I've been in the PEO industry for over 16 years, and a few years ago I made the decision to go out on my own instead of staying captive to a single PEO company. I want to explain why, because it's the whole reason my business exists the way it does.
The Problem With Working for One PEO
When you work for a single PEO, your job is to sell that PEO — regardless of whether it's actually the best fit for the business in front of you. I got tired of trying to fit a square peg into a box. Every business is different: different size, different industry, different risk profile, different priorities. Representing every option on the market, instead of just one, means I can actually put a client's interests first.
Why Companies Stay With the Status Quo Even When It's Costing Them
Here's something I see constantly: shopping for a PEO or comparing large-group health insurance requires gathering an overwhelming amount of documentation. That process alone creates decision fatigue, and decision fatigue keeps companies parked exactly where they are — even when staying put is quietly costing them money every renewal cycle.
What the Numbers Actually Look Like
A few real examples from my own client work:
- A 24-employee technology company in California, previously not using a PEO at all, saved over $102,000 in the first year — more than $4,200 per employee — by moving onto a large-group master health plan.
- An 8-employee nonprofit in Colorado saved over $20,000 a year, or roughly $2,500 per employee — a 37% reduction driven almost entirely by administrative fees and workers' comp, since their health insurance pricing was already competitive.
- A 14-employee machinery shop in Georgia, already using a PEO, still found $49,000 in first-year savings and locked in their medical rates for 18 months by switching to a better-fit provider.
None of those companies were doing anything wrong. They just hadn't compared their options recently enough to know what was actually available.
What I Actually Do
I compare, analyze, and negotiate on your behalf, and I help with implementation — all at no cost to you, because I'm compensated by the carrier or PEO you ultimately choose, not by you. That means my job is to eliminate the non-competitive players before you ever get on a call, and to hand you a real side-by-side comparison instead of a sales pitch.
The Question I'd Ask You
If you're not currently with a PEO and think it might be a good fit, let's talk. And if you *are* with a PEO but haven't done a real due-diligence comparison in the last three years, it's probably time — because the businesses in the examples above weren't overpaying because they made a bad decision. They were overpaying because nobody had looked recently.
Suzanna Martinez, President | PEO For The CEO