Hiring, Firing and Everything In Between

In this episode of The Dressing Gown CEO podcast, co-hosts Em and Ili Ciardiello bring a refreshingly candid and unpolished take on entrepreneurship, parenting, and life in general. They share personal experiences from running Foil Me, blending humor, practical insights, and honest discussions about the challenges of balancing business and family. The podcast covers a wide range of topics, from employee management and company culture to dealing with kids helping out in the family business.
One of the central themes of the podcast is hiring, managing, and letting go of employees. The hosts emphasize the importance of setting up regular performance check-ins and offering consistent feedback during an employee’s probation period. They advocate for six-month to year-long probation periods, which offer enough time to assess if someone is truly a good fit for the company. The podcast stresses the importance of documenting these discussions and notes that firing someone should only come after giving them a fair chance to improve, but if the decision is made, it should be done swiftly to avoid dragging it out.
They also discuss pay reviews, arguing that a pay raise shouldn’t be automatic just because an employee has been with the company for a certain amount of time. Instead, raises should be based on merit and measurable progress. While many businesses offer annual pay reviews, Em and Ili advocate for honest assessments where a pay review could simply mean that the employee is being compensated fairly for their work without necessarily receiving a raise. They offer nuanced perspectives on employee management and culture, sharing anecdotes from their own business experience.
On the lighter side, the podcast dives into the topic of involving children in the family business. Em and Ili explore the dynamics of working with their kids and how they approach balancing parent and boss roles. While their children have helped with tasks like packing, the hosts humorously reflect on the challenges and the occasional decision to “fire” their kids in a playful, figurative sense. They discuss the value of having kids understand the business side of things, but also joke about how nice it would be to "fire" kids in general when they act bratty.
The informal, unpolished nature of the podcast is one of its most charming aspects. Recorded in casual settings, like kitchens with cupboards open and dishes on the counter, the hosts pride themselves on being authentic and relatable. They make it clear that the podcast is raw and real, much like their day-to-day lives as business owners and parents. Despite this, they are open to feedback from listeners, always seeking ways to improve both their podcast and their business.
Through all this, Dressing Gown CEO stands out as a podcast where business lessons, personal anecdotes, and humor intersect. Whether talking about firing decisions or joking about firing kids, Em and Ili deliver a down-to-earth, engaging experience for listeners. It's a unique blend of entrepreneurship, real-life parenting, and lighthearted banter.