Hiring a new employee is always something of a leap of faith for entrepreneurs, and it often takes a few trips to the edge of the cliff to make sure you’re ready to jump. A way to make the plunge a little less scary? Hiring help on a part-time basis.

Your business is growing. You’re excited to make your first hire. You know exactly what responsibilities you’re looking to hand off, you’ve put up a job posting, and you even have a few exciting applicants waiting in the wings. Then you take a quick look at your books and it hits you: Wait, I’m going to be paying out this salary—never mind benefits—every month? Cue record scratch.

“You don’t want to be in a position where you’re working to pay for the assistant,” says New York–based designer Mikel Welch. “My advice is to start out by hiring part-time help.”