We’re back with Angelique from Peach Lane Permanent Jewelry! This time, she’s here to spill the beans on everything from hiring and expanding your team. Angelique recently took the leap and hired her first employees to help with pop-ups and support her brick-and-mortar space. Letting her free up time and, more importantly, focus on what she loves.

From her tips on spotting the right vibe to crafting the perfect interview questions, Angelique dives deep into what it takes to build a team that fits your vision. She’s all about setting clear expectations, so every new hire knows exactly what they’re signing up for (spoiler: it’s not all just sparkly chains!).

We also break down the big decision of choosing between a 1099 contractor and a W2 employee. Angelique shares her own experience with figuring out payroll and benefits, and why knowing the difference matters for taxes, scheduling, and day-to-day operations. Plus, she’s got pro advice on checking in with labor laws and why chatting with a labor attorney is always a smart move if you are unsure.

Angelique doesn’t hold back on sharing the behind-the-scenes nitty-gritty, from finding a payroll company to calculating costs and learning to let go of some control. Thinking about hiring? Angelique’s journey might just be the nudge you need. Because if you’re already dreaming about growing your team, it’s probably time to make it happen!

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Jen Thyrion: Hey there, I'm Jen Thyrion and I'm so glad you're here. I'm a former nine to fiver that dove into entrepreneurship eight years ago with zero business experience. I'm a wife, mama of two young girls, boutique owner, jewelry designer, and now the proud owner and coach leading Goldie Links Permanent Jewelry.

I have a passion to empower fellow business base. This podcast is made to equip you with everything you need to succeed from actionable marketing steps to digging deep on your mindset. I know firsthand the heart. Let's be real at times of struggle that makes up this amazing journey. You want to know what has enabled me to shine the brightest coaching plus community here at Goldie Links.

We share openly educate and lift each other up, expect to get linked with fellow PJ owners that will do just that sprinkled with plenty of fun along the way. Competition is an old school thought and connection is the way get ready to feel inspired. Welcome to the Goldie Links podcast. Hey there. Hey there.

Did you know that we offer handmade permanent jewelry supplies? Go to GoldieLinkSupplies. com to view our beautiful chains, connectors, bangles, and more, including our non permanent stretchy bracelets that are available to you for wholesale. Everything is created by our tribe of mama makers. What is a mama maker?

Stay at home moms that create on their own time between raising their children, serving as a self care creative outlet and supporting their families. Your items come with signage on how these supplies are made, along with gemstone property info, as each gemstone has a special meaning. If you want to level up your business with handmade supplies, not made by a machine, but made by hand with love, then check it out at goldilynxsupplies.

com. Now onto the show. Hey there, are you looking to hire and add to your team? This is the perfect episode for you. I'm sitting down with Angelique from Peach Lane Permanent Jewelry. She was actually on episode 13 as well. And one of the things we touched on then was W2 versus independent contractor, which is something she spoke about and taught at PJX.

We're going a step further today, talking more specifics, getting deeper on the subject, all things hiring. It's actually pretty selfish on my end because I was looking to hire and knew she was a perfect person to sit down with as she's been also expanding her team recently. We talk about, again, independent contract reverse W 2, the steps you need to take in payroll, finding that beautiful unicorn employee that we all dream of, and so much more.

I know you'll find so much great information packed in here if you are looking to expand your team. Enjoy. Alright, you're back! I'm back! Angelique. And if you don't know, we're sitting together in person, which is nice because she's in Colorado too. So if you've heard her podcast before, I can't, I can't remember what number podcast episode you are, but she's back to talk about adding employees, whether they be independent contractors or W2 employees to your business.

Because I've been getting this question a lot, actually, within my permanent jewelry membership. But it's actually very in line with what's happening with me right now, because I have a lot of makers. I've been training since PJX to make supplies. I also have someone I'm starting to do packing and shipping and getting that part of my business, the backend inventory, all that stuff.

Anyway, so let's just get started. Yeah. Hi. This is a loaded topic. I know. I'm like so many questions. She came over and I was like, starting to ask her all these questions. I'm like, wait, we should just wait for the podcast, but I have so many questions for you. Well, so first of all, we, when you were here and actually I had to look back, that was February.

Isn't that crazy? So a lot's happened. I'm sure. Like, I feel like both our businesses, a lot's happened, but PJX happened. And I feel like, I remember we had a conversation before PJX and you were kind of asking, like, about adding an employee and like kind of what, you know, what I've paid to have a welder be on with me.

And we were just talking about that really quick, but so you've hired those since Peony, this has been recent, right? That you've hired.

Angelique: Okay. Just in May, I hired my first and then in the past few weeks, my second. Okay. Yeah.

Jen Thyrion: So what brought you to that decision to hire someone?

Angelique: Um, I really wanted someone who could run pop ups for me.

So I was finding that I was being invited to do pop ups and I was having these conflicts where people wanted to visit me in my space, um, to do their private appointments. And I, I just couldn't do both things at once. It was creating a little friction for me. I, you know, Really wanted someone who could run the pop ups so I could stay behind.

Yeah. Um, I do have some physical limitations. So running the pop ups are hard on my body. Yeah. Um, I feel the wear and tear and I really just wanted someone who could. Do that, that harder piece. So I could be present for my customers who wanted that in person service.

