Stage 5 of 6 · Build your team
Employ
Be the employer people stay for
Hire right, pay right, and offer benefits that compete, even when you are a team of five.
Your path through Employ
- 1
Hiring Your First Employee: A Step-by-Step Guide
Up nextThe paperwork, registrations, and payroll setup that turn a job offer into a compliant first hire.
9 minFoundations - 2
Employee or Contractor? Getting Classification Right
How the IRS and states decide who is an employee, and what it costs to get it wrong.
8 minFoundations - 3
The True Cost of an Employee
Wages are only the start. Here is how taxes, insurance, benefits, and overhead add up.
7 minFoundations Interactive tool - 4
Benefits Small Businesses Can Actually Offer
Health coverage, time off, and perks that fit a small-business budget and still help you hire.
10 minEstablished - 5
Retirement Plans for Your Team: SEP, SIMPLE, and 401(k)
Compare the three main plans, see the 2026 limits, and learn how tax credits can cover setup costs.
10 minEstablished Interactive tool - 6
Keeping Good People: Pay, Flexibility, and Culture
Practical, affordable ways to keep your best employees from walking out the door.
8 minEstablished - 7
Financial Wellness as an Employee Benefit
Why money stress shows up at work, and simple ways to help your team build stability.
8 minAdvanced - 8
The Total Package: Evaluating Employee Benefits
There’s more to compensation than just getting paid.
6 minEstablished Lightbulb Library - 9
Employer Retirement Plans: Contributions, Distributions, and Vesting
Retirement savings aren’t just nice to have. They’re essential.
6 minEstablished Lightbulb Library - 10
Health Insurance
Having the right healthcare coverage requires advance planning.
6 minEstablished Lightbulb Library - 11
The Fine Print: Employment Agreements
Make sure you know what you’re getting into before you sign on the dotted line.
5 minEstablished Lightbulb Library