Bringing someone into your business for the first time is exciting. But hiring your first employee is also the moment your business changes in ways that catch a lot of small business owners off guard. Here are the five documents you need in place before a new team member walks through the door.

Small businesses are built on relationships — and very often, the people you employ are people you already know. Most of the time, that works beautifully. Until it doesn't. Here's what happens when professional issues arise in a business running on trust and informal arrangements, and why clear written expectations protect everyone — including the friendship.