Jen Thyrion: Yeah. So to mind everybody, Angelique has a.

I mean, you could say a physical space, like, like a brick and mortar, but it's in a, within a coworking space. Right. So yes. So that's how, you know, again, for me it's different because again, I'm totally mobile. I have my in home studio appointments, but that's really it. And I do remember you even before, I don't know what month this was, and you were asking me about taking, cause you had something, cause this is what I was getting at is like, when you, when do you know you're ready to add an employee?

And usually, like you just said. You're getting invited to do these pop ups and you can't be two places at once, right? Or we wear all the hats like we know when we're entrepreneurs. And so say something happens and you're pulled away from your business and whether it be heaven forbid an emergency, whether you get injured.

I mean, actually I just was in communication with a few permanent doors over the last few months that also decided to take the glow up training and whatnot because she broke her wrist and couldn't do. So she was trying to think of some way. To still like make something or maybe, maybe she was doing beaded bracelets or something like that.

So she could like put that on an Instagram and still keep busy. But like, here she is, like when you're out of commission and it's only you, what are you going to do? Like you're not making money, you know? So I feel like there was a part where you were traveling or something was happening and you were asking if I was able to do certain things.

Do you remember? I had,

Angelique: I had a friend who had, um, an emergency. Heart surgery. Oh my God. That's right. And I had three pop ups scheduled and I was like, how do I be there and, and still run my business? And I thought this is, this is the ideal time to have a backup plan in place. And that's when I started that ball rolling to, um, be able to.

say yes and take care of my family. And, and I really want to have that backup plan. Someone who can come in and cover my desk. I had to close for five days for COVID. Like nobody wants to do that. I want to be able to call someone and say, Hey, I've got these appointments. Can you cover me for a few hours on Thursday?

Kind of a thing, even if it's just minimal, but being able to know someone and ask for help

Jen Thyrion: would be hard. Cause I thought of myself. knock on wood. I've never once had to cancel something yet out of like me being sick or anything, but I've had a few messages from other people saying like, Oh my gosh, our permanent jeweler literally just canceled on me this morning.

Are you able to do this event today? Which I've never been able to do like on the spot, but I was like, I feel so bad because I'm like, Oh, that sucks. Like here, they wanted this party. You have everyone coming over and it's not the permanent jewelers fault. Most likely they got sick or something happened because that's what happens in life.

Right. And it's like, where do you, yeah. What are you going to do?

Angelique: We get a backup welder. Let's get backup people. I know.

Jen Thyrion: So yeah. And like, maybe it's like those little things that happen, like with your friend, where you're like, okay, that kind of like puts plants, a seed, like, okay, maybe I do need, I mean, what am I doing in this situation?

You know? So you hired someone in may, was she doing pop ups and everything? Is that what she started doing for you then?

Angelique: Yeah. Okay. She started right out of the gate doing popups for me. Mm-Hmm. . She's an incredible asset. I'm so glad I'm . Yeah. Yeah. So glad I have her. She's done several for me so far.

Jen Thyrion: So has it been tricky, like doubling up your inventory?

I'm sure that's probably someone's concern too, like right ?

Angelique: Yes. I have a to-go kit that's ready to go. Okay. And in the back of my mind, I have to know that I have about this much chain in there. Mm-Hmm. . And I have to. I have to restock it, but I also have to rely on her to tell me when she's running low or out of something so that I can restock it when she brings it back.

Yes.

Jen Thyrion: Yeah. So that's how it works. Does she like, say she goes to, does a pop up, does she pick up everything that day and she's not already always have inventory, right? Like she just, she picked something up that day before the event and then drops it off after.

Angelique: Right now it's been working that way. So she doesn't have to store it in her house, right?

Not her business. Exactly. She shouldn't, she doesn't have to do that. So right now she's picking up for me or I'm meeting her at the event with the equipment depends on. Right. The type of situation. Okay. When we had the big tents and stuff, I hauled that in

Jen Thyrion: Mm-Hmm. ,

Angelique: and we loaded

Jen Thyrion: it together. And so you're paying her hourly of course, right?

Mm-Hmm. . So she's a W2 employee? Mm-Hmm. . Okay. And then you did say you hired someone else, right? Mm-Hmm? . Okay. So when was that? Was that recent?

Angelique: Um, yeah. It's just been in the past couple of weeks. I feel like it might have been the ninth. Okay. Of this month, so, okay.

Jen Thyrion: Yeah. Just like a couple of weeks ago. Yeah.

Yeah. So what made you hire a second person then?

Angelique: Um, my gal who does pop ups is also working full time. So I also realized she would never be able to cover my office if I had to travel. Right. I mean, we closed down for PJX. to visit my grandkids for the first time in a year. And, you know, but I, but I, I don't want to close doors.

I want to, I want to just. Say no to customers who really have that moment when people are all together and they really want to say yes to the experience. I want to be available for them. So I am working on training another gal and she's eager and excited to do just about anything permanent. That's awesome.

Jen Thyrion: So, okay. Lots of questions. Let's start from the very beginning. Where did you find them?

Angelique: Where did I find them? Um, one of the gals. The first gal I met actually in the permanent jewelry group in the community. Oh, wow. She purchased some used supplies on me as she was getting ramped up last year and realized it was a lot of work to run a business and be employed full time.

