It's Personnel

Charlotte Long left a stable career path to go all-in on PEO sales. Francine Blain was pre-med at Johns Hopkins before walking away from grad school to build something different. Both ended up in Texas. Both ended up at Helpside.In this episode of It's Personnel, Charlotte (Austin) and Francine (San Antonio) sit down to talk about how they got here, what drew them to ⁠Helpside⁠, and what they're actually seeing on the ground in two of the fastest-growing business markets in the country.What's covered:Why Charlotte and Francine both chose ⁠Helpside⁠ over other PEO opportunitiesWhat surprised them most about the company once they got insideWhat the Austin business market looks like right now — and why it's still growingThe San Antonio market: military presence, healthcare boom, and businesses fleeing CaliforniaWhy Texas being an employer-friendly state doesn't mean you're off the hook on complianceThe one thing most Texas business owners don't know about workers compWhy EPLI is one of the most underutilized protections in the industryWhat gap Helpside is filling that no one else in Texas is filling right nowIf you're a business owner in Austin or San Antonio wondering if a PEO is right for you — or if you're just curious what's driving the Texas business boom — this one is worth your time.👍 Like & Subscribe for more helpful Helpside insights.Interested?⁠ ⁠Book a free 15 minute benefit audit⁠⁠ to learn more.What You’ll Learn In This Video:0:00 – Welcome: Helpside's Texas episode0:41 – Meet Charlotte Long — Austin-based business consultant1:09 – Meet Francine Blain — San Antonio-based business consultant1:35 – Career paths: how they both ended up in PEO sales3:24 – First impressions of Helpside before joining5:00 – What changed their minds about the company8:00 – What stood out most after getting inside Helpside12:00 – What Helpside does differently than other PEOs in Texas16:00 – The challenges of launching in a brand new market20:00 – What makes Austin one of the fastest-growing cities in the country25:00 – The San Antonio market: military, healthcare, and California transplants26:30 – Texas compliance: what business owners don't know about workers comp27:00 – Why EPLI is underutilized and what it actually protects against28:00 – The gap Helpside is filling in Texas right now29:20 – How to connect with Charlotte or Francine

Colin Beneke and Nikki Sullivan both came from Insperity — one of the largest PEOs in the country. So why did they leave to help launch Helpside in a brand new market?In this episode, Colin and Nikki sit down to talk about how they ended up in Dallas, what drew them to ⁠Helpside⁠, what they're seeing in the DFW business market, and what they think the next 12 months looks like for the Texas team.What's covered:Why two experienced PEO sales reps left an established national brand for a startup marketWhat makes the DFW market one of the most exciting business environments in the country right nowHow Helpside's culture and leadership stood out from other opportunitiesThe real challenges of launching a PEO brand in a brand new cityWhy Texas businesses are ready for a different kind of PEO conversationWhat success looks like for the Dallas team in year oneWhat Colin and Nikki would tell any Dallas business owner who's considering HelpsideIf you're a business owner in the DFW area wondering whether Helpside is the right fit — or if you're considering a career in PEO sales — this conversation is worth your time.👍 Like & Subscribe for more helpful Helpside insights.Interested? ⁠Book a free 15 minute benefit audit⁠ to learn more.Chapters:0:00 – Meet Colin and Nikki: Helpside's Dallas team1:16 – Why the Dallas-Fort Worth market is exploding right now4:21 – How Helpside found Colin (and why he said yes)5:39 – What stood out to Nikki from day one6:32 – What made them both commit to Helpside15:06 – What opportunities they see in the Dallas market16:19 – The real challenges of launching in a new city18:00 – Why Texas was a massive missed opportunity for Helpside to ignore19:06 – What success looks like after year one20:25 – What Nikki is most excited about in the next 6–12 months21:11 – What Colin would tell any Dallas business owner considering Helpside22:59 – Closing thoughts and how to connect

