How to Set-Up an In-House Team from Scratch
When Peter founded Sitelogic, he wasn’t dreaming of staying a solo operator forever. He wanted to build something bigger.
A real agency with a loyal team and a scalable delivery engine.
But like many founders at the start, he needed the right people, the right timing, and the right hiring strategy to take that leap.
This is the case study covers how Site Logic used flexible hiring to evolve from a one-man consultancy into a committed, high-performing SEO team.
Where Speed Meets Quality
Growth
Sitelogic's Founder promoted the Tech SEO hire to Head of SEO and co-owner of the company.
Retention and Progression
1 year later both hires moved from freelance to full-time and have both been promoted.
Role Hired For
SEO for Hire helped Sitelogic grow Sitelogic's team from scratch.
Site Logic, founded by Peter Bender, started as a one-person consultancy supported by a network of freelancers.
Based in the U.S., Peter was helping clients with SEO and strategy but wanted to evolve from freelancer management to building a true agency.
When he reached out to SEO for Hire, he wasn’t looking for full-time hires just yet.
He wanted flexible, high-quality SEOs who could help him build consistent delivery systems, without overextending too early.
“High-touch service and top-quality candidates
Josh and Daris are great to work with. The candidates were top quality, so all I had to do was focus on the right fit and not technical proficiency. Found two great people to join the team!”
Peter Bender
Founder of Sitelogic
What Challenges did Sitelogic Face?
Peter needed to scale sustainably.
He wanted to test the waters before making permanent hires, ideally finding freelancers who could grow with the agency.
The roles required people who could:
- Handle both technical SEO and content strategy
- Work independently with minimal supervision
- Fit seamlessly into a remote, founder-led structure
- Understand agency operations enough to later take on leadership
It was a delicate balance: finding talent flexible enough for part-time work but senior enough to shape the company’s next chapter.
Our Strategic Hiring Solution
Our team at SEO for Hire identified two ideal candidates within weeks:
- One specialising in technical SEO, operations, and processes
- Another with strengths in content strategy and copywriting
Instead of hiring one person for 20 hours a week, Peter decided to hire both for 10 hours each, combining two complementary skill sets to cover the full SEO spectrum.
This agile structure worked so well that over time, both roles evolved.
After 8–9 months:
- The technical SEO specialist was promoted to Head of SEO, earning equity in the business.
- The content specialist doubled her hours and remains a core part of the team.
Both hires are still with Site Logic today, a testament to fit, flexibility, and foresight.
As our Head of Recruitment sums it up:
“You can find freelancers anywhere. But the difference is finding people who care about your goals, your growth, and your clients.
That’s what turns short-term help into long-term success.”
Daris Benallal
Head of Recruitment
The Human Side
Before the promotion, Josh met Charlie, the newly appointed Head of SEO, at an event in London.
Charlie spoke highly of Peter, the culture, and how aligned the team had become, proof that the partnership worked not only on paper but in practice.
Results Summary
- Two hires placed within weeks, both still with the company nearly a year later
- Transition from freelancer model to full-time leadership
- Agency growth from one-person operation to structured SEO team
- Head of SEO now co-owns the business
The Takeaway for Agency Founders
For founders starting out, hiring freelancers can be the perfect bridge.
But only if you hire the right ones.
“For one-person agencies, bringing in freelancers through a trusted recruitment partner lets you test fit, skill, and vision before going full-time.
Nearly every time we’ve done it, it’s turned into a permanent role, because we find people who actually buy into the business.”
Josh Peacock
Founder & CEO of SEO for Hire
FAQs
How can SEO agencies scale their growth without losing focus on delivery?
By hiring commercially minded leaders who understand both SEO and sales. RE:signal’s Senior Growth Manager connected inbound and outbound activity, creating structure that scaled growth sustainably.
Why is hiring a Senior Growth Manager important for agencies?
A Growth Manager bridges the gap between sales and operations, ensuring that leads convert consistently and delivery teams stay aligned. It’s a role that turns demand into predictable revenue.
What makes a great Growth Manager for an SEO agency?
The best Growth Managers combine sales strategy, CRM structure, and SEO literacy. They understand how to translate technical value into business outcomes – exactly what RE:signal needed to hit conversion targets.
How can agencies speed up hiring for senior commercial roles?
Streamlined, two-stage interview processes focused on cultural and technical fit help agencies move fast. RE:signal filled their senior role in under 25 days through structured collaboration with SEO for Hire.
What can agencies learn from RE:signal’s approach to building a growth function?
Growth is a system, not a department. By hiring strategically and aligning commercial processes with delivery, RE:signal proved that scaling can be achieved without losing cultural integrity or quality.