Your proven roadmap for strategic, essence-based hiring — when full recruitment support isn't in the budget
Sometimes you need to start where you are, not where you think you should be.
This DIY recruitment package gives you The Essence-Aligned Hiring Method — a structured way to hire for essence, not just skills, using the same principles we apply in full recruitment partnerships. You'll get the frameworks, templates, and strategic approach that lead to lasting partnerships, certainly NOT random hiring experiments.
Most hiring fails not because business owners don't care — but because they're taught to assess skills before alignment. That's backwards.
"Katee, your approach is full of heart, which has made all the difference."
Lisa Greensill - Branding Expert
"If you're after someone who's got the experience, intuition, and heart to make things happen, Katee's your person."
Penny Terry - Storyteller, Speaker & Mentor
“A moment of respect for the ad itself – it’s the antidote to a sea of beige, ambiguous listings that leave you guessing what the job really is. Yours was clear and full of intention. It’s the first job ad I’ve read in a long time that felt written by a human, for a human.”
Recruitment Candidate for Nina Field
This will be up your alley if:
You're a coach, consultant, speaker, or facilitator who needs to hire a Business Manager, Executive Assistant, or Practice Manager, but comprehensive recruitment partnership ($3K-12K) isn't accessible right now.
You're already confident using AI tools like Claude or ChatGPT and comfortable working with prompts.
You're willing to drive the process yourself and understand that while the methodology is proven, the outcomes will depend on your implementation.
You want strategic hiring based on essence and values alignment — not guesswork.
"I gained an entirely new perspective—not just on my preferences but on the type of people who elevate my energy and work."
Maria DeBruijn - Author, Facilitator & Mentor
not right for you if;
This isn't a shortcut to expert-led recruitment. If you want optimized outcomes with full strategic partnership, accountability, and hands-on support through every stage, you want my full recruitment services instead.
This toolkit won't do the work for you. You'll be implementing everything yourself — from posting ads to screening candidates to running interviews.
If you're not ready to invest time into the hiring process, this won't serve you well.
When you're carrying the weight of a practice, and full recruitment support isn't accessible, the cost of getting it wrong can feel heavier than the cost of waiting.
This is for business owners who want to hire well, even before they're ready to outsource recruitment.
how the toolkit works
This is The Essence-Aligned Hiring Method — the same methodology I use with full-service clients, packaged for you to implement yourself.
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Understand the four pillars that predict lasting partnerships — and how to spot them in conversations, not resumes.
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Guided questions uncover your working style, values, and what energises you. This becomes the foundation for everything else — your position description, job ads, interview design, and hiring decisions.
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AI prompts informed by your authentic voice, plus strategic guidance on where to post (paid vs organic, SEEK vs LinkedIn vs your network) and how to screen efficiently.
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Ready-to-use questions, frameworks for creating the right space, and guidance on what to listen for beneath rehearsed answers.
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Like having me in your corner analysing candidates, spotting blind spots, and guiding you on what to do next.
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A decision tree that gives you four clear options when you're not 100% certain
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Not just verification they're not a criminal, but coaching on getting the best out of them.
Why essence over experience
In my work with thought leaders and solopreneurs, I've seen the same pattern: hiring for skills alone leads to churn, mismatched expectations, and wrong-fit partnerships.
When you hire based on essence first, you find people who understand how you work, anticipate your needs, and protect your energy. Experience matters, but essence creates lasting partnerships.
The Essence-Aligned Hiring Method walks you through the same frameworks I use to uncover that essence, from developing your tone of voice to designing interviews that reveal values alignment.
Video training on essence-based hiring principles
Tone of voice development with coaching question set (with how-to video)
Position Description template
Position Description AI prompt
Job ad examples + AI prompt
Advertising tips video
Here’s what’ll be loaded into your account when you purchase the Hiring toolkit
Interview questions library
Interview design guide
AI coaching prompt for interview feedback
Decision tree for post-interview uncertainty
Reference check questions and guide
Onboarding philosophy guide
Onboarding checklist template (CSV & PDF)
ready to find your unicorn?
Onetime price: $1780 AUD plus GST
Plus free advertising included, valued at $280
"Through working with Katee, all my hesitation and pressure really dropped away.
The person Katee matched me with - I wouldn't have found her on my own, and we really click."
- Lisa Greensill
What makes this unique
The Essence-Aligned Hiring Method is the actual methodology and frameworks I use with full-service clients, packaged for you to implement yourself.
You'll have the roadmap. You'll know exactly what to do at each stage. But you're the one driving: posting ads, screening candidates, running interviews, making decisions.
My full recruitment services include strategic partnership throughout the entire process, comprehensive candidate screening and shortlisting, custom case study design for final round interviews, interview support and debrief sessions, onboarding design workshops, and advisory support when things get rocky. I'm in your pocket for the full journey, from defining the role through to your new hire's first 90 days.
This toolkit gives you the frameworks and questions to make those decisions yourself. You'll implement the same methodology, you just won't have me alongside you for the judgment calls, the tricky moments, or the strategic pivots.
This methodology replaces guesswork with discernment. So even when you're hiring solo, you're not hiring blind.
meet your toolkit designer
Hey, I'm Katee.
(Yes, like 'Katie' but with two E's).
I've spent years recruiting Business Managers, Executive Assistants, and Chiefs of Staff for coaches, speakers, and consultants.
My approach prioritises essence over experience because I've seen what happens when thought leaders bring on support that doesn't truly get them.
91% of roles I've recruited are still in place. 80% of matched candidates are still in their roles. The Essence-Aligned Hiring Method works, when implemented with intention.
When full recruitment partnership isn't accessible, this toolkit gives you the same frameworks to implement yourself.
what clients say
nice things, from great people
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Penny Terry - Storyteller, Speaker & Mentor
Working with Katee Gray was an absolute game-changer.
From day one, Katee made it her mission to really get us—our business, our culture, and the kind of person we needed to make our work, work. It wasn’t just about filling a role; it was about finding the perfect fit, and Katee absolutely nailed it.
What really stood out, though, was how she stayed with us through the whole onboarding process. Katee didn’t just hand us a new manager and disappear—she made sure the transition was smooth, guiding us through any bumps and making sure our new team member felt supported from the get-go. Her ability to foresee what might trip us up and offer up practical solutions was brilliant.
Thanks to Katee, we didn’t just hire the right person; we set them up for success from day one. If you're after someone who’s got the experience, intuition, and heart to make things happen, Katee’s your person.
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Lucy Byrne - Facilitator, Speaker & Coach
Honestly, having Katee in your corner is worth every cent.
We understand why many businesses feel like getting help to hire a business manager is a big leap. It’s an outlay of time and money, and it’s tempting to think, ‘I can just handle this myself.’
But honesty, doing it on your own is a much bigger risk.
If you get it wrong, it’s going to cost you more time, more money, and plenty of sleepless nights!
When we worked with Katee Gray, it wasn’t just about avoiding those risks—it was about making sure we found the right person from the start. Katee’s support saved us so much hassle.
She helped us understand what support we needed, and what skills would provide that support and gave us confidence in our decision.
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Lisa Greenshill - Brand & Messaging Expert
Katee's heart-led approach made all the difference from our very first scoping workshop.
The job description she created was incredible - capturing my personality perfectly while clearly outlining who would work well with me.
What sets Katee apart is her unique 8-step process that begins with genuinely getting to know each other before jumping into systems and tech.
I had hesitations about bringing someone on, but working with Katee eliminated that pressure. We started with fewer hours and built from there, helping me see this not as a cost, but as an investment in creating space for myself.
The person Katee matched me with is someone I wouldn't have found on my own, and we click perfectly. My biggest wow moment was reading that job description. I was smiling & teary, knowing I'd made the right decision working with Katee.
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Maria DeBruijn - Author, Facilitator & Mentor
Working with Katee brought me tremendous clarity.
She helped me not only identify the kind of support I needed but also the energy that would truly complement and propel my work forward. Her ability to unpack the nuances of my practice resulted in a position description that felt spot-on for both where I am and where I want to go. Prioritizing fit and longevity, she ensured these factors guided every step of the hiring process. Her onboarding insights were incredibly valuable, helping us set up for long-term success.
I think what stood out most though was her genuine care—she truly invests in making the right match, and that made all the difference.
In one of our early conversations, Katee invited me to reflect on how I like to work. At first, it seemed like a simple question, but as we started unpacking it, I realized I had never really taken the time to think about what truly energizes me. Through that process, I gained an entirely new perspective—not just on my preferences but on the type of people who elevate my energy and work. That shift has already had a lasting impact, guiding me as I build a strong, collaborative relationship with my business manager.
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Robert Bihar - Facilitator, Coach & Mentor
Katee helped me discover what was important to me and how getting support could amplify that.
She talked me through the distinction and impact of someone proactive. Katee then followed up with "This is how a business manager can protect your energy."
When we identified what I needed from my support person, it was a big moment for me.
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Ann Braithwaite - Speaker, Mentor & Coach
Working with Katee was transformative for my practice.
Her approach to screening candidates and finding my "unicorn" was exceptional. She walked me through each step clearly and explained what business managers could contribute based on her experience—highlighting things I didn't even know I needed. Without Katee, I simply wouldn't have found the right person with this degree of success.
The onboarding phase proved critical. Katee facilitated our early conversations, helping both Janey and me navigate our different working styles. I had purposely recruited someone with complementary skills to mine.
For those hesitant about taking this step, my advice is clear: do it before you think you're ready—that's the whole point. Katee helped me find the courage to make this transition and asked questions I didn't know needed answering.
The proof is in the results. After Katee's guidance through the recruitment and onboarding process, Janey and I had a breakthrough session that unlocked our potential. Now we're flying, and we wouldn't be progressing this quickly without everything that Katee contributed. The investment was absolutely worth it.
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Janey Carr - Business Manager for Ann Braithwaite
I was thoroughly impressed with Katee’s skills and the entire recruitment process.
After experiencing many interviews, Katee's truly stood out. Unlike the predictable questions I'd encountered elsewhere, her approach was refreshingly different—focused on genuinely getting to know me while clearly demonstrating her expertise.
She delved deeply into personality with uniquely insightful questions I hadn't encountered before. What made it special wasn't technical difficulty, but how she uncovered dimensions other interviewers missed with exceptionally effective techniques.
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Angus Jenkins - Keynote Speaker & Leadership Coach
I was wobbling big time, and with such gentleness and kindness, Katee heard me.
She knew how important this was, and felt what I was trying to accomplish. She also recognised that I wasn't seeing some stuff that I was making way too complicated for myself.
Katee, I have such love and respect for you. This journey has done everything for me. It has been one of the highlights of my career.
You've killed it. I applaud you, I honour you, and just thank you for your heart and humanity, because you brought the best out of me.
Questions?
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You get position description templates, job ad creation guides with AI prompts, a comprehensive interview questions library, tone of voice development, reference check guides, onboarding checklist templates, and LinkedIn advertising guidance. Everything you need to hire strategically from role clarity through to onboarding. The toolkit is delivered as a self-paced course with fillable templates and AI prompts you can use with ChatGPT or Claude.
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A Virtual Assistant typically handles task-level work—scheduling, inbox management, basic admin. A Business Manager (or OBM) owns entire domains of your business. They think strategically, manage systems, coordinate projects, and take ownership of outcomes. VAs execute what you tell them to do. Business Managers see what needs doing and make it happen. If you're spending more time delegating than executing, you need a Business Manager.
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If you're drowning in admin tasks and need someone to take things off your plate, start with a VA. If you're ready to hand over responsibility for entire areas of your practice—sales pipeline, marketing coordination, client delivery systems—you need a Business Manager. The diagnostic question: do you need help executing tasks, or do you need someone who can think alongside you and run things independently?
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Plan for 2-6 weeks for the whole process, depending on your capacity. This doesn't include the upfront work of clarifying the role and creating your position description.
