Nova Rosaia always knew she wanted to work on her business – not in it. But it took her a while to get to that point. In this piece, she shares the three most important management moves she took to step back from her business.
When I started Warrior One Yoga ten years ago, I was given a piece of advice that stuck with me: “Work on the business, not in it.”
So, from the get-go, I decided not to teach yoga classes – but in those early years, I wore all the other hats.
I was across everything: admin, management, rostering, marketing, customer service, events, cleaning, repairs. You name it, I did it.
And it took time (years in fact) to figure out how to step back without things falling apart.
What I’ve come to realise is that real success isn’t about doing it all. It’s about building something that works, even when you’re not in the room.
For me, that meant learning to hire differently, lead differently, and trust more. These three management shifts made all the difference.
Hire people who lead themselves
This one took a while. In the beginning, I hired people based on experience or qualifications, what was on paper. But some of those hires needed constant direction or weren’t aligned with our culture. That created extra work and made it hard to step back.
I started focusing on people who lead themselves. People who are proactive, aligned with our values, and genuinely want to do meaningful work. I look for curiosity, accountability, and a willingness to figure things out. In interviews, I’ll ask questions like “What helps you stay motivated without someone checking in?”
It’s not about perfection. It’s about attitude. When you hire people who take ownership, you create space for them to grow and for you to step back without everything resting on your shoulders. I’m a huge fan of the 80/20 rule, getting things 80 per cent right creates space for 20 per cent growth, reflection and improvement.
Mentor, don’t manage
The way I lead now is very different from how I started. I used to micro-manage and control all the outcomes. But over the years I’ve learned that the best leaders don’t manage, they mentor.
That shift didn’t come naturally. I had to learn it. I read, got advice, and asked my team what they needed from me. I realised that when I stopped trying to be across everything, my team stepped up in ways I hadn’t imagined.
Create the conditions for delegation
Letting go isn’t and wasn’t easy. When you’ve built something from scratch, it’s hard to hand it over. I used to think stepping back meant things would slip. But the opposite happened.
The turning point for me was creating clear systems. We documented everything from how we set up the studio in the morning to how we handle a tricky customer conversation. That gave the team confidence and gave me the freedom to focus on the bigger picture.
Delegation started to feel less risky, because there was structure behind it. When people know what success looks like they rise to meet it and they make it their own.
Now, I can travel, take time away, or pour energy into new ideas, knowing the business is running beautifully without me needing to be there every minute of every day.
Building a business that doesn’t rely on you doesn’t mean you don’t care. It means you’ve done the work to build something strong, clear and empowering, for your team, your community, and yourself.
