If your small business is on solid ground and you can afford it, now is an excellent time to hire, industry experts say. "Because labor costs are down and because there are a lot of unemployed people, the quality of applicants is better," said Bill Dunkelberg, chief economist for the National Federation of Independent Business and an economics professor at Temple. "The question you have to answer is: If I pay these people, will they bring in enough extra revenue to cover their costs?"