I don't hire experts, I hire motivated people. What I normally do is give the applicant a very simple test to see if they are blowing smoke altogether and talk with them for a short time. Degrees don't mean much except they can complete a project.
This works to a degree, depending on the nature of the work. A motivated person with little or no knowledge of a high tech field will not produce the same results of someone who is truly an expert, particularly in an esoteric field. There just isn't enough time in a single person's lifetime to reinvent the technologies. Every field has its experts; and, the scope of their knowledge and skill is often breathtaking. You have to match the job with the appropriate person. I have a BS degree, but have done the computer groundwork for seven Master's degrees for other people. Go figure. On the other hand, I have seen work firsthand that no amount of eagerness would accomplish. The end product was the result of highly educated (and highly motivated) people in multiple fields working long hours for years.
For your own enterprise, I wish you the best of luck. Judging from your responses, I'd bet that luck has little to do with any success you have or might enjoy in the future. It is always good to hear of someone who is successful by the sweat of his brow and product of his own mind. Hire American. Hire smart and skilled people. We're damn good, and no citizen of some third world country will keep us running should times turn bad.