Yeah. So she has decided to close her business. So I bought her equipment and supplies back. Back and she became my employee. So she came on board already experienced. It was a great, it was a great transition and a great first employee. Cause I knew I could trust her right out the gate. I knew what she was capable of and I knew where her, her passion was inside the business.

So yeah, yeah. Um, it was a, it was a great hire right out the gate. Oh, that's cool. So how about your second hire? The second hire was so funny. It was as a customer. Okay. She came in and she had a lot of, um, indecision. We went through a lot of steps, a lot of processes creating the right piece for her. It was a replacement for one that she'd gotten with her sisters.

Okay. And her piece had broken. Okay. Got it from another state. Okay. And, um, she really wanted to do something else that was it. In memory of that experience and those sisters, but even though she was doing it on her own, so creating the right piece and the work we went into to go into the details and customize that piece for her kind of inspired her.

And she was between jobs and she said, I would love doing something like this. And I said, well, you know, I'm hiring. That's amazing. One thing led to another and, and now she's my employee. That's

Jen Thyrion: so cool. So she's kind of like a, do you have her like being you're on from nine to two or do you like have a schedule for her or not

Angelique: really right now?

We're kind of winging it. I had her sit with me at a pop up all day event one day just to kind of see how they run. I gave her some time with the welder. What between customers. So she got to weld some stuff. And by the end of the event, she was even putting bracelets on people. She picked it up so fast.

Yeah. So, um, we're running through some of the other skills, a lot about the metal metals we use styles. We talk a little bit about the differences between different permanent jewelry people and what products they're using versus what we're using and sherry's. And I created those in my. Business like made the decisions I did in my business, which kind of understands where I'm growing my business from the place I'm growing it from.

And she can support that.

Jen Thyrion: Yeah. Really understanding your like brand and your voice, you know, so she can just, yeah, which is so important because, and I'm sure with someone it's like with something, someone like that, I'm assuming, yes, you have an initial training with the basics, but then it's kind of an ongoing thing.

They're going to learn over time. Like. All like what you just said, right? Like, you know, that's the beauty of having an employee is like, you're not just one stop shop,

Angelique: you know,

Jen Thyrion: training and then you're done. It's like a literally continuous process. I'm sure.

Angelique: And yeah, and everybody has a different way of doing things, but at the end of the day, the mission is the same and the end results the same.

And that's the experience for the customers. So, yeah,

Jen Thyrion: I know. And I, I always suggest, cause if you've been doing this long enough, which most likely, if you're going to add onto your business, you've been doing it long enough. Customers are a great, person, people to start with when it comes to, because especially like repeat or like that person that you spent so much time with.

And they're like, then they really, you know, you guys connected in some way, because I do feel like, you know, there's certain things that you're looking for when it comes to employee. But one of the things too, is you want to like, have that initial feeling of you trust them, right? I feel like that's obviously the most important for me.

And that you kind of vibe with them. I don't know how else to say it, but you can act you, they, and you understand each other. You know what I mean? So that way Okay. you can trust them with their customers that they're extending that same like experience to them. Yeah. So if you've had a repeat customer, most likely they, you, they like you, they're coming back to you.

They know you, you guys, you don't, you know, some people you meet and then you have repeat and you're like, you feel like your friends, you know? So it's like people like that. Um, because I have to say how I reached out recently and found someone I'm starting this week, actually another employee is I started on Instagram.

So I started and just posted and said, Hey, anyone, you know, you know, This is what you would be doing. And I did get a lot of inquiries, but actually I didn't end up going with someone from, from my Instagram, funny enough, but still it was great. And it was a great start. But I think one of the questions I get a lot from the inside the membership of people asking when they want to add on, like what questions do you ask somebody if you're interviewing?

Like, what do you think? Oh, that's really, really good. You see yourself in five years, like the typical interview questions. Like

Angelique: I, I really. Focused on I wanted to make sure someone had a good work history and ethic, but also I kind of asked questions like what inspired you to inquire about this job? What do you love about this?

I did have a formal job description that talked about heavy lifting and being able to see fine detailed work even with magnification and things like that. So the job limitations and physical limitations and Do you have any questions about this job? And are there any things that you would need, um, adaptive resources to be able to do?

Right. But really I wanted to get down to what was the thing that drew you to this position? I really wanted to get to the heart and soul of the job. What's inspiring this interest in that person. Yes. If they're looking for a quick buck, they're not my customer. Exactly. Yes. If they're looking for creating that compassionate tender experience that this most recent hire had from me, then they're probably the right fit.

Yes. So,

Jen Thyrion: yeah, I know. I have to say there's something about expectations to like really setting out, like what you are going to be doing day to day, what this really looks like, because I think, you know, even starting a business, we get your. Starting a permanent jewelry business sounds so like beautiful and rainbows and sunshine.

Right. But as we know, when we get into it, there's so much work that goes behind it. And just like being in the boutique world prior to this, I would put out jobs for, you know, help because I had four locations at one point and girls would just see boutique and they'd be like, Oh, you know, they think they're just going to be dressing cute and like, you know, and I'm like the, my structure, my boutiques are merchant markets.

