• What is your profession?  Franchise owner of Visiting Angels Home Care.  We provide assistance to seniors so that they can age-in-place at home.

 

• How long have you owned your own business? June 2018 marked 10 YEARS!

 

• What inspired you to own your own business?  One day my best friend who was between jobs asked me to accompany her to vet a franchise called Visiting Angels.  We were both inspired by the opportunity to help those most vulnerable.  Prior to that, I had never aspired to be a business owner.  My friend purchased the Cleveland Franchise in 2002.  I took the faith-leap and left Anheuser-Busch in 2007 (before the buyout) to purchase the franchise here. Instead of matching beer to wholesalers, I now match our caregivers to families in need.

 

• What might someone be surprised to know about you?
  I hold a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering, and I plan to attend seminary

 

• Do you have a hobby, play a sport, or have any special interests?  I love music and movies, and writing handwritten letters/notes

 

• What job would you be terrible at?  Chef

 

• Who has impressed you most with what they’ve accomplished? 
  My mother and both of my grandmothers

 

• Where is the most interesting place you have visited?  Costa Rica

 

• Do you have any advice based on your area of expertise?  Every adult above the age of 35 should purchase a long term care insurance policy

 

• If you could work anywhere in the world, where would you choose?
  Somewhere 80 degrees year-round, sunny, beachfront

 

• How has working in a shared work space influenced your business? CCW provides a safe space to work among a community of other business owners.  I greatly appreciate the strong, first impression the space gives to visitors.

 

• What is your favorite restaurant from the St. Louis area?   
  Charlie Gitto’s on the Hill

 

• What are you currently reading?
  Into the Silent Land: The Practice of Contemplation

 

• What is something you think everyone should do at least once in their lives?
  Travel outside of the U.S. and get immersed in another culture.  It is humbling and makes us more grateful.

 

• What is the best thing that has happened to you this year?
  Kitchen Update/Remodel

• Who’s your go to band or artist when you can’t decide on something to listen to? Little Jimmy Scott (jazz artist)…very soothing

Featured Blog Post written by Creve Coeur Workspace Tenant, AccuPay
Contact: 636-532-9510 or payday@accupayhcm.com
The start of a new year is a great time to review your business processes and re-evaluate those that are causing bottlenecks. For many growing entities, outsourcing payroll and Human Capital related services can eliminate an enormous burden including repetitive tasks such as: paying employees, tracking time and PTO, hiring, on-boarding and even benefit enrollment. Outsourcing your Human Capital Management can also eliminate the risk of penalties and fines for tax filing errors, late payments, compliance, etc.

In a world where accessibility and convenience are expectations, 2019 is the perfect time to engage and empower your employees with a web-based employee portal and mobile application  to give them access to their personal pay information anytime, from anywhere. Employees want the ability to view/print pay-stubs, view PTO balances and request time off, request changes to their personal information, view benefit offerings and enroll electronically when eligible. Empowering your employees with these tools will relieve you of time-consuming processes that are typically involved in keeping up with on-going employee maintenance. 

Ask yourself these simple questions to determine what areas of your Human Capital Management process can be streamlined by a web-based single source solution.

Payroll

• Are you writing checks by hand each week to your employees?
•  Are you manually calculating taxes and deductions?
• Paying your own taxes to respective tax agencies?

Human Resources

• Do you have trouble tracking your employee’s raise dates, salary history, certifications and expirations?
• Are you constantly updating employee information such as direct deposits, addresses and withholding exemptions?
• Are you throwing away money by printing employee pay-stubs?

On-boarding

• Are you printing new hire paperwork to be completed by hand?
• Do you have accurate, complete, and consistent files for each employee?
• Are you collecting employee acknowledgements for notices and documents by hand?
• Do you have to remind your managers and supervisors to complete processing new hire paperwork in a timely manner?

Timekeeping and Scheduling

• Do you find yourself manually tracking and calculating employees time?
• Are you handwriting schedules each week?
• Do your employees request time off on post-its or other easily misplaced notes?

Benefits Enrollment

• Do your employees manually complete enrollment forms?
• Do you find yourself entering benefit enrollment forms to your carrier?
• Have you ever missed an enrollment window for a new hire or an employee with a qualifying life event?
• Do you find yourself manually creating a benefit summary for each of your employees?

If you are considering outsourcing one or more of these areas, be sure to consider the following while you are shopping for a trusted provider.

