The All-Inclusive Employment System You've Been Searching For, But Didn’t Know Existed
Thinking of opening a gym? Or maybe you're already a gym owner or own a fitness studio. It's a dream come true to do what you love, but like all entrepreneurial ventures, layering in employment makes it a challenging task. We spoke with Jeff Nason, a seasoned entrepreneur and gym owner in the fitness industry with 30 years of experience owning and operating gyms. Jeff shares helpful insights to help other fitness business owners understand and navigate these challenges.
But the Big Guys Handled That Employment Stuff!
Prior to his entrepreneurial journey, Jeff worked for a big box Fortune 500 gym with over 360 locations where he had excellent mentors and training. Jeff thought this experience would translate seamlessly into opening a gym and being his own boss. However, he soon realized that being a gym owner came with a lot of back office minutiae that the big companies took care of for you. For example, he learned that handling payroll, employee onboarding, record keeping, HR policies, benefits, and more were now his responsibility.
Did he learn it? Yes. But did he learn it to the extent needed? Probably not.
Reality Check. Check!
Jeff and his co-founders had a reality check and had to figure out how to onboard people, ensure compliance with state and federal employment laws, and navigate different state laws and workman's comp codes. They had a slight advantage because they knew little things like how employment posters in the break room were required by law, only because they had seen it before. That said, a new entrepreneur would be at a disadvantage having to figure this all out, especially with the increasingly complex employment laws and harsher penalties .
Hiring, Benefits and HR Stuff, Oh My!
As a fitness studio or gym owner, it's crucial to find and retain the right talent for your success. It's not just about knowing where to find talent, but also how to keep them from leaving. Jeff and his team had to conduct extensive talent research by attending various trade shows, chamber of commerce, and toastmasters to find innovative ways to hire with limited resources.
Nowadays, with the growth of boutique fitness studios, it's even more challenging to retain good talent as everyone is vying for them. This competition is driving up wages, and providing perks such as medical benefits, 401K, and sick pay can make a significant difference.
For small business employers with only 8-10 employees, finding health insurance can be a challenging task as most insurance companies prefer larger businesses. This means that everyone has to contribute more, which can be difficult for both the employer and employees.
All of this was difficult, until a new solution entered into the employment space.
Hey Gym Owner - Pssst. There’s a Secret Weapon!
Opening a gym doesn't have to be a daunting task! Band of Hands offers an all-inclusive turnkey employment system that handles the entire employment process for fitness studio and gym owners. Instead of piecing together different vendors for hiring, payroll, onboarding, time and attendance, and more, Band of Hands provides a one-stop-shop solution through their cutting-edge technology.
With Band of Hands, you get everything you need at a low, flat fee, and you don't have to worry about tracking various invoices, contact information, and contracts. Wouldn’t you want to get more and spend less?
Employers still maintain control over their hiring process, company culture, management style, and more. Band of Hands covers the back end by handling all the employment minutiae that can give business owners headaches, handling unemployment claims, and workman's comp claims.
Be Free, Grow Big and Stress Less!
Band of Hands brings consistency to your business. If you want to add more locations, consistency becomes even more important, because the way you do your time keeping, payroll processing, onboarding, and everything else is now a set process to follow. Band of Hands is a game changer for small business owners. By offloading the employment details behind the scenes, business owners are finally free to focus on what matters - growing the business!
Learn more at www.bandofhands.com