Yes, I am coming to understand the reasons small business owners avoid hiring employees. On the other hand, I’m also finding that it’s neither as expensive nor as intimidating as some business owners would lead you to believe.

But the best part is listening to everyone and their brother giving me lectures about how to run my business and why I should not have an employee.

Spare me. Puh-leez.

First of all — that business your brother-in-law had back in the ’70s delivering frying oil to restaurants where he had 37 employees, provided the vehicles, and had to have 27 licenses/certifications/permits from a different county in a different state is hardly comparable to my salon in California with a single employee in 2014. (sigh and eye roll)

 What? You used to run a massive corporation with 750 employees that had gross receipts in the tens of millions annually?! Of course I’ll listen to you complain about that. I’m sure your business-owning experience was exactly like mine will be. (I’m going to caption one of those Condescending Wonka pix with that.)

Oh? Your entire knowledge and experience with the beauty salon industry is based on coming to seven of your wife or girlfriend’s nail appointments? Naturally, you have deep insight into the industry I have worked in daily for the last 22 years. I will listen raptly to everything you have to say and follow every word of the advice you give me.

I totally get why people who have owned businesses in the past and have had employees feel qualified to discuss this issue with me. I’m even open to their insight and advice — for as far as it applies to my situation. But the sheer number of people who have no flippin’ clue what a career in this industry entails who feel qualified to tell me how to run a salon has been mind boggling. And irritating. You really don’t think I know what I’m doing? You really don’t think I’ve spent 22 years working under various compensation structures myself and learned anything from it? You really don’t think I’ve carefully researched and compared my options before making this decision?

And just because “that’s the way it’s done” doesn’t make it the right way and won’t absolve me of legal — and financial — responsibility if things go sideways.