by Ann Donnelly

For small business owners, the “to-do” list is often a mountain that never levels off. Between managing growth and daily operations, the complex world of human resources—compliance, payroll, and employee relations—can quickly become a liability rather than an asset.

Jennifer Barry, J.D., HR Consultant Practice Leader at GTM Payroll & HR, says businesses don’t have to choose between a hefty salary and a “recipe for disaster”.

“Asking non-HR staff to take on these duties is risky,” Barry said. “You may alienate the employee, you may lose them, and frankly, they may just get it wrong. Many HR areas require strict compliance, and there is no room for error”.

Fractional HR is emerging as a major tool for smaller businesses or startups operating on a lean staffing budget. The concept is simple: instead of hiring a full-time mid-level HR professional at an average salary of $80,000 per year, a company can hire a highly experienced consultant for 10 to 12 hours per week, only when needed.

“Consultants can often do in 10 hours per week what a full-time employee can do,” Barry noted. “Because they aren’t ingrained in the organization or distracted by day-to-day office operations, they work with a level of efficiency that is hard to match internally”.

At GTM, the consulting team functions like a “Halls of Justice,” providing clients with access to a “superhero” on call. These generalists bring up to 30 years of experience to the table, supported by a network of specialists in areas like employment law, training, handbook development, and benefits.

For many owners, the sign that it is time to look outward is a simple lack of “peace of mind”. Barry suggests owners ask themselves: What am I doing that I don’t like? What is taking too much time? Where do I lack the knowledge to proceed?

By Reg Harnish

Late last year, Warren County officials disclosed that more than $3 million was mistakenly sent from the Treasurer’s Office after staff fell victim to a phishing scam. Two routine wire payments believed to be legitimate vendor transactions were redirected to fraudulent accounts.

This was not a technical failure or a sophisticated cyberattack. It was a breakdown in how routine business decisions were made and verified.

That is what makes phishing so effective. It hides inside normal work.

How Phishing Gets Past Capable Teams

Modern phishing often does not look suspicious at first glance. Emails are designed to feel familiar, frequently appearing to come from known vendors, contractors or internal staff. