From freelance to Asset Store full-time, looking for advice on scaling and hiring
I'm considering taking Unity Asset Store development seriously as a full-time business. I have the technical skills and a few solid ideas, I've spent years freelancing on Upwork and working with independent clients, but I'm ready to build something of my own instead of trading time for money.
I published an asset last year but abandoned it, it's dead. Now I've completely reworked it (not launched yet), plus I have a few more concepts lined up.
That said, marketing (examples, naming, trailer, avoiding generic looks) takes a ton of time. It's the hardest part for me since I don't specialize in it, though I've learned what I can. I use AI for inspiration, but it's still a heavy lift. And with no budget to outsource, I'm doing this part alone for now.
So my real question is:
For those of you already selling on the Asset Store, does your revenue reach a point where you can comfortably pay employees, maintain existing assets, and still work on new ideas (or even other investments)?
I know that sounds vague, but what I'm really trying to understand is how to structure a small team in this specific niche:
- What's a realistic budget for hiring help? (Just ballpark, hourly or monthly)
- How do you manage the risk of employees leaking assets or reusing your code/ideas? I know execution matters more than the idea itself, but I'd still like to hear how others handle confidentiality and trust.
I'm not looking for guesses, I'd love to hear from people who are actually doing this profitably and have hired someone before.
Any insight from those who've been through this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.