I'm like, they would show up. to my house. I'm like, this is, I would describe it to them, be like, Hey, you know, this is inside my house. You're just going to be unboxing merchandise really in pricing. And they'd show up looking all cute with their high heels in my house. And they're going up and down my basement stairs and they're like, that's nothing glamorous, you know?

So I think that because I didn't set out those expectations, I learned from the beginning of like, Yeah. This is literally what you're going to be doing day to day, like you, and even though you would tell them, they still would have this like bubble of like what they imagined above their heads, you know, so I'd have to, I, so even this recent hire, it's like, or even with the wire wrapping, I'm very clear about, do you like tedious, Um, was like, yeah, it sounds fun making jewelry, but this, when you actually put yourself in the space of doing it, like you have to know your expectations.

Like, and also too, when it comes to, like you said, your limitations, or I had a couple people come over to get trained for way wrapping and they had long fingernails and then they couldn't do it. And I was like, all right. Oh my God, I totally didn't think of that because I never have nails, you know? Yeah.

So I had to then put that out there too. Like, Hey, if you have fingernail, like, you know what I mean? And you don't want to cut them, but this is not for you. Like, right. So it's just kind of keeping those expectations in check. Like this is what you're going to be doing. Like even like setting up for pop ups, maybe it sounds light and fluffy, but really you're going to be doing some hard work.

So it's like, you know, it's fun. Don't get me wrong when you're, but there is some work involved and it's not all just like putting on cute jewelry. And like, you know, so it's kind of like setting those expectations of what their day is going to look like.

Angelique: Um, a good job description. We'll do that. So that's one really great place to start is writing down all the tasks that you're If you can get them and you will modify as you go, but sometimes people will read the job description and they will self select out because they'll see things in the job description that doesn't seem to suit how they want to spend their time and what they want to be doing.

Right.

Jen Thyrion: Hey, busy entrepreneur, as you know, being a business owner, you have to wear all the hats. You're a social media manager, marketer, graphic designer, accountant, photographer, videographer, web designer, business coach, scheduler, and the list goes on. I know how overwhelming it can be, and this is why I created the Goldilinks Society.

It's our monthly permanent jewelry membership. We have a weekly call to talk about all the things, but not only that, including monthly photography and video to use for your social media and marketing, Canva templates, monthly business expert, monthly training, support group, discount and first dibs on Goldilinks supplies and more.

My intention is to create a Beautiful community of permanent jewelers that wanna level up their businesses together while creating lasting friendships and having fun. This is what I wish existed when I started my business almost 10 years ago. If you wanna know more, check it out@goldielinkssociety.com or at all the things permanent jewelry.com.

I hope to see you there. Cause even this hire, I mean, I made it really clear everyone that I interviewed, like right now my studio is in my home. Okay. You're not going to be going. Are you comfortable coming to my home? Are you comfortable like setting up in my kitchen and packing orders? You know, are you comfortable going up and down the stairs because that's where inventory is placed?

Are you, you know what I mean? It's not. It's not. I think again, when you're talking about a permanent jeweler and like doing jewelry supplies, it's like, okay, but this is behind the scenes stuff here. You're not the person helping me at events. Like this is literally you're organizing and you're just, you know, all those backend things like spread, think spreadsheets, think, you know, so are you okay with that?

You know? Um, cause I would have a couple of girls that came and they were asked, they're like, well, am I going to be like doing events with you? I'm like, actually, no, but I mean, I mean, that's about maybe in the future that could be an option. But right now this job, job description is not. Is not that, you know, and then you can kind of see their face drop and I'm like, okay, that's kind of like maybe what they were hoping.

So you just want to like, really be clear when you're talking to them, like what exactly they're doing day to day and what their day looks like, you know? And then for me, it was like, I didn't ask those typical questions, like, you know, what's your biggest strength or, you know, you get those interview questions.

But I think it's like, it comes out through conversation. Don't you agree? Like just asking, like, you know, just even about their experience or, you know, what draw, like you said, what drew them to this or, yeah,

Angelique: I think it does. I think, I think we do in conversations with people, we, we start to sense something.

I mean, yeah. I mean, there's always those people out there that can pull the wool over our eyes, but sure. For the most part, we have. Really great intuition.

Jen Thyrion: I think so, too. It really is funny. There was a class actually makes me think of the one of the first class I took the only one. I didn't take many at PJX because everything going on, but she had us turn to the person next to us and just talk for like, I think she set a timer for like two or three minutes.

And then we wrote qualities about this person through just our conversation within a couple of minutes. And it's so crazy, like how you really can get an impression of someone within a couple minutes, you know? So especially during an interview, like you said, some people are really good at role, you know, putting the wool over your eyes kind of thing.

Like, but for the most part, you can kind of get a good vibe of, you know, what their intentions are and really like being realistic about time. Like you said, your first hire obviously is a full time employee. So it's like. Yeah. Yeah. You only can expect so much. I think with me too was like with some, just depending on where they are in their lives and what time they have, you know, I had someone come where they have like super young kids and knowing what that entails.

Cause I have young kids. So like that being unpredictable, if I need someone who's pretty consistent, I don't know if that's the best option. You know what I mean? If I have someone who just is like, Has a preschooler that, you know what I mean? And trying, they're trying to fit in because they want to make it work, but you know, that is probably not realistic for the time I need.

