Jen’s Framework for Hiring and Training the Right People, Episode 275

How Jen Trained a Team to Make a High-Touch Product—and Got Her Life Back

The repeatable framework one maker used to scale her handmade business without sacrificing quality (or her sanity).

Most makers hit a wall when demand grows. You can only sew so many hours. You can only fulfill so many orders. And when the product is high-touch and sentimental—like a heirloom memory bear made from someone’s loved one’s clothes—the idea of handing over the reins feels impossible.

That’s exactly where Jen Cura found herself. She runs The Patchwork Bear, a handmade business that transforms meaningful clothing into custom keepsakes. Every order is unique. Every customer is emotional. And every step, from intake to sewing, is personal.

But Jen figured it out.

Today, she leads a 12-person team, has stepped out of daily production, and just launched her first new product in over a decade—all while maintaining the quality and trust her business is known for.

Here’s how she did it.

 

The Oprah Call That Changed Everything

Jen started small—making quilts and matching bears in her spare time. Like many handmade business owners, she was filling orders solo and flying by instinct. Then, everything changed.

In 2017, Oprah chose her memory bears as one of her "Favorite Things," and the floodgates opened.

Orders exploded overnight. And Jen realized her solo workflow wouldn’t scale—especially not if she wanted to preserve the quality her customers counted on.

 

Step One: Break the Process Into Parts

Instead of rushing to hire, Jen got systematic. She broke her production process into five core phases:

• Order intake
  
• Design and layout
  
• Sewing
  
• Finishing details (like hand-stitched embroidery)
  
• Packaging and shipping 

This was the turning point. She mapped each phase into a repeatable set of steps and turned those steps into documented SOPs (Standards of Practice).

This approach gave her two immediate benefits:

1. She could clearly see where she needed help first.
   
2. She could train others to do the work without being in the room.

 

Don’t Hire a Helper—Hire for the Job

Like many founders, Jen’s first instinct was to look for a general “assistant” to help with everything. But that didn’t work. The work was too varied—and too nuanced—for one person to master it all.

So she flipped her hiring strategy.

Instead of finding one person to do five things, she found five people to each do one thing really well. Whether it was sewing, embroidery, or intake, she matched the right person to the right task.

She even created a Typeform application to pre-screen candidates and assess their personality and fit for her work style. The form asked what kind of work they enjoyed, how they liked to receive feedback, and whether they preferred structure or flexibility.

 

“I was looking for people who enjoyed doing detailed work and didn’t mind doing the same task over and over again.”

 

That clarity helped her find team members who weren’t just capable—but who thrived in the roles she was hiring for.

 

SOPs Make Training Way Easier

Once Jen had her systems in place, training became much simpler.

She didn’t have to personally teach each new person from scratch. Instead, she could plug them into a documented process, start them on a simpler product (like the mini bear), and gradually introduce more advanced projects over time.

The result? Everyone on her team learns in phases. They follow the same workflow. They use the same tools. And they hold each other accountable to the same standard.

 

“I realized if I want to scale, I can’t be the only one who knows how to do everything.”

 

 

What Happened When She Finally Stepped Out

Once her systems were running and her team was in place, Jen did something she hadn’t been able to do in over a decade: she created something new.

She launched a brand-new DIY bear pattern and began offering kits for customers who wanted to make their own bears at home. It was an entirely different offer—but one her audience was ready for.

Without the pressure of daily production, she could finally focus on product development, marketing, and growth.

She now works in monthly rhythms:

• One month focused on marketing and sales
  
• One month on production oversight
  
• One month to reset and plan 

That breathing room didn’t just change her business—it changed her life.

 

This Framework Isn’t Just for Makers

Jen’s product is handmade. But her process applies to any ecommerce store owner who wants to grow without burning out.

Here’s what she’d tell anyone getting ready to hire:

• Break down your tasks into clear phases
  
• Document what’s working before you hire
  
• Hire people for one specific role—not a vague “assistant”
  
• Create a simple screening process to save time
  
• Train using systems, not guesswork 

You don’t have to give up quality to scale. You just have to stop doing it all yourself.

 

“I thought no one else could ever do it like I do. But when you build a system, people can actually do it better.”

 

RELATED LINKS:

The Patchwork Bear

Golden Advice from a Multi-6 Figure Maker

https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/golden-advice-from-a-multi-6-figure-maker-episode-273/

The $500/Hour Job You Should Be Doing

https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/the-500-hour-job-you-should-be-doing-episode-226/

Make your business run without you. Here’s how.

https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/make-your-business-run-without-you-heres-how-episode-201/