Roadside Assistants Consider these points before you hire.

What Does Your new company have in common with IBM, Exxon and even Disney World? There are certain basic functions that must happen for the business to operate--functions like production, marketing, sales, customer service and administration. You can either do everything yourself, or hire others to help. Solo operations can be very effective and profitable, but if you choose to go the latter route, you'll need a strategy for building the human side of your organization. Your options include the hiring of full- and part-time employees, formal outsourcing, and the use of independent contractors on an ongoing or per-project basis.

Reed Boardman, president of Media Services and Production Group in Orlando, Florida, says that how you provide for personnel depends on what you want to accomplish. "Ask yourself what your objective is," Boardman says. "Do you want someone whose first priority is the success of your company, or do you just need someone to provide a repetitive, routine service?"

Throughout his entrepreneurial career, Boardman has used a combination of employees and independent contractors. Employees, he says, tend to be more loyal and have a stronger interest in building and protecting your company. However, for an employee relationship to work, the commitment must be mutual; you must be willing to invest as much in your employees as you want them to invest in your business.