Um, it's like things like that, like being realistic about their life situation and how much time they have and what you're actually like, what you need from them. Okay. So Angelique is W2. She has W2 employees.

Angelique: Yeah.

Angelique: I think from a really high level, I'm not going to go into all of the weeds and the specifics, but from a really high level, both from a tax standpoint and the Department of Labor standpoint, um, it's how much control you have over the work. Yeah. The product, the quality. The outcome, the time, the place, the schedule, all of those kinds of things are factors in determining whether or not that person is truly an independent contractor and whether they are an employee.

If I call someone up and say, can you work an event on September 13th from six to 8 PM and we've got an event scheduled and I need you there kind of a thing, then I've set the time, I've set the place, I've set the Parameters. I said how much they're going to travel, how far they're going to travel.

They're using my tools and equipment. Yes. If they're working that event, they're my employee. I made that decision based upon how much control I choose all the chains. I supply all the chains. Yeah. Apply the welders. Right. Supply the displays, the signs, the cards, the everything. Yes. They are representing my business exactly.

Jen Thyrion: So the difference would be, say, if you want to say you were doing a 10 99 to do an event and it was another permanent door, like say you asked me, but you asked me, but yes, you're like, how's the word of this? Like, I'm not bringing my own stuff, but say I was just like, Helping you and just, and just welding,

Angelique: what would that be?

I don't know. That's a fine line too. I think, um, if you're running your own permanent jewelry business, you are free to say yes or no to my opportunity. You are, I'm already trained. You're already trained. I'm not training you. I'm not teaching you how to use it. You might even bring your own equipment. And it's true.

Yeah. I probably wouldn't bring my own welder. There might be a subcontractor agreement that can work in that kind of situation. Even though, I mean, I'm saying here's this work opportunity. Can I hire you to do this work? Are you free? And you could say yes or no, that, that might be a little bit of a different scenario because you are free to run your own business outside of my opportunities.

There's, that's a fine line. And that's probably one you'd probably want to talk to a labor attorney because you are in that event representing. My business, your business. I think that's like using my chain, my signs, my care packages, my, my vibe kind of a thing is true happening there. So it, it walks a fine line.

That would be one. I would definitely confirm. Okay. With legal counsel. Okay. But some people might be able to,

Jen Thyrion: we actually talked about, so how do you conduct payroll? You use a certain software, Okay.

Angelique: Yeah. Hey. Yeah. There are a lot of bargain. I say bargain, but budget friendly opportunity is people who use QuickBooks can use QuickBooks to do payroll.

I use another accounting software. I could have used them for payroll if I wanted to. I went to an ADP. Paychecks there. There are a lot of business, a lot of softwares that will cater to small businesses with very, very small populations. I went with gusto. Okay. It was the same price as QuickBooks. So it was, so enables you to do

Jen Thyrion: it yourself or you wouldn't have to have someone else Take care of that for you, right?

If you're not, if you're a numbers person like me. Yeah. And you don't know any of those things. Um, is it pretty easy to figure out through Gusto? Are they pretty, like, do they help you

Angelique: through the process? I guess. To some degree. Okay. Things you'll have to know, but some things, um, they'll help you through.

If you were setting it up in QuickBooks, you would have to know your state laws. You'd have to know your taxes. those kinds of things, um, to get that set up. But with Gusto, you give them your tax accounts, you give them what they call it. Um, power of attorney. So they can file your taxes on your behalf and things like that.

So they, they can do that. You just give them the tax accounts and the power of attorneys and they handle everything for you. Wow.

Jen Thyrion: That's beautiful

Angelique: remit. The taxes, yeah. They will print the wiw twos at the end of the year. of how my annual tax returns for payroll.

Jen Thyrion: Because I guess my question is, I think people were like, um, you know, cause I've actually, it's so funny.

that you're paying to, or are you just simply, is there more fees involved in having a W 2 employee?

So when Like from a high level, when you have employees, you have to have workers comp insurance. You have to cover them if they get hurt or injured on the job. In Colorado, you have to have paid sick leave. Um, it's required a certain number of hours need to be earned based upon the number of hours they work.

Okay. So that's required under the law. In Colorado, we have family insurance coverage, that's disability and family leaves. Employees have to pay into that. It can come out of their paycheck unless you're an employer of a certain size, then the employer. Contributes a portion of that to unemployment.

There's both federal unemployment and state unemployment. Those are paid by the employer to the respective governments. That's why I like Gusto was handling all of my payments for me. They just take it out when they have payday and they send those taxes off. So those are probably the big ones to check on.

As you're, um, starting, those are the employer's responsibility for having employees.

Jen Thyrion: So Gusto

Angelique: does take care of most of that for you? Yeah, they'll, they'll calculate it and they remit it based on my powers of attorney and my tax accounts that I've set up for them.

Jen Thyrion: Okay. These are, these might be like really dumb questions, but I'm hoping you guys have the same dumb question.

Not some questions. So say you're, you're paying an employee 20 an hour. What are you really paying them after you're taking, you know what I mean? Like, is it, is on top of that, obviously is paying towards these, right? So what are you

Angelique: actually paying? There is a little bit more. I forgot about the FICA, the social security and Medicare.

So, um, on top of that, do the math in your head. You're probably. Federal unemployment is relatively low. I can't even remember what that is. It comes out. I think there's like funny little tax credits and things that you get if your taxes are remitted on time. And I think it comes down to less than 1 percent for federal unemployment.

