When to Hire Your First Helper: Signs You're Ready to Grow

You're working 70-hour weeks, turning down bookings because you can't do it alone, and you're exhausted. But hiring someone feels like a big step—and a big cost. Here's how to know when you're ready to hire your first helper, and how to do it right.

Signs You Need Help

Hiring feels scary because it's a commitment. But staying solo when you've outgrown it costs you money too. Here are the signs it's time:

You're Turning Down Work

If you're regularly saying no to bookings—not because of pricing or fit, but because you physically can't be in two places at once—you're leaving money on the table. Calculate how much: if you're turning down £500 worth of bookings per month, that's £6,000 a year. Enough to fund part-time help.

Quality Is Slipping

When you're stretched too thin, something gives. Maybe your food prep is rushed. Maybe you're too tired to be friendly with customers. Maybe your admin is falling behind. If you've noticed your standards dropping, it's a warning sign.

Your Health Is Suffering

This is the big one. If you're not sleeping, not exercising, not seeing family—you're burning out. No business is worth your health. Sometimes hiring isn't about growth; it's about survival.

Simple Maths

Here's a straightforward calculation: if hiring someone at £12/hour for 20 hours/week (£240/week, roughly £1,000/month) would let you take on £1,500+ in extra bookings, it's profitable. Even if the numbers are tight, consider what your time is worth—could you spend those freed-up hours on marketing, sales, or rest?

The Real Cost of Hiring

Before you post that job ad, understand what you're actually signing up for. The hourly rate is just the start.

Employer Costs

• Employer's National Insurance: 13.8% on earnings above £175/week. A worker earning £250/week costs you an extra £10.35 in NI.
• Pension contributions: If they earn over £10,000/year, you must auto-enrol them. Minimum 3% employer contribution.
• Holiday pay: 5.6 weeks statutory minimum, including bank holidays. For casual workers, add 12.07% to their hourly rate.
• Insurance: Employers' liability insurance is a legal requirement once you hire anyone. Expect £100-300/year.

Hidden Costs

• Training time: Your first few events together will be slower while they learn.
• Uniforms/equipment: Do they need branded clothing? PPE? Tools?
• Transport: Are you paying mileage if they drive to events?
• Sick cover: When they're ill, who fills in? (Hint: probably you.)

Employee vs Self-Employed Helper

This is where many vendors get confused—and where HMRC gets interested. The distinction matters legally and financially.

Employee

• You control when, where, and how they work
• They must do the work themselves (can't send a substitute)
• You provide equipment and uniform
• You're responsible for tax, NI, pension, holiday pay
• They have employment rights (notice periods, unfair dismissal protection after 2 years)

Self-Employed Contractor

• They control how and when they complete the work
• They can send a substitute if they're unavailable
• They provide their own equipment
• They invoice you and handle their own tax
• They work for other clients, not exclusively for you

Warning: You can't just call someone self-employed to avoid employer responsibilities. HMRC looks at the reality of the relationship. If it walks like employment and quacks like employment, you'll be on the hook for back taxes, penalties, and potentially tribunal claims. Get it right from the start.

Finding the Right Person

Where do you actually find good event staff? Here are options that work:

Personal Network

Ask around. Someone you know might have a family member looking for flexible weekend work. The advantage: built-in trust and accountability. The disadvantage: firing your mate's daughter is awkward.

Hospitality Contacts

People working in restaurants and bars often want extra shifts. They already know food service, understand long hours, and can handle pressure. Post in local hospitality Facebook groups.

Students

University students often have weekend availability and appreciate flexible, well-paying work. Contact catering courses directly—students need industry experience.

Event Staffing Agencies

Agencies like Kru Live, Stafffinders, and local event staffing companies can provide trained staff at short notice. You'll pay a premium (often £18-25/hour all-in), but they handle payroll and you can try before you commit to hiring directly.

What to Look For

Skills can be taught. Attitude can't. Here's what actually matters:

• Reliability: Will they show up? On time? Every time? This matters more than experience.
• Physical stamina: Events are long. They're standing for hours. Can they handle it?
• Customer manner: Are they friendly without being annoying? Can they handle difficult customers?
• Initiative: Will they stand around waiting for instructions, or spot what needs doing?
• Transport: Can they get to venues independently? Many events aren't on bus routes.

Legal Requirements Checklist

Before your first hire's first shift, make sure you've covered these:

Start Small, Learn Fast

Your first hire doesn't have to be a permanent, full-time position. Start with:

• One event: Trial them on a single booking. See how they perform.
• Casual hours: Zero-hours contracts get a bad rep, but they're appropriate for genuinely irregular work.
• Peak season only: Hire help for your busiest months, then reassess.
• Specific tasks: Maybe you just need someone for setup and breakdown, not full service.

Hiring your first helper is nerve-wracking. You've built this business yourself, and handing over any part of it feels risky. But here's the truth: staying solo indefinitely caps your growth and threatens your wellbeing.

The vendors who scale—who build real businesses rather than just jobs for themselves—learn to delegate. Your first hire is the first step. Get it right, and you'll wonder why you waited so long.