I would hire him if he really is that capable. Edit: misunderstood that the colleague actually isn’t currently working for OP. Still, I stand by that if he was

I would hire him if he really is that capable. Edit: misunderstood that the colleague actually isn’t currently working for OP. Still, I stand by that if he was good before and you trust him to do a good job, then he’d make a good hire. Think of it this way: you cannot, in a million years, think that an employee is ever going to be as passionate about _your_ project as you are. It’ll never happen. So deal with it. Remember that if push comes to shove and you lose money, you’d be firing him due to not being able to pay him. And the same would happen to you if the roles were reversed. You’ll never be part of a “family” in a company, despite what everyone out there says. Business is not family, it’s money. If he’s putting in good work while part time, then that’s all you need from him.