Okay. That's tiny. Okay. Um, state unemployment could be as an entry level employer with no experience, it could vary based upon the state. So I would say, eh, it could be 3%. It might be Hire like 11 if they don't know who you are and what you're doing and how many times you're going to fire employees. Um, so it just depends.

So that's just based on your state tax rate. So when employees work for you, there's medicare and social security and the employee Has half of that deducted out of their paycheck and the employer has to match half of that that comes out to another 7. 65%.

Jen Thyrion: Okay.

Angelique: And then workers comp is gonna be, it's just gonna depend on your job description.

Jen Thyrion: So can you safely say like 10%?

Angelique: Of, no, it might be something down there. 10, I don't know that it would be as high as 15, but. Okay. Okay. It's possible.

Jen Thyrion: Okay. Yeah. So, and again, like you said, it depends on your state, right? So say you wanted to add a WTO employee, like we were talking in Colorado, but I mean, any state, that's why I actually Googled really quick before we jumped on.

I'm like, is there any place where it has like, what is required to get a WTO employees started in your state? But actually a good place is Gusto, right? I mean, could you not just ask them or would they at least direct you in the place you need to go? You could

Angelique: ask a payroll service. I liked looking at my state tax website.

Okay. But I'm also that person. I've spent a lot of years doing payroll and HR exactly. So I, yes, I go to the source and then, and then I ask my payroll service to hear, this is what I found. How do you handle this kind of thing? So I've gone to my department of revenue website, the tax website to set up an withholding account and find out what's required of me.

From the tax perspective and it's going to be written in technical language. It's going to feel really sterile. And you're like, what does that mean to me as a, as a new employer? Um, that kind of a thing. I also checked the department of labor because not only is that going to be where your unemployment tax dollars are paid, that's going to tell me my work rules.

Okay. Break times. Ah. That's going to tell me if I have to provide sick leave. That's going to tell me if I have to pay out vacation pay when somebody leaves my employment. That's going to tell me a lot of information about as an employer, what are my employees rights and how do I need to protect them while they're working for me?

Okay. Those are my two first places I check. Tax. Tax. And Department of Labor. Department of Labor. Okay, good.

Jen Thyrion: Cause is there anyone you could meet with that could just like give you and help you through this process? You know what I mean? Is there? Yeah. Like who would be that person? You or no? Literally. Who would be that person in your area?

I'm going to tell you right now, call the state, literally call the state. They want your state. They want you to do it, right? Yeah. Oh yeah.

Jen Thyrion: Well,

Angelique: this is the thing. They will help you do it, right?

Jen Thyrion: Yes. Because I hope so. I mean, it's, this is, and then maybe you're again from your different like background and whatnot.

For me, not, they may don't make it easy. That's how I feel. like , it's not super easy. It's not easy. Okay.

Angelique: It's not super breezy. But they ultimately, they don't wanna make revenue on getting people in trouble. Like that is, they're not in the business of make of Right. Generating revenue from that process.

They Yes. Literally want you to do it. Right. They want you to make their job easy. Yes. If you call them ask questions. Okay. I find people there are really helpful.

Jen Thyrion: So if someone was looking for someone who again, so you're talking about someone to help you through, which actually would be a contracted kind of person.

How do you search for those people that would help you possibly?

Angelique: That's a good question. I would, I would maybe search payroll consulting. Payroll consultant. Okay. Check LinkedIn for some people who might be independent contractors doing that on their own.

Jen Thyrion: I know. I wonder if like, of course, I always go to local Facebook groups, how helpful people can be on there.

And I don't know whether that'd be your local or like a business one or something like the Denver business or, you know, even just your local.

Angelique: Small business association would be able to help you. They could put you in touch with CPAs. Yeah.

Jen Thyrion: Cause that's my suggestion. Like, yeah, like you said, if you want to do something right.

And that's why I'm such a fan of through doing so many mistakes in my business. And that's why I created all the things I, and I have a pop. That's why I have a podcast. Okay. Because it's just like, when you're trying to figure everything out on your own, the information's out there, like none other, obviously at this point, but also can be very confusing.

And again, we are busy business owners or, and, or mothers and whatever you are, right. You might even have another job and still do permanent jewelry. So it's like, That we have all these different circumstances in our life. So it's like, if you can have someone help you and also do it right from the beginning, so you're not having to backtrack and redo things or get in trouble, it's like, please do, you know?

Cause unfortunately I wasn't able to sit in your PJX class because, you know, there are just certain things. Sometimes it can be tricky. Like we said, it's like, and maybe if it's just here and there, it's one thing, like you said, it's like, you know, one offs where you're just having someone help you weld for one.

Like, you know what I mean? A fellow permanent door in your area. But if it's going to be a consistent thing, right, it's something you really should be knowledgeable about. So you're not. Again, like losing your business or something crazy happened just goes back to that episode with legal doer. People are like, you know what I mean?

Like set it up right for the beginning. Most likely you won't have to work. Most likely you don't have to worry about these things, but that's what's like insurance is for and all these things, right? It's like, yeah, most likely, you know, nothing's going to happen. But when it does, Anyway, I suggest finding someone who knows what they're talking about.

