrestling with whether you can afford that senior hire or afraid you cannot grow without them, this episode will help you make the decision from clarity instead of fear.
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© 2026 Lia Garvin / Managing Made Simple