Special Ops with Emma Rainville

Episode: Fix This Before You Hire – Why ‘Fire Fast’ Only Works If You Prep Right

Date: September 2, 2025

Host: Emma Rainville

Episode Overview

In this episode, Emma Rainville dissects one of the most common and costly business mistakes: hiring people to fix broken processes. With personal anecdotes and clear tactical advice, Emma walks listeners through the sequential steps required to set up effective hiring practices—including process design, role clarity, and onboarding. She emphasizes ownership, strategic interviewing, and why “fire fast” is only effective if the right foundation is laid beforehand.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Fix the Process, Not Just the People

• Fundamental Principle:
  • “Hiring to correct something that doesn't have a process will never work. You've got to fix the process first.” (00:00)
• Too often, business owners hire to solve recurring issues—when the real fix is process improvement.
• Before recruiting, document your Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
  • “You gotta have at least the standardized operating procedures in writing before bringing the person on.” (04:00)

2. Defining the Role

• Outline a clear job description detailing responsibilities and expectations.
• Identify 1-3 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for each role to objectively measure success.
  • “What does success look like for this role?” (07:30)
• Example: For a customer service manager, KPIs might be handle time, resolution rate, refund rate, etc.

3. Values & Culture Alignment

• Use previously created avatars (ideal candidate profiles) to help shortlist culture-fit candidates.
  • “Your values driven future is what I'm talking about there. What values do the people that you hire hold?” (10:30)
• Only proceed to hiring after this groundwork is complete.

4. Candidate Assessment Tools

• Emma recommends the PreviewHR test for evaluating learning ability, interests, and cultural fit.
  • “I do not get an affiliate payment. I just really enjoy this test...I don't necessarily care what someone knows. No matter what they know, I'm going to have to spend time teaching them how I do things.” (13:40)
• The test also helps shape interview questions based on a candidate's weak areas.

5. Sourcing & Shortlisting Candidates

• Use job boards like Dynamite Jobs but be willing to experiment with different sources.
• After resume review, send pre-interview questions. Only then invite qualified candidates to take the PreviewHR assessment.

6. Interview Process

• Interview Length:
  • First interviews vary: customer service roles may be 45-60 minutes; ops, 2-3 hours.
• Favorite Interview Questions:
  • “What is your five-year goal for your personal life? ...for your professional life?”
  • “What does your perfect day at work look like?”
  • “How do you handle missed KPIs?”
• Personality & culture fit get priority over technical proficiency.
• Team Interviews:
  • For key hires, have trusted team members (e.g., Richard, Thiago, Saka) meet the candidate to assess interpersonal dynamics.
  • “It's important to me that they're going to rely on that person.” (25:40)

7. Candidates Should Interview You, Too

• Emma values candidates who actively question company culture, expectations, and definitions of success.
  • “If they're not interviewing me back, then they're probably not looking for a career.” (22:40)
• For roles like janitor, this is less relevant; for ops or leadership, it’s essential.

8. The Working Interview

• Offer a paid short project before the final job offer, giving both parties a chance to test compatibility.
  • “I offer a working interview where they get paid to produce X deliverables...” (29:20)
• Candidates get access to team members and some information is intentionally left out to see how resourceful and self-directed they are.

9. Onboarding: Structure & SOP Updates

• Emma prefers to start new hires on Tuesday (not Monday).
• Onboarding includes:
  • Reviewing all SOPs relevant to the role.
  • Candidates sign off after confirming comprehension.
  • Over the first two weeks, new hires update and rewrite SOPs.
  • “We generally update all of our SOPs in my company every six months. ...With AI for the past year and a half that really hasn't been enough.” (36:50)
• Daily or staged integration with various team members ensures engagement and cultural assimilation.

10. KPI Reviews & Performance Milestones

• Emma schedules formal reviews at 30 and 90 days post-hire, focusing on KPI achievement and fit.
  • “I want to hire slow and I want to fire fast. And I've lived and breathed by that.” (46:30)
• If someone isn’t excelling by 90 days, she assesses what mentorship or resources are necessary—or whether the fit isn’t right.

11. Emma’s Favorite Interview Question

• “What is your biggest opportunity for improvement or what's your biggest weakness?”
  • “Anyone who says ‘I don't have one,’ I never hire. Ever. You're not self aware.” (52:00)
• Memorable candidate story: Emma recounts a time a potential assistant bluntly admitted to drug and alcohol binges—proof of the question’s power to expose dealbreakers.
  • “She said, ‘I'm a real badass when it comes to my job, but sometimes I go on benders and disappear for a few days.’ At first, I thought she was joking. She wasn't. She was dead serious.” (53:25)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I don't treat my business like a family. These are not my kids. These are not my siblings. These are my employees. I am their boss.” (01:30 & 42:10)
• “If they're not interviewing me back, then they're probably not looking for a career.” (22:40)
• “Hire slow and fire fast. And I've lived and breathed by that.” (01:31, 46:30)

Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |------------|--------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 | “Fix the process first” principle; episode’s main focus introduced | | 06:10 | Building a job description and aligning it with SOPs | | 13:40 | Overview and endorsement of PreviewHR for candidate assessment | | 18:50 | Emma’s interview framework and favorite questions | | 22:40 | “Candidates should interview you back” concept | | 25:40 | Involving the team in the interview process | | 29:20 | Structure and rationale for the working interview | | 36:50 | Updating and integrating SOPs in onboarding | | 46:30 | 30, 90-day review cycle; “hire slow, fire fast” | | 52:00 | Favorite question: “Biggest opportunity for improvement” | | 53:25 | Story about the most memorable candidate response |

Actionable Playbook

Emma encourages listeners to download her interview questions and onboarding templates via the Visionary Vault at specialopspodcast.com, emphasizing execution with a practical, tactical approach.

Tone, Language, and Style

Emma’s tone is candid, practical, and energetic. She uses direct language and draws from real-world examples, balancing tactical advice with memorable anecdotes. Entrepreneurs and managers will find her framework both actionable and relatable.

Missed the episode? This summary delivers the full tactical blueprint for building a hiring process that actually works—so you can “hire slow, fire fast”, and make sure your next hire is a win for your entire company.