Starting or owning a business is a very interesting journey. Most times, it begins with one person, the founder trying to handle everything. You do what you can to keep the business running, but trying to do everything by yourself can only work for so long. Eventually, it becomes too much to manage, no matter how hard you try or how deep the hustle culture is entrenched in you.
That’s usually when the thought of hiring comes in. You start to realise you need help, someone to take a few things off your plate. But then, you check the numbers and reality sets in. Hiring locally is expensive. The thought of paying full-time salaries, covering benefits and managing office space can make hiring feel completely out of reach. So you shut the idea down before it even starts.
But allow us to reintroduce that idea, this time, in a different way: remote hiring. The pandemic in 2020 changed how the world works. Remote work existed before, but it wasn’t the norm. After the pandemic, everything shifted. Today, it’s completely normal to hire skilled people from other countries who work just as hard, deliver great results, and cost far less than hiring locally. In fact, according to Upwork, 67% of small businesses already have someone on their team who works remotely, showing just how practical and effective this approach has become.
And in today’s article, we’re going to share the secret of how to build a small remote team without breaking the bank.
Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Remote Team
Step 1: Identify What Roles You Actually Need
The very first step when your business is ready to bring in extra help is to reflect on your current workload. Before you even think about hiring, take a step back and look at what’s on your plate. Which areas are taking up the most time? Which tasks could someone else handle so you can focus on the bigger picture?
For example, you might realise you need help managing your online presence. A marketing assistant could handle your social media, keep your blog active, and make sure your brand stays visible. Or maybe you already have marketing support but need a designer to create high-quality visuals and marketing materials.
Whatever the case, the key is to identify exactly what your business needs right now. This helps you decide which role would bring the most impact, and which ones are best suited for remote work.
A great way to start is by mapping out your needs. Write down the recurring tasks you handle daily, weekly, or monthly. Then note which ones could be managed by someone else. This simple exercise helps you see where help is needed most and where remote support would make the biggest difference.
Remember: start small and be strategic. Hire for one key role first, make it work, and build from there.
Step 2: Set a Budget and Define Your Expectations
Once you’ve identified the role you need, the next step is to set a realistic budget. One of the biggest fears small business owners have when hiring is cost, not just salaries, but all the extra expenses that come with it. Things like taxes, benefits, insurance, and office space can make the idea of hiring seem rather impossible.
Start by asking yourself how much your business can comfortably afford to spend each month without putting pressure on other areas. It’s a long-term investment, not just an expense. One of the biggest advantages of offshore hiring is that it gives you access to skilled talent at a fraction of local costs.
Unlike traditional hiring, offshore roles often come with fixed monthly rates, meaning no fluctuating payroll costs. You know exactly what you’re paying each month and what you’re getting in return.
For example, Arwana’s model is built around predictable monthly costs for each hire. Whether you’re bringing on a marketing assistant, designer, or admin support, you get full-time or part time talent at a set monthly rate, helping you plan better and manage your cash flow more effectively.
Step 3: Choose the Right Partner
Once you’ve set your budget, the next step is finding the right partner. This choice can make or break your hiring experience. While some businesses try to manage the process themselves. This often leads to unreliable hires and unexpected costs.
Hiring yourself means handling everything alone: searching through countless CVs, conducting interviews, managing contracts, and ensuring compliance with local employment laws. It’s doable, but not efficient, especially when you are a busy business owner.
That’s why partnering with a trusted offshore agency like Arwana changes everything. We handle the hard parts for you.
Here’s what Arwana takes care of:
- Recruiting: We source top talent from a global pool tailored to your business needs.
- Vetting: Every candidate goes through background checks, skills testing, and interviews to ensure they meet your standards.
- Onboarding: We manage the entire setup process so your new hire is ready to work from day one.
- Payroll and Compliance: We handle payments, taxes, and legal requirements all within one fixed monthly cost.
- Ongoing Support: From performance tracking to issue resolution, we ensure smooth collaboration between you and your offshore team.
