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A BusinessXO desk

Hiring & People

People decisions are the most expensive decisions a small company makes, and the arithmetic behind them is rarely written down. This desk writes it down — what a hire returns, what a resignation costs, what keeps good people in the room.

Start with the field guide: The Economics of Keeping People →
15h · the number

The unglamorous first hire

Not a salesperson, not a mini-you. The 15 admin hours most owners quietly spend every week — and the arithmetic of buying them back. 3 min read · August 14, 2026
6–9 · the number

What a resignation actually costs

Replacing a good employee runs six to nine months of their salary once everything is counted. The raise that would have kept them costs a fraction — here's the whole math. 2 min read · August 14, 2026

Other desks

One piece a week. That's the pitch.

About 400 words, always a real number, never a lecture — from whichever desk has something worth saying that week.