1. Web-Based/Cloud-Based: Consider a provider that offers a web-based platform that is accessible anywhere. The convenience of opening a browser (from the comfort of anywhere) and logging in to the latest and greatest without having to maintain your own software updates is highly desirable compared to desktop software with limited access, involved update processes and little to no integration with other systems.
2. Account Managers and Level of Support: No matter how tailored a platform is to your company’s needs, nothing can replace the value of a dedicated Account Manager that is available when you need support. When your company utilizes an Account Manager you will notice an increased confidence level as well as general system knowledge that will greatly improve your user experience.
3. Provider Compliance: When it comes to payroll and other Human Capital Management Services it is imperative to understand your provider's compliance standards. If your provider cannot elaborate on industry compliance or certifications, you may want to consider a change. Remember, even if you have outsourced your payroll, human capital management and tax services, the business owner is still responsible in the event the provider has failed to perform reporting and filing services.
4. A la Carte Menu of Services: Smaller businesses that are beginning to outsource services will without a doubt see the value in a provider that provides an a la Carte service model. Far too often business owners find themselves paying for a wide book of services and only utilizing one or two modules. This model is not only cost effective, but scalable and adaptable as your business evolves with the ability to add only the services you need.

When it comes down to it, choosing a Human Capital Management provider is no small task and there are many to choose from. Whether you are considering outsourcing or you already are, it never hurts to review your options. Consider  AccuPay HCMTM, a fellow CCW tenant! AccuPay HCM™ has been providing payroll and Human Capital Management services for over twenty-seven years to clients in 48 states and the District of Columbia. AccuPay HCM™ offers a web-based single source database solution and one on one dedicated support.  Give us a call today to schedule a no cost, no obligation Needs Analysis to see how AccuPay HCM ™ can help! Our Needs team will help you evaluate your business’ needs and make service recommendations that make sense with your budget and goals. 

Have you thought about preparing your work space for productivity by utilizing essential oils? By now I’m sure you’ve heard about the essential oil craze everyone is talking about! Essential oils are beneficial to our health and even our productivity. If you have a problem, chances are there’s an essential oil to fix it. Essential oils can be used in so many ways, such as aromatherapy, topically, and even for cleaning purposes. This natural approach to wellness can help calm and soothe, encourage positivity, and also help to rid your space of unwanted smells. 

Before you go crazy and buy a bunch of essential oils, check with any office mates you might have to make sure there are no particular scents that trigger allergies, etc. When choosing your essential oils, it is important to make sure you are buying good quality oils so you truly reap the many benefits they provide. The next step is deciding how you want to diffuse your essential oils, and there is no shortage of ways to diffuse your oils. Ultrasonic diffusers require a small amount of water and emit a fine mist that disperses the scent throughout the air. Nebulizing diffusers use an air pump that atomizes the essential oil into a fine mist, they do not use heat or water so the oil stays as pure as possible. Aromatherapy jewelry is a big hit for people who can't diffuse in their workplace. This gives you the ability to still enjoy and benefit from your essential oils without disturbing co-workers.

Essential oils can help you ditch all the harmful chemicals and cleaners used both in the office and at home. Most brands of essential oils sell blends that are great for fighting germs and help you sanitize correctly. Topical uses for essential oils include soaps, lotions, and scrubs. There are many DIY recipes for making your own, but always remember to follow the dilution instructions on the bottle. Different oils work in different ways for everyone, so start with scents you know you like. You can create a positive attitude, calm anxiousness, reduce headaches and nausea, or even just to deodorize your space!

The amount of essential oils on the market is endless! It can be overwhelming in the beginning, but here is a short list based on types of scents to help get you started:

Floral

• Lavender- Creating calm, peaceful surroundings
• Palmarosa- Steadying emotions, uplifting mood
• Jasmine Absolute- Creating a positive atmosphere, promoting feelings of love

Spicy

• Black Pepper- Easing achy joints, or sore feelings after a workout
• Cardamom- Calming of the respiratory or digestive system

Woody

• Cedarwood- Calming chaos and negativity around you, create a positive atmosphere
• Patchouli- Help to alleviate nervous tension and worry, good to use while meditating
• Sandalwood- Helps to relax the mind of everyday worries

Fruity

• Grapefruit Pink- Lightens mental fatigue and moodiness
• Lemon- Supports a healthy immune system, and uplift and revitalize the senses
• Lime- Clears your mind, and encourages mental clarity, also helps support a healthy immune system
• Bergamot-  Therapeutic, helps boost the mind and ease worries

Green

• Balsam Fir- Calming muscles and joints after a long day
• Cypress- Helps support healthy respiratory system, gives emotional strength
• Spruce- Helps lift away the “winter blues” by fighting off fatigue and energizing the senses

Herbal

• Chamomile German- Calming, assists with focusing
• Geranium Egyptian- Helps to ease tension from everyday stressors
• Juniper Berry- Natural purifier, eases nervous tension, great to use during meditation

Start promoting a healthy mind and body by utilizing the natural properties of essential oils. Your future self will thank you for it!