Cost-Saving Tips for Small Businesses Building Remote Teams
As a small business, one of your biggest goals is to avoid unnecessary expenses that could drain your resources too quickly. Every decision counts, especially when it comes to hiring, and with the right approach, you can build a strong, reliable team without stretching your budget.
The best way to do this is by hiring offshore talent. Offshore hiring allows you to access skilled professionals in countries where the cost of living, and by extension, salary expectations is much lower than in the UK. For instance, countries like Nigeria, the Philippines, and India are home to thousands of talented marketers, designers, tech and administrative professionals who deliver high-quality work at a fraction of UK hiring costs.
You also enjoy fixed monthly rates and no hidden expenses when working with offshore staffing agencies like Arwana. Arwana’s model helps small businesses save up to £20,000 a year, giving you predictable costs and dependable support. For example, hiring a local marketing assistant might cost around £35,000 per year, whereas an offshore equivalent could cost just £12,000 with the same full-time commitment and skill level.
Best Roles to Hire First for a Small Remote Team
Most of the time, the roles you hire for will depend on your industry. But as a general guide, there are certain roles that work perfectly for small businesses starting to build their remote teams.
For many small businesses, the best place to begin is with marketing or administrative support, again, depending on your needs.
- Marketing Associate: This person helps manage your online presence, blog, and content, and can even support your community management. It’s one of the easiest roles to delegate remotely because it’s digital-first, meaning they don’t need to be in the same country as you to deliver great results.
- Administrative Assistant: Every business owner needs someone to help manage the daily details from inbox management and data organisation to scheduling meetings and keeping up with clients.
- Graphic Designer: Marketing and design go hand in hand. A designer helps create your marketing materials, ensuring your brand always looks professional and consistent across all touchpoints.
- Developer or Tech Support: If you’re in a more tech-inclined industry, having a developer (front-end, back-end, or full-stack) can be essential for maintaining and improving your digital products or platforms.
Depending on your business needs, start with one or two of these roles. Once you see how much time and energy it saves you, you’ll naturally be ready to expand your remote team.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Building a Remote Team
Building a remote team can be exciting, but it’s easy to make mistakes that slow down progress or cost your business more in the long run. Here are a few common ones to watch out for:
- Rushing the Hiring Process
Many founders rush to fill a role and end up with the wrong fit. Taking time to review candidates properly saves you from performance issues and costly replacements. - Not Setting Clear Expectations
Without clarity on tasks, working hours, or performance goals, your remote team can easily lose focus. Clear expectations create structure and accountability. - Poor Communication Practices
Remote teams depend on communication. Skipping regular check-ins or using too many disorganised channels can lead to confusion and delays. - Ignoring Legal or Payment Structures
Every country has its own employment and payment laws. Overlooking this can cause compliance issues or late payments that damage trust.
At Arwana, we help businesses sidestep these mistakes entirely. Our process handles vetting, onboarding, and management, so you can build a capable remote team without the usual trial and error.
Why Partnering with Arwana Makes It Easy
Partnering with Arwana makes building your remote team easy because we’ve already done the hard work for you. We’ve helped several small businesses across the UK build reliable offshore teams without the stress of recruitment, vetting, onboarding, or management.
At Arwana, we handle everything from hiring and screening to onboarding and management. Every candidate goes through a careful vetting process to ensure they’re experienced, skilled, dependable, and the right cultural fit for your business.
We specialise in sourcing top talent for marketing, admin, tech, and design roles, connecting you with professionals who understand how to support small business operations efficiently.
Beyond convenience, partnering with Arwana also means saving more. Our clients save up to £20,000 a year compared to hiring locally without compromising on quality or productivity.
Conclusion
Remote hiring is becoming the smartest way for small businesses to grow without overspending. The world has changed, and the traditional office setup isn’t the only path to building a capable, committed team. Today, you can access top global talent, and scale your operations all from your laptop.
For founders and small business owners, this shift is an opportunity to grow and stay competitive. You no longer need to choose between quality and affordability.
With the right approach, and the right partner, building your dream team is simpler than ever.
If you’re ready to build your remote team without breaking the bank, contact Arwana today and let’s help you take the next big step in your business growth journey.
