What to keep in mind when hiring your first employee

It’s no secret that one clear sign of business success is getting to that moment when hiring that first employee is the apparent direction. But this hinges on a variety of factors that entrepreneurs must fully understand. After all, hiring people is premised on a business’ capacity to now sustain itself while paying others.

Keep in mind that any business that doesn’t pay you as the entrepreneur is nothing more than a hobby. And expanding it is the route of upgrading from a job to a full-fledged career. We have to therefore put the business’ health at the forefront when making that first decision to hire. And it’s something we cannot rush.

For one, having a staff may change the general feel of the business as now it won’t just be you making decisions and dealing with clients. What if clients are not happy with your new hire? What if they’d rather transact directly with you? Of course, we cannot do everything, especially as the business grows. But it’s crucial that we get things right.

When finally deciding to hire, ensure that your employees are as passionate as you are about the goals of the business. And don’t treat them as your “mini-me,” but people who require little supervision when it comes to going the extra mile for the business when the chips are down.

Begin with finding that solid, right-hand person, one you can trust with sensitive business information, particularly those that make your business model distinct. Also, consider not getting a friend or family member as your first hire as it might prove difficult to let him or her go just in case the business turns out unable to sustain more people.

Michael Giuffrida is a managing partner at Titan Strategic Partners. He obtained his Business Management degree from the University of Connecticut in 1993. More on Michael and his work here.