My Gut Told Me Not To Hire Her In The Interview

Ready to reset and reconnect? Book your experience at The Bathhouse:https://thebathhouse.try.be/ In this episode of the Ambitious but Exhausted Podcast, Ash shares the business mistake that nearly cost her family everything: ignoring her gut about a manager, allowing the wrong culture to spread, and then making decisions from overwhelm instead of clarity.Ash explains why bad hires are usually not a screening problem but an override problem, how values alignment protects a team, and the hiring process she now uses to build a culture that supports both the business and the people inside it.Ash dives into:◼️ Why your gut is often the first warning sign in a bad hire◼️ How hiring someone who looks right on paper can still damage a business◼️ The $250,000 second-location decision that became Ash’s biggest lesson◼️ How a toxic team culture can quietly grow behind a founder’s back◼️ Why ignoring small operational issues creates bigger financial consequences◼️ What Ash learned after discovering a private team group criticising her and the business◼️ Why firing an entire team can sometimes be the only way to protect the culture◼️ How overwhelm, betrayal, and stress can lead to worse business decisions◼️ The legal and financial fallout of walking away from a commercial lease◼️ Why the right team can help a founder rebuild after a major setback◼️ How values alignment improves communication, loyalty, and performance◼️ Why a values exercise can reveal who is truly aligned with your business◼️ How paid trial shifts show you what an interview cannot◼️ Why letting your existing team help choose new hires protects culture◼️ How strong brand culture creates freedom, flexibility, and better customer experiences00:00:00 The bad hire Ash knew was wrong in the first ten minutes00:00:56 The $250,000 second-location decision00:01:50 Why the manager looked perfect on paper but felt wrong00:03:12 Discovering the private Facebook group and a toxic team culture00:04:14 Firing the whole team and trying to rebuild the business00:05:34 Cash issues, customer complaints, and the cost of overwhelm00:07:13 Walking away from the lease and nearly losing everything00:09:19 Rebuilding through hard work and the right team00:10:26 Why values alignment matters more than a perfect CV00:12:12 How Ash built a stronger culture at The Bathhouse00:13:46 Why paid trial shifts reveal what interviews hide00:15:18 Letting your team help choose the right people00:16:07 Why culture is the glue that holds a business together00:16:39 How brand culture creates freedom for a founderLet's Connect:Website: https://www.thebathhouse.com.auInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashhartneyhttps://www.instagram.com/the_bathhouse_LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ash-hartney-609a1911aTIktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the_bathhouse_