Okay, so because even for your going back to your full time and like who works full time and she just does pop ups, so you basically, do you give her the schedule and say, Hey, these are your pop up dates and these like, you know, you kind of tell her that she has to be there.

Angelique: The one that works full time, I'm a little bit more flexible.

Okay. Um, she has already been. Pretty clear that she may get burned out. She's working full time all week long. And then she doesn't want to do back to back to back to back events. You might do one or two a month. Okay. And I'll just say, which, which weekends, which weekends can I schedule you? Yeah. That kind of a thing.

The other gal, um, I tell her what's coming up and she puts it on her calendar. She's like, okay, I'm, I'm there. And then do you mind sharing how much you're paying your employees? My range from a six to a seven. From a trainee. Mm-Hmm. standpoint is $18 an hour. Okay. And it, right now it goes up to 25. Okay.

And I let them keep their tips. Yes, for sure. Okay. Any tips they collect while they're at an event that it's theirs? Yes. If I'm working with them, the tips are theirs. Yeah. I don't, I don't take them.

Jen Thyrion: Yeah. I feel like that's, I mean, again, it's probably dependent on your area. Cause I mean, everyone has different, also like minimum wage and right.

And we have to be aware of the minimum wage. Right. You always have to pay that. But I think tips is huge. Like that is like that in itself is pretty, you know, I can

Angelique: turn an 18 an hour job into a 30 an hour job completely. Yeah. Yeah, that's true.

Jen Thyrion: So how do you, do you feel like just a, I mean, I know we already kind of like maybe touched on this, but do you feel that this is two, one of two things, like two adding is like, it's a way of scaling your business so you can be in two places at once.

Right. But also giving you a little bit more freedom, right? Yes. Yeah. Okay.

Angelique: Yes. Yeah. And that is my goal. I would like to take days off sometimes. Yeah. Working seven days a week. Yes. 10 a. m. to 7 p. m. Yeah. Every single day. That's amazing. Yeah. That's hard

Jen Thyrion: on a person. It is really hard. I feel like that's why you get to a point like there's always, I feel, you know, there's, there's seasons, right?

There's a hustle season when you're first starting and you want, you want to grab everything you can just to get the word out and whatever. But then you get to a point where you're like, okay, yeah, you're, you don't want to do that. That is going to play in how you show up for your customers. And I'm seeing that with myself.

I have to say, is that like, I try my hardest. Okay. Put anything aside, as you know, if life happens and you have to do an event and you might not want to be there, let's just be honest. You know what I mean? Right. There are days it's hard and I could like start crying right now for some reason, but no, it's like, it's just hard because, but also too, if you try to like, You know, you're trying to connect with your customer and you're in these like special moments and you're like, Oh my gosh, like, but I don't like, I really don't want to be here right now.

So it's like trying to like, you know, check that or, or if you're feeling burnt out, we were like, not only just something happening personally, maybe not that, or we may not feeling great, but it's like, you're burnt out. You're like, dude, I am like, I don't want to, I just want a day off. Like you said, like I want a day off, man.

And so it's just hard. It's hard to like, kind of. I don't know. Set that aside, you know, and, and you don't want to play that, let that play into your business and let the, you know, it come across and, you know, that'd be effective with your customers because you want to honor this. You're spending a lot of money, you know what I mean?

And like want this experience. And so you want to give that to them. So if you can have help doing that, when you feel like you can't totally amazing. So where do you see it going? Like, do you see yourself like, you know, I don't know. Where do you see this going with adding employees?

Angelique: My vision is a bit opaque right now.

Um, I'm not sure. I mean, sometimes I dream of having a little shop, um, somewhere else. That's not the coworking space, but I mean, I'm so blessed because I have such a beautiful space. Yeah. I don't really want to leave it. Um, sometimes I think if I, if I could have people running the business and, and be hands off in the day to day stuff.

Yeah. But then I also think that might break my heart because I love what I do. I know. I know. Deciding where, where I'm better serving the business. Yeah. Having the right help to, to make that happen. Yes.

Jen Thyrion: Well, it's kind of nice. Like you said, yeah, I could never give it up completely if I hired someone to do my beds.

Like I, but at least it gives you the freedom to do when you want to, you know what I mean? That's on your terms, which is nice, right? Like, yeah. So I think. That's, you know, a beautiful thing too, that you have, you know, just have choices, which is part of being an entrepreneur. You know, it's like, that's, what's nice.

It's like you have choices. So do you feel like adding an employee so far? I know it's been pretty new with the second gal, but has only served your business then? Because I know it's scary sometimes when you feel like I'm not going to lie. I have a hard time. We're we grew this brand and it's our bait.

Okay. It's really hard to have someone be the face of it. And I think that's the hardest thing. Like I did an event once and I decided to have someone else weld and I did charm bar. And I feel like all the people that came in, I'm not kidding, 80 percent were return people. And I feel like they were disappointed I wasn't welding.

And so I was like, so I don't, I have a hard time. And once I saw that, I was like, man, it'd be really hard to hire someone, but it would have to be someone you can't duplicate yourself again. But even, even the packing and shipping stuff. It's like, I. I feel like I'm no, I can, I can do it all. No, it's fine.

