Santa Cruz Small Business Development Center announces new HR advisor: Benjamin Slade

The Santa Cruz Small Business Development Center is happy to announce that Human Resources knowledgeable Benjamin (Ben) Slade has joined its top-notch crew {of professional} advisors. Currently the Human Resources Director at The VPS Companies, Inc. in Watsonville, Ben replaces very long time advisor Joy Halfoff, who’s retiring and relocating. Ben is a frontrunner in his subject with greater than a decade of HR expertise and a deep dedication to supporting small companies, the lifeblood of the neighborhood.

After speaking with SBDC advisor David Mancera, Ben determined to make use of his enterprise acumen to help the small enterprise neighborhood whereas sustaining his full-time job. He started his Santa Cruz SBDC advising in June and has already labored with quite a lot of companies, together with a restaurant, health heart, automobile detailing enterprise, florist, and acupuncturist.

The Challenge of Compliance Issues

“California is likely one of the most troublesome states to do enterprise in as a result of it has much more compliance legal guidelines. It’s simple to really feel overwhelmed simply maintaining and checking the containers, not to mention operating your online business,” mentioned Ben.

Those compliance points embody, however usually are not restricted to: potential lawsuits, taxes, wage and hour compliance, impartial contractors, retirement plan/CalSaver, and Covid vaccines.

Commitment to Small Businesses in Santa Cruz County

Small enterprise is what makes the neighborhood distinctive. It’s one of many foundational items.

— Ben Slade

“I stay a block away from a mom-and-pop espresso store. I’d quite help them as a small enterprise than go to Starbucks. That cash on the mom-and-pop store goes again to the local people and helps workers dwelling right here. It’s what makes us distinctive and develops our character.”

Getting to know Ben

After lately finishing his MBA on the University of Illinois, Ben was prepared to supply help to the enterprise neighborhood and likewise develop his vary of HR expertise. “I noticed a possibility to do extra and the whole lot occurred to align completely,” mentioned Ben.

Originally from Wisconsin, Ben has spent a decade in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, beginning together with his project to the Defense Language Institute the place he studied to grow to be an Arabic linguist. When he’s not at work, Ben is deeply invested in household life together with his toddler, Christopher, and his spouse Traci, a Watsonville native who works at UC Santa Cruz. They are proud to be a part of the wealthy material of the Santa Cruz neighborhood and Ben’s happy he can provide again by supporting native small companies.

“My aim with each firm is to at all times depart it in higher situation than after I began,” mentioned Ben. “Achieving success implies that I’ve nice individuals with me. It’s a crew effort. Together, we discover the answer.”

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