Guide to Hiring: Do’s and Don’ts To Consider

Hiring employees is an important aspect of small business growth.

There are many things to consider and doing it right from the start is essential. Use this resource to learn how to create an opportunity as you hire that helps both your business succeed and your employee thrive.

Para español, haga clic aquí.

About Shared Success

Shared Success, a project of the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program, shows how building better jobs can simultaneously uplift workers while also driving small business success.

About the Economic Opportunities Program

The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy.

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More from Shared Success

Skyscraper and sky, viewed from below
Publications

Building Shared Success: A Guide to Small Business Job Quality Advising for CDFIs

This tool offers guidance for business advisors at CDFIs on how to have conversations with small business owners on job quality improvements.

What is Shared Success?
Videos

What is Shared Success?

Video — Shared Success, a project of the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program, is grounded in the understanding that building better jobs and building stronger businesses go hand in hand.

Shared Success by the Numbers
Publications

Shared Success by the Numbers

This infographic shares statistics on impact of the Economic Opportunities Program’s Shared Success demonstration. Dive into a detailed breakdown of the diverse businesses and entrepreneurs involved in this work.

Photos of workers at small businesses by Barbara Magnoni
Publications

Shared Success Final Evaluation Reports

  • Tim Ogden
  • Barbara Magnoni
  • Tracy Cole
Investing in People, Investing in Success: How Internal Job Quality Can Strengthen Community Development Financial Institutions
Publications

Investing in People, Investing in Success: How Internal Job Quality Can Strengthen Community Development Financial Institutions

This brief shares key lessons and takeaways that could be used to implement internal job quality practices to strengthen CDFIs and other small business support organizations. 

How Understanding and Acting on Workers’ Perspectives Drives Small Business Success: Lessons From Shared Success CDFIs
Publications

How Understanding and Acting on Workers’ Perspectives Drives Small Business Success: Lessons From Shared Success CDFIs

Supporting small business owners in understanding and acting on workers’ perspectives is a promising practice for simultaneously advancing job quality and small business development organizations’ missions to promote economic resilience.

Shared Success Mid-Term Evaluation Report
Publications

Shared Success Mid-Term Evaluation Report

Comprehensive findings from qualitative and quantitative research on participating small business owners and workers conducted at the end of the demonstration will be released in spring 2026.

Shared Success Evaluation Presentation Deck
Publications

Shared Success Evaluation Presentation Deck

This endline evaluation of the Shared Success demonstration aims to understand the impact of the work of the 11 community lenders who integrated job quality programming into their small business support services.

  • Tim Ogden
  • Barbara Magnoni
  • Tracy Cole