It's fine. It's fine. And then you get to a point again, extreme burnout where I'm like, Nope, I need help. I need help five weeks ago. So I'm finally going to do this and try, just let go of some control. But also too, I feel like because depending on where you are in your business, if you feel like you're putting a lot in and you're growing it, and as we know, there's different stages right with your finances, budgeting, all the things.

It's like, I feel like I'm just going to hold off because I really want to be putting my money this way. And like, I don't feel like I had the money. To add an employee, you know what I mean? Like, do you feel like it's only served you? Do you feel like you're kind of hesitant because of that? Or do you feel like you were at a good place?

Angelique: I'm going to say so far, all of the events my employees have done have paid for themselves. Awesome. So at the very least they've paid for themselves.

Jen Thyrion: Yeah.

Angelique: It hasn't cost me more than, and what it has generated. So I'm, and I know that's not always going to be the case. There may be sometimes, uh, an event might be a flop and that's a risk

Jen Thyrion: we take in general, even if it's just by herself.

Angelique: I recognize there's a potential for that, but I also realize that having the right people in the right place at the right time is. It's only going to serve me more often than yes.

Jen Thyrion: I mean, even just thinking about, you know, cause not only when we talk about events, which I can be on, we can get off on a tangent and go off a different path, but it's like, not only is it the monetary benefits, of course, but like you are in two places at once where they're representing you.

So at least people, even if they don't get something then, and they are a person, hopefully who's, who's talking to the customer and, you know, telling them about you. I mean, they might come back there. At least it's just like, it's marketing. That's what I'm trying to say. Yeah. No, it's, it's, it's a marketing expense.

If you look at it that way. Absolutely. Yeah. So you have to look kind of outside the box of like, just what they're bringing in maybe from that event. But the fact that you're there when you're not there, you know, you were there, you know, make someone to be there.

Angelique: Yeah.

Jen Thyrion: So

Angelique: yeah, it works.

Jen Thyrion: It works. So I don't know.

Let's end with like, what's your advice to someone who wants to add? Somebody you're thinking about this right now and adding employee to their business. What would you say to them?

Angelique: I would say if you're thinking about it, you probably already know it's time. Yeah. You know, you're ready. It's, it feels like a big step and it, it is a big step.

And on the other side of that is going to be the benefits of having that extra hope. Yeah. Extra. Support, both from an emotional and personal standpoint and from a financial standpoint. It's growth and growth can be scary.

Jen Thyrion: Like you said, there is risk just like we had a risk just even starting this business.

Right. So we're familiar, but, um, but yeah, I mean, it's growth and it can be uncomfortable and weird and

Angelique: trust your gut. I mean, we know you need help. You know, you need help.

Jen Thyrion: Yeah, like you said, I think those factors are like, you're getting more and crazier. Like you want to say yes to something and you can't be there, but also just again, if you're to the point, like we'd just been talking about, like overwhelmed, burnt out feeling like, okay, what if, what if I pulled away from my business?

What do I do? So I remember, I remember being part of a mastermind and. She talked about this is actually, so she was big on outsourcing. And at the time I had my boutique business and I kind of wasn't there yet, but she planted the seed big time because I didn't, I didn't think of it that way. Like, I think a lot of people, a lot of us who started business have a hard time thinking of letting it go and outsourcing and think we can do it all.

Okay. So she actually went through a couple really, really back to back rough miscarriages and she realized that she's like, I granted she wasn't even doing in person things like we do. She was just, she was. Making digital courses, she had a membership herself or something like that, but she couldn't show up for her, for people like she just, she wanted to not talk to anyone, understandably, you know, for X amount of weeks.

And she's like, I realized no one is there to like do anything I'm doing. It's me. And if I'm not physically or, you know, mentally able to work. Then my business is like going to take the grunt, you know, everything. So that's what like, that was her big aha moment. So I think that we all maybe again, like even with your friend and how having to help her, it's like, we all have these little things maybe that happen and like listening to that little whisper to be like, okay, yeah, like, this is, You know, like, hopefully it's nothing, you know, traumatic, but it could be just, again, overwhelmed or feeling like, Oh, I really want to say yes to this event and now I can't because I booked this and I want to be there.

Okay. Well, where, where again, can we find you? If we want to, if anyone wants to ask you questions, she's like, I don't want to give out my information.

Angelique: Instagram, Angelique Fernland on Instagram. I will answer instant messages there. Yeah. My personal profile about the payroll and hiring and stuff like that.

Um, my business profile is Peach Lane online, so you can find me there too. Um, I prefer that people follow me on that profile from their personal profile. Oh yeah,

Jen Thyrion: yeah,

Angelique: yeah. That, um, that helps the. Facebook algorithm. Yeah. I don't, we want to show business profiles to people and not other businesses. So

Jen Thyrion: yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. That's a good point. I don't know. I was just talking about that. I don't have a personal profile actually. Mine's just combined. Yeah. Yeah. My personal is my business. I don't know. So intertwined. Okay. Thank you for being here again. I really appreciate your time. Well, how do you feel? I hope you found value in today's episode and you walk away feeling inspired.

I would love to hear from you. Let's link up. You can find me on Instagram at goldielinkssociety. You can find out more about our permanent jewelry membership at goldielinksociety. com Our handmade permanent jewelry supplies of connectors chain and more at goldielinksupplies. com Okay, I will see you next time.

Have a golden day