Your first employee
The first hire is the one that scares everyone. Here's how to make it survivable.
Hire for the task you hate most
Most owners hire a copy of themselves and stay stuck doing the work they hate. Hire the role that frees you from the lowest-leverage thing on your plate, admin, scheduling, field labor, not a 'partner' to do everything with you.
Write down what they will do before you interview
If you can't list the 5 things this person will own, you're not ready to hire. You're ready to vent. Write the job in plain language: tasks, hours, what success looks like in 30, 60, 90 days.
Pay above your local market for the first one
The first hire either sets the standard or sinks the next three. Pay 10-15% above the local going rate and demand more in return. Cheap first hires almost always cost double over a year.
Take your version of this question further
This is one operator-tested angle on the question. Your shop, your size, your trade, and your team change the answer. Ask your specific version inside Ask a Shop Owner to get a response grounded in how owners like you actually handled it.