Down that way lies madness.
With the way things are recommended to be run in a gestalt game, I get the feeling that hirelings probably shouldn't be gestalted.
Since hirelings don't gain XP, they'd need more of them, or at least some opportunities to get new ones as they become obsolete.
I'd probably just be lazy and let them have a cohort but no followers, which would have the added advantage of not having minions upon minions involved in the fights.