Gusto Acquires Guideline, Boosts Retirement Product Offerings

Most business owners spend more time planning their vacation than planning for financial uncertainty. That's not a knock on vacation planning, but it highlights a dangerous truth. They operate on hope, a dangerous substitute for a real financial strategy. The most common lie I hear is, “We’ll be fine.” The most successful founders I’ve worked with don’t just hope for the best; they prepare for the worst. This is why a cash flow stress test isn't optional; it's a strategic imperative. A stress test models how your business performs under pressure. It's a systematic way of pushing your financial model to its breaking point. So how do you do it? Here are some ways. → Revenue Stress: What happens when sales drop by 10%, 25%, or even 50%? Can you survive a sudden downturn? The difference between surviving a 30% drop and a 50% drop can determine whether you weather a storm or close your doors. → Expense Flexibility: Which costs can you reduce quickly, and which are locked in? Understanding your fixed vs. variable costs is key to how quickly you can adjust. → Horizon: How long can you handle a 25% revenue drop? Three months? Six months? A full year? The longer your runway, the more likely you are to emerge stronger. I get it. It feels uncomfortable to model a doomsday scenario. But the point isn't to create fear. It’s to give you concrete data about your business’s financial durability. It’s the difference between guessing and knowing. And in my experience, the businesses that know their failure points before a crisis hits are the ones that succeed in the long run. The businesses that scale successfully are the ones that invest in financial leadership early, not the ones that wait until they're forced to by crisis.

Q4 is just around the corner. For those who have experienced the rush of the last fiscal quarter, here are some key reminders: 1. Holidays can serve as compelling events to anchor timelines. Use them to your advantage. 2. Ensure that the budget is still available for the purchase. 3. If pricing is being used to incentivize a deal, show the "2026" pricing if the deadline is missed. 4. Avoid setting your timeline to close on December 31st. Instead, aim for December 15th, with pricing expiring then as well. 5. Confirm your buyer's holiday schedule and get their cellphone number. There’s nothing worse than having an order out for signature while your signer is on PTO. These lessons come from personal experience—there's no need to repeat the same mistakes.

Here are my Top 5 Questions for you today on your 401(k) 👇 ► What is a 401(k)? ► What are the benefits of having a 401(k)? ► How can I enroll in a 401(k)? ► Can I contribute to a 401(k) if I am an expat? ► Are there any restrictions on how I can use my 401(k)? If any of this concerns you then feel free to send me a quick message here. I am happy to share my learnings. 401(k) planning is so important.

Here are my Top 5 Questions for you today on your 401(k) 👇 ► What is a 401(k)? ► What are the benefits of having a 401(k)? ► How can I enroll in a 401(k)? ► Can I contribute to a 401(k) if I am an expat? ► Are there any restrictions on how I can use my 401(k)? If any of this concerns you then feel free to send me a quick message here. I am happy to share my learnings. 401(k) planning is so important. If you want to learn more about this topic then you can download this FREE guide : https://lnkd.in/dYEkt87f

Gusto just made the biggest acquisition in their history, buying Guideline, one of the leading SMB retirement providers. Not a huge surprise on Guideline’s side. They raised new rounds nearly every year from 2016 to 2021, only to hit the aforementioned funding freeze when interest rates spiked. No new capital since. An exit felt inevitable. From Gusto’s perspective, it’s a natural move. They’ve always positioned themselves as the modern alternative to ADP Run or Paychex. Payroll and HR for small business, built for today. Adding 401(k) into the mix rounds out that vision. It’s another sign of the consolidation wave in SMB HR tech and another example of companies expanding horizontally into the services buyers already expect to be integrated with their core platform.

It’s Official, Venrollment Benefits Has Launched! We’ve taken everything advisors love about our retirement platform and brought it to employee benefits, giving benefits consultants and firms the power to deliver a branded microsite for each of their clients. A single on-demand hub where employees can easily understand their benefits. Here’s the value early adopters are seeing and expect to see more of: ▪️Consolidated tech stacks ▪️Faster new-hire onboarding ▪️Seamless enrollment meetings ▪️Higher engagement in voluntary benefits ▪️A modern client + prospect experience And when paired with Retirement, 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐨𝐧𝐞-𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬. The functionality Venrollment Benefits delivers includes: ▪️Custom explainer videos for core benefits ▪️Wellness content beyond the basics ▪️Voluntary benefits sales tools to drive adoption ▪️Centralized resources (docs, links, contacts, PDFs) ▪️Class structures & playlists for tailored learning ▪️Automated + manual email delivery at scale ▪️PDF guide generator + QR codes for instant access ▪️Built-in Video Recording Software Ready to transform the way benefits are communicated to your clients and their employees? If you are interested in learning more, please schedule a demo with our team by clicking on the link below: https://lnkd.in/eUCtY5y4 With our launch, we’re offering extended trials to all and special bundle pricing for firms using both Venrollment Benefits + Retirement. #Venrollment #Benefits #ProductLaunch #AdvisorTools #Engagement

@USI Consulting Group's next webinar is a great opportunity to learn about the benefits of offering a 401k and how it can help attract talent and boost retention. Register and save your spot!

Starting (or scaling) a 401(k) practice can feel overwhelming. Not because it isn’t profitable (it is). But because it often feels like too much to take on: - Regulations that never stop changing - No clear process to follow - Endless administrative and reporting burdens - Competing with more experienced advisors for every new plan For new advisors, it can feel impossible to even get started. For experienced advisors, it’s often the reason they hesitate to take on more plans. At PlanSync, one of our key goals is to make starting and scaling a 401(k) book of business easier — by giving advisors a framework that makes plan management less overwhelming, more transparent, and more efficient. In the graphic below, we’ve highlighted a few fundamentals that can give new advisors a strong foundation. But every practice is different — so we’d love to hear from you: - Experienced 401(k) advisors: What’s the hardest part of taking on more plans? And when you first started, what was the steepest learning curve? - New advisors: What feels like the biggest barrier to getting started? - Wholesalers: What hurdles do you run into when helping new advisors enter the 401(k) space? #401kAdvisors #401kPlans #PlanManagement #FiduciaryResponsibility #ComplianceReporting #PlanEfficiency #RetirementPlanAdvisors #AdvisorGrowth #PracticeManagement #AdvisorTechnology

Is managing your company’s 401(k) plan becoming more of a headache than it should be? Let’s connect and explore options to simplify your company’s 401k plan—so you can focus on running your business, not chasing paperwork.