If you are anything like me you will hope that one day your craft business will turn full time. But, what if you have too much for one person to do? To start with you might "hire" your husband, wife, mum, dad, sister or niece - you catch my drift - but the need to find more qualified and skilled assistance may at some point be apparent.

Taking this step can be bittersweet. Yes, you will get the help you need but the flip side of that is having to pay for it. Of course you will want an intelligent and hard working assistant but if you cannot provide a suitable pay package then an intern, work experience student or even part-time employee may be the best way to go as you will not necessarily need to provide benefits.

As a small business owner I would imagine that you have become pretty skilled at the things that you need to do, so, when you decide to take on staff, think about your weak areas or the tasks that you do not really enjoy doing. Have a serious thought about what you are able to pay, what skills you require from someone and what their workload is likely to involve. It is really important to ask for a CV and covering letter and give thought to "pre-screening" with Facebook and Twitter research if possible. You don't really want someone who's status update is "I'm bored and online shopping at work". You are in the position to hold out for the perfect candidate who will not only be happy with the money you are able to pay but also someone who sincerely wants to work for you.

Employing someone can be a great help but you will have legal responsibilities for them such as allowing a break in the day and maintaining a safe working environment. You should consult your accountant with regard to payroll and taxes, National Insurance and student loans if applicable. You will also need to look into the relevant insurances in case there was an accident in your work place.

Employing staff can be great but do you know how to be a good boss? We'll look into that next time.