Most companies treat harassment training like a checkbox. Watch the video, sign the form, move on.But Rachelle Beers and Amanda Rojas from Helpside have seen what happens when that's all you do — and it's expensive.In Part 2 of this series, they break down what employers specifically need to get right when it comes to harassment and discrimination. Not just the legal minimum. The stuff that actually protects your company and builds a workplace people want to stay in.What's covered:Why your managers are your biggest legal risk — and what to do about itThe difference between being legally compliant and having a healthy workplace cultureWhat happens when you protect a toxic high performer (and why it always backfires)How inconsistent management creates discrimination claims — even when nobody intended anything wrongThe "he said, she said" situation — how to handle it properlyWhy documentation and consistency are the two things that save companies in every investigationLeadership accountability: why high performers don't get a free passIf you're an employer who thinks you're probably fine — this episode will make you think twice.Chapters:0:00 – Welcome: Part 2 recap and what employers need to know1:58 – Harassment training isn't enough — what leaders actually need2:52 – Good policy vs. healthy culture — why compliance isn't the same as safety3:57 – Choosing the right managers and what their training must include5:00 – Policies vs. reality — why a generic handbook doesn't protect you7:00 – How inconsistent management creates legal exposure9:00 – What to do the moment a complaint is filed12:00 – How to handle a he said / she said situation15:00 – Documentation, coaching, and keeping your eyes open for patterns17:10 – Why managers make or break this — and the risk of leaving them untrained18:00 – Leadership accountability: high performers don't get a free pass18:50 – Final thoughts for employers and employeesCall us today for your free benefits audit: 1-800-748-5102 or schedule now.

Most workplace situations that feel wrong don't start with bad intentions. They start with poor judgment, a misunderstanding, or someone thinking "this probably isn't that big of a deal" — until it is.In this episode of It's Personnel, Rachelle Beers (HR Manager) and Amanda Rojas (HR Business Partner) break down workplace harassment and discrimination from two angles: what employees need to know, and what employers absolutely must get right.What's covered:What actually counts as harassment vs. discrimination — and why most people get it wrongThe difference between a policy violation and an actual legal violationThe "equal opportunity jerk" rule — why a bad manager isn't always breaking the lawAm I overreacting? How to evaluate your situation using the reasonable person standardWhat retaliation actually is — and what it isn'tWhy filing a complaint doesn't protect you from accountability for your own performanceWhat employers must do the moment a complaint is filed — and why doing nothing is never an optionHow to build a workplace culture that goes beyond just avoiding the legal minimumWhether you're an employee wondering if you should say something, or an employer hoping you're probably fine — this episode is for you.Chapters:0:00 – Introduction: Rachelle and Amanda on workplace harassment1:10 – What actually counts as harassment and discrimination3:22 – Policy violation vs. legal violation — the key difference4:36 – Am I overreacting? The reasonable person standard7:00 – Should I say something? Fears around reporting9:00 – What happens after you report — the investigation process12:00 – Retaliation: what it is and what it isn't18:24 – Why documentation and consistency are your best defense21:32 – Common misconceptions and key takeaways for employees23:47 – Employer obligations when a complaint is filedCall us today for your ⁠free benefits audit: 1-800-748-5102 or schedule now.⁠ 👍 Like & Subscribe for more helpful ⁠Helpside ⁠insights. Resources: ⁠The Ultimate HR Success Toolkit -15+ Essential Checklists, Guides, and Templates for Complete Compliance and Growth⁠⁠

60% of employees at small businesses quit within their first year. And replacing each one costs between $25,000 and $100,000 depending on their salary. Most business owners have no idea it's happening — and even less idea why.Sam T. from ⁠Helpside ⁠has worked with hundreds of small businesses on HR, payroll, and benefits. In this video he breaks down the five real reasons employees leave small businesses — and exactly what you can do to stop it.What's covered:Why 63% of workers who quit say it was because of low pay — and how to compete without matching corporate salariesThe benefits gap that's costing you top talent (and how a PEO closes it for less than you're paying now)Why employees leave managers, not jobs — and how to fix your culture before it's too lateHow burnout and lack of work-life balance is quietly gutting small business teamsThe four-step retention system that actually works for companies under 50 employeesIf you're tired of losing good people and starting over, this video will show you exactly what to fix first.👍 Like & Subscribe for more helpful Helpside insights.Get your ⁠free benefits audit: schedule now⁠Chapters:0:00 – Introduction: The true cost of employee turnover 1:03 – What turnover is actually costing your business 2:14 – Reason 1: They found better pay elsewhere 2:49 – Reason 2: No benefits or bad benefits 3:44 – The PEO solution — how small businesses get Fortune 500 benefits 4:23 – Reason 3: No growth opportunities 4:54 – Reason 4: Bad management or toxic culture 5:36 – Reason 5: Burnout and lack of work-life balance 6:07 – The 4-step fix: benefits, culture, growth, and hiring smart 7:34 – Free benefits consultation from Helpside