How one small business manages payroll & benefits with Gusto & Take Command

Community Technology Services (CTS), based in Atlanta, provides IT support for multi-tenant residential communities and the companies that manage them. CTS keeps essential systems running, integrates and implements new technology, and helps communities develop strategies for long-term stability. With just nine employees, it's a small but dedicated team.

Ben Phillips is the founder and CEO of Community Technology Services. With a background in corporate America, Phillips is familiar with the HR and payroll systems big businesses use to manage their day-to-day operations efficiently. When setting up CTS, Phillips wanted to replicate that "big business" framework in a way that made sense for his startup, which led him to payroll, HR, and benefits platform Gusto.

Gusto is a scalable payroll solution and also affordable," said Phillips. "It allowed me to take the structure that I was used to at big corporations and apply it to my small company. That was a game changer when setting up my business.

Gusto provides the benefits owners can expect from larger platforms — including automated tax filing, time tracking, and talent management tools — while remaining affordable for small to medium-sized businesses. Gusto also partners with Take Command, making it easy for owners to reimburse employees for their healthcare. It's as simple as adding the monthly reimbursement amount for each employee to the Gusto platform. 

I chose Take Command because of the way it works with Gusto," said Phillips. "Having that seamless interaction between the systems and processes was a huge benefit.

Helping small businesses compete with "big players"

While businesses with fewer than 50 full-time employees are not legally obligated to provide benefits, competing for talent is tough if you have less to offer candidates than larger organizations. Looking after the team was also a priority for Phillips, but minimum participation requirements and high costs took group insurance off the table. 

"As a startup, I'm trying to compete for talent with big players that are more established," said Phillips. "I needed to offer attractive benefits that were also affordable, and I wanted to provide something of value to my employees — to treat them well from the start."

Take Command introduced Phillips to the Qualified Small Employer HRA (QSEHRA), a flexible benefits model designed for small businesses. With QSEHRA, employers set a fixed reimbursement amount that employees use to pay for their health premiums. QSEHRA allows small business owners to control costs while offering employees something they won't find at most larger corporations — the freedom to choose their own coverage. 

Gusto and Take Command help me attract the talent I need to move my business forward," added Phillips.

A flexible solution that grows with the business

QSEHRA is a scalable benefits model for growing businesses. CTS is able to keep reimbursements in line with its budget, starting out small and steadily increasing the dollar amount allocated to each employee. Now, several staff members can cover the full cost of their health insurance using just their allowance.

"QSEHRA does not lock me in — it's flexible and I can change it as I go along," said Phillips. "Being able to scale up reimbursements is a great thing for small businesses."

Employees at CTS can purchase health insurance in any tier, from bronze to platinum plans. Take Command's Window Shopping Tool also lets employees filter by location or preferred in-network provider to ensure they have access to the right care locally. If the reimbursement amount or an employee's medical requirements change, they can easily switch to a different plan during the next enrollment period.

CTS offers generous benefits that also reimburse for medical expenses. Employees who do not spend the full allowance on their premium can use leftover cash to pay for physical therapy, blood tests, prescription medicines, and other eligible expenses. 

Payroll and benefits in 15 minutes flat 

For Phillips, working with Gusto and Take Command has been easy and intuitive from the start. When he does need help from either platform, he knows it's just a phone call away. 

"Implementing QSEHRA was so simple that I was able to get everything set up myself," said Phillips. "I've contacted Take Command a couple of times to change the reimbursement amount, and it's been a breeze. Other than that, I haven't needed much support — it just works." 

While fellow small business owners spend hours on payroll and benefits each month, Phillips dedicates just 15 minutes. To onboard new employees, he adds them to the Gusto platform and enters the healthcare reimbursement amount — everything is ready in a few clicks. Each month, Phillips uploads employees' reimbursements to payroll and, once processed, they appear as a separate line item in their pay stub. 

"I love the fact that it doesn't take up much of my time," said Phillips. "I hear other small businesses commenting that payroll takes forever, or that they're outsourcing it to different companies. I don't have to do any of that — from time tracking all the way through to reimbursements, it's all streamlined."

Like many small businesses, CTS does not have a dedicated HR department. Take Command's QSEHRA guides and expert support ensure employees have everything they need to get started, with minimal input from their employer. Hands-off administration allows Phillips to balance benefits and payroll with wider business priorities. 

Gusto and Take Command simplify my role as a small business owner," shared Phillips. "Instead of spending a lot of time working through benefits and payroll, I'm able to finish everything in a few clicks and go back to focusing on growing my business.