So you’ve decided to invest in your vision for the future. Now, the real work begins! Have you considered trying to launch your business with a PEO partner?
Owning and operating a thriving business has many moving pieces. From choosing a business model to applying for an Employer Identification Number (EIN), there’s a flurry of initial startup tasks facing any new owner who is just getting started. Thankfully, many of these back-office responsibilities can be easily accomplished with support from the right PEO partner.
Just ask Dan Redolphy, who today owns multiple Firehouse Subs in Southwest Florida. In 2013, his first sandwich shop was still a dream, but Dan wanted to be ready. “I had a growth plan nailed down from day one. We mapped out a strategy to utilize the underserved areas in Southwest Florida unlike other sub concepts. The goal was to make sure we got this right the first time, so that future expansion to nearby areas could follow,” explained Dan.
A former golf professional bringing more than 15 years of management experience, Dan felt well-positioned to provide leadership to his fledgling business. However, with employees like his wife already on the books and working hard to make the business a success, Dan knew it was time to get his payroll set up properly before hiring additional staff.
Realizing he would want assistance, Dan conducted extensive research to better understand the concept of a professional employer organization (PEO). “I spoke with several other sub shop owners who used PEOs, and Integrity Employee Leasing came highly recommended. I knew that I needed a back-office solution right off the bat, before I even opened my first restaurant,” said Dan.
How to Choose a PEO Partner
PEOs like Integrity Employee Leasing are designed to assist small, medium or large companies by tackling time-consuming, administrative tasks on behalf of the business. For entrepreneurs, this can offer profound relief for the headaches that come with starting the business, shifting your time and attention away from the minutia of business administration. PEO services include:
- Payroll administration
- Human resources
- Workers’ compensation
- Risk management
- Online payroll processing
- Insurance and benefits
- Timekeeping products
“My advice to franchise owners is to stay away from big companies. Especially as a small business, you run the risk of becoming nothing more than an invoice number to companies like Paychex or ADP,” he continued. “What matters is whether my PEO partner will pick up the phone – and that’s what sold me on Integrity Employee Leasing.”
Working as the franchise’s trusted partner, Integrity Employee Leasing operates like an extension of Dan’s business. This provides new franchises with a reliable partner who can reduce the cost and time an owner spends managing these tasks, while ensuring the utmost compliance with the law. “I have found Integrity Employee Leasing to be a responsive, professional PEO partner, helping us every step of the way with advisement on human resources and best practices, as well as all payroll-related issues,” said Dan.
For Dan, the deciding factors came down to ROI and convenience. “Return on investment, as a business owner, is something I consider every day. Is that dollar working for me the moment it leaves my business account? That ROI matters to me,” explained Dan. “Working with Integrity saves me time. Their expertise adds to my own, and I know my financials will be done right. If a mistake does occur, Integrity steps up and presents solutions to fix it right away.”
Here’s a great example. Following an issue on payday Friday, new paychecks had to be cut for employees who were already anxiously awaiting payment. “Someone from Integrity got into their personal vehicle and hand-delivered those replacement checks on the same day. There was no question of waiting to Monday. They instinctively understood that waiting through a weekend is tough for employees who rely on their paychecks to make ends meet, so they did the right thing, without being asked,” said Dan.
“It demonstrates how much Integrity truly cares about my employees, and how their values align with my own. As a result, I know I can count on them. They care about relationships, going far above and beyond anything a large company could deliver,” he added.
For Dan, partnering with Integrity Employee Leasing just made sense – and he shares that advice with other entrepreneurs looking for PEO services. “As a franchise owner, I highly recommend Integrity Employee Leasing to all of our business associates as a means of streamlining your payroll, accounting, insurance and human resource needs. Keeping these services under one roof with Integrity has benefited my franchise stores tremendously as we continue our growth strategy into 2023 and beyond,” said Dan.
If you are interested in exploring PEO services for your new venture, contact Integrity Employee Leasing! Let’s find out whether we’d be the right fit for you. To make it easy, our company already has processes and systems in place to support the launch of your new business with fast, seamless onboarding. Visit our website at https://integrityel.com/why-peo or call us at (941) 625-0623 to get started!
