Exactly, you control the mix.

Good call not using heat on that glue. I had a paperback start to split and tried a hair dryer once. It made the glue brittle and a whole chunk of pages came loose. What worked for me was a thin layer of PVA glue applied with a toothpick along the spine. I clamped it shut with some heavy books for a full day. The repair held up for years after that.

Wait, are you saying your first hire didn't bring in any new work at all? That's wild. My friend's first employee basically paid for herself within three months just by freeing up his time to go get more clients. If you're just adding a cost with zero plan for growth, you hired way too early. The whole point is they should help you make more money, not just do tasks.