Hiring Smarter in a High Pressure Year

Ed Waldvogel • May 30, 2025

You know the drill: One quarter it’s go time with more remodels, new stores, aggressive growth goals. The next quarter—cut costs, reduce headcount, pause projects.

Hiring slow isn’t about hesitation—it’s about alignment.

 

Building the right team has always been part strategy / part gut instinct. But in 2025, with directives shifting quarter by quarter, it’s more like threading a needle during an earthquake.

 

Over the last few months, I’ve spoken with recruiters who work exclusively with construction and development teams at multi-unit brands. The consistent theme?


Teams that move too fast on hiring almost always pay for it later.

 

You know the drill:

  • One quarter it’s go time—more remodels, new stores, aggressive growth goals
  • The next quarter—cut costs, reduce headcount, pause projects


TAKEAWAYS:

  • Hiring slow—not from hesitation, but from clarity about what they really need
  • Letting go early when it’s not a fit—before it drains momentum
  • Staying lean by adding flexible, outside support when needed


SIDEBAR: If you're a broker working with franchises or national brands, this is worth passing along. Feel free to forward this email or reach out and I’ll send you a simple version of this you can share directly.


 


Join Our Newsletter

Even fast-growing brands are making tough calls, scaling back in-house teams, hitting pause...

The Most Valuable Hire in 2025?

By Ed Waldvogel • May 1, 2025
Growth isn’t off the table. It just looks different (perhaps better). This is when flexible partnerships win. Outsourced project management works for retail brands and franchises that want to expand without rebuilding full in-house teams, keep projects moving while staying lean, and get expert-level management without long-term payroll commitment.