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It depends on what you're hiring for and how you work. Offshore VAs work well for straightforward, task-based work with clear instructions. Onshore support (Australia/NZ) typically offers stronger strategic thinking, nuanced communication, and timezone alignment for real-time collaboration. For Business Manager roles where judgment, initiative, and values alignment matter, onshore hiring reduces friction. For admin-heavy VA work where you can provide clear SOPs, offshore can work if you're prepared to invest in training and systems.
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I've seen everything from 5 to 150 applicants per recruitment. It varies based on whether you're hiring remote or hybrid, your pay rate, time of year, and other factors. But mostly it relates to how human and relatable your job ad is. In the toolkit I give you advice and strategies that set you up for success, with options for extra levers to pull if candidate count or quality isn't what you expected.
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This isn't training on how recruitment works. It's the actual methodology—templates, prompts, and frameworks—that you implement yourself. Most hiring advice teaches you to assess skills first. The Essence-Aligned Hiring Method teaches you to assess values alignment and working style first, then verify skills. That shift changes who you hire and how long they stay.
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It's a framework that prioritizes essence over experience. Instead of hiring the most qualified person on paper, you hire for values alignment, working style compatibility, and capacity for the role. The method uses structured interviews, tone of voice development, and case studies to reveal how people think—not just what they've done. 91% of roles I've recruited using this method are still in place.
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Yes. The toolkit assumes you're new to strategic hiring and walks you through each stage. You'll need to be comfortable using AI tools like Claude or ChatGPT, willing to spend time screening applications and running interviews, and ready to make judgment calls. If you want more support through the process, you'll want full recruitment services instead.
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The toolkit includes decision-making frameworks and reference check guides to reduce that risk, but DIY hiring carries more risk than expert-led recruitment. If you make a hiring mistake, you'll need to manage the exit and start again. That's the tradeoff for lower cost. Full recruitment services include interview debriefs, shortlisting support, and strategic guidance that optimize your odds of getting it right the first time.
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The toolkit was designed for thought leaders, coaches, consultants, speakers, and facilitators hiring support roles—Business Managers, Executive Assistants, Practice Managers, Chiefs of Staff. The methodology works for any professional services practice where values alignment and working style compatibility matter as much as skills.
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The toolkit is self-guided. If you want strategic support, interview debriefs, or guidance when you're uncertain, that's part of full recruitment services. You can book add-on sessions separately (Onboarding Mentoring: $680, Playbook Workshop: $495), but the core toolkit is designed to be implemented independently.
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91% of roles I've recruited through full services are still in place. 80% of matched candidates remain in their roles. DIY hiring outcomes depend entirely on your implementation—how thoroughly you screen, how effectively you interview, how well you assess values alignment. The methodology is proven. Your execution determines the outcome.
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Yes. If you start with the toolkit and realise you need more support, we can discuss full recruitment partnership. The work you've done—role clarity, position descriptions, tone of voice—isn't wasted. It becomes the foundation for a recruitment partnership.
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This toolkit gives you the methodology recruitment partners use—position descriptions, interview frameworks, reference check guides—so you can implement the process yourself. You'll invest time instead of money. The toolkit costs $1,780 + GST versus $3,000-$12,000 for full recruitment services. You handle the screening, interviews, and decision-making. You post the ads and coordinate responses. It's not faster or easier, but it's strategic instead of guessing.
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You'll need a way to post job ads (SEEK, LinkedIn, or similar), an email system to coordinate with candidates, and access to AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude to use the prompts provided. You don't need specialized recruitment software. The toolkit includes guidance on where and how to advertise.
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Nope! I leave that one to the lawyers and accountants.
I recommend Found Legal if you'd like to source a detailed template.
“The essence of an individual may not always be loud or ostentatious. Sometimes, it’s the quiet strength, the thoughtful introspection, and the capacity for deep focus that hold the key to innovation and sustained success.”
touch base
I'd love to hear about what you're working on and where you need support.
A note on timing: My 1:1 project capacity is booked through May 2026, but that doesn't mean I can't help you. I have DIY tools and courses for immediate implementation, priority waitlist spots for June onwards, and other options depending on what you need and when you need it.
Fill out the enquiry form and I'll be in touch with what solutions makes most sense for you.