​Whether you're a leader in a founder-led business looking to scale, or you're a larger SME pushing for that next phase of growth, there's a good chance the business journey started with a product. A unique idea, a gap in the market, or something you/the founder, knew could make an impact. And the product did take off. Maybe it even sold itself for a while.

But no matter what stage of growth you're at, whether you're looking to make your first hire or increase your headcount, this is where the journey comes to a fork in the road.

While a great product can get you on the shelf, it's not what keeps you there, or gets you off it for that matter, into the hands of the customer. That job falls to your people, specifically your Sales and Marketing people. And this is where many fast-growing FMCG businesses start to feel the strain. Because the skills that helped launch the product at the beginning aren't necessarily the same skills that help scale a company.

Great products Spark Growth - People Sustain It

It's not hard to believe that great products are the key to sustainable growth. And they are...to an extent. But when you look at brands that have scaled super well, the product is only the beginning. In the collective years the Signature Team has spent in the FMCG industry, what we find is that the start-ups that grow to be dominating SME's, and the SME's who have persistent performance, invest early and intentionally in their people, particularly in sales, marketing, and operations.

Looking at the brands that lead the market today, they aren't just innovating in product development. They're building smart, commercially-focused teams that know how to tell the brand story, open up new retail relationships, drive digital traffic, and, crucially, convert that interest into a lasting loyalty … which isn't a skill to be sniffed at given the short attention span of people today!

To quote Simon Sinek in his well-known TED Talk: "People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it." Get people to fall in love with your "why" as well as the end product, and you're on to a winner - this is what your team does.

The Common Pain Point: Founders and First Hires

Clients over the years have told us that the hurdle in scaling their FMCG business is what happens behind the scenes when the product starts to take off. The founder/s, who is likely doing everything themselves, is suddenly in unfamiliar territory. The business now needs structure, process, and people. Sound relatable?

And here's a stark truth - founders aren't always great people managers. That's not a criticism - it's a reality. Founders are wired to build, hustle, and solve problems fast.

The transition from "founder-does-it-all" to "team-delivers-with-scale" is one of the most crucial (and often uncomfortable) moments in a company's growth. It requires founders to let go of control, hire with precision, and trust others to take the reins in key areas.

That's easier said than done, especially when you've built your brand with your own two hands.

Why the Back End Matters as Much as the Front End in Scaling an SME

You don't need us to tell you that in FMCG, the front end of the business - the product, packaging, launch hype - gets a lot of attention. But when growth kicks in, the back end - people, systems, operations - is what holds everything together.

So it stands to reason, without the right people and processes, even the best product can collapse under the weight of its own demand. We've heard these pain points from many clients over the years: stock issues, poor retail execution, lack of follow-up with leads, or customer support bottlenecks. These aren't product problems, of course, they're people problems. And they're avoidable.  

The SMEs we work with that succeed long-term are the ones that treat hiring as an ongoing, strategic priority, not a reaction to overwhelm.

So, What Can Founders and SME Leaders Do?

Based on our experience in supporting growing FMCG brands, here's what we see the successful brands do:

1. Be intentional about hiring early on - whether it's your first hire, or you're scaling a team, don't wait until you're overwhelmed. If you can, and budget allows, plan ahead. Think about the next phase of growth and what roles you'll need to support it, particularly in sales and marketing.

2. Hire for values and energy, not just skills on a CV - your hires need to bring more than just experience, they need to actually care about the product and your 'Why'. They need to believe in the mission and match your energy. Skills can be taught. Passion and attitude? Less so.

3. Build a clear hiring process - Define your values. Benchmark roles against market standards. Implement structured interviews and feedback loops. Hiring shouldn't be based on gut feel or volume - it should be a repeatable, scalable process - to grow as you grow.

4. Working with a specialist - Finding great people in FMCG is hard. Mainly because the best people are already in jobs they love and are being looked after - 90% of candidates we place are passive, not active - therefore their CV isn't on job boards and they aren't looking at your advert on your website. If your budget allows, partnering with a specialist agency that really understands the market, culture fit, and commercial realities can save you time and stress!

Final Thoughts

Scaling a business is exciting, but also stressful if value isn't placed on the people side of things. As you grow, the hires you make today will shape the future of your brand. And for founders and SME leaders who are used to doing it all themselves, this shift can feel daunting.

But it's also a massive opportunity.

Because when you bring in the right people, not just employees, but passionate brand ambassadors, you're not just growing a company. You're building a team that can take your product to places you couldn't reach alone.

And that’s where the real momentum begins!