Digital Stormwater, a marketing agency, faced this exact problem when they scaled operations.
They considered various solutions, including hiring freelancers from Fiverr and Upwork or partnering with white-label outsourcing companies. Despite the effort, they still struggled to find specialized talent that could align with their industry's unique needs and maintain the level of quality their clients expected.
The Challenge:
Scaling Expertise in a Niche Market
Ty Garmon, Chief Digital Strategy Nerd at Digital Stormwater, saw they were growing so much that he and his wife couldn't keep up with their clients' expectations.
As a small team serving a specialized market, the agency struggled with:
- Finding niche talent. With a limited talent pool, it was hard to find candidates with both marketing experience and knowledge of the stormwater industry. Going through rounds of interviews was tedious and time-consuming for Ty and his team.
- Maintaining quality. As service demand increased, the team struggled to ensure the consistent quality of work their clients expected. According to Ty, they were experiencing “growth beyond what I felt myself and my wife could deliver to our clients in a manner they are used to receiving.”
- Cost-effective hiring. Time and money were lost trying to identify efficient ways of adding highly skilled staff in a niche market.
The Solution:
Access to highly skilled global talent for sustainable scaling
When Digital Stormwater needed to expand, Shepherd provided highly skilled talent at a value unmatched in the U.S. market.
Here’s how we helped Digital Stormwater transform its operations:
- Targeted talent acquisition. Shepherd’s team presented qualified candidates, offering a solution that directly addressed Digital Stormwater's specialized needs. Ty and his team no longer needed to review dozens of resumes — with Shepherd, they only had to choose from a vetted list of qualified candidates.
- Diverse talent pool. Hiring remotely meant gaining access to exceptional talent at a fraction of the cost. We helped them hire a content writer who was able to produce consistent and high-quality work. Breaking down geographical and financial barriers gave Digital Stormwater access to high-quality hires that met their unique needs.
- Affordable hiring. Hiring cost savings can make a difference when you're running a startup. With Shepherd’s innovative hiring strategies, Digital Stormwater was able to broaden its workforce affordably, ensuring sustainable growth without financial strain.
Ty appreciated that "the value for the level of competence and acumen that the talent has versus their U.S. counterparts" meant they could grow without compromise.
Shepherd gives startups like Digital Stormwater a big leg up.
Ty Garmon says it best:
"There is always going to be an advantage if you can hire someone that does a great job and you are able to pay them a good wage that is affordable."
Smart hiring lets him focus on the unique parts of the business that only he can handle.
This strategic move positions Digital Stormwater competitively and emphasizes the importance of smart hiring practices for startup growth and operational efficiency.
Scale sustainably with remote talent
Shepherd is your partner in sustainable scaling. If you’re a startup looking to expand your team with global talent, we’re here to help. Our proven process, along with our 6-month guarantee, ensures that you only get the best of the best.
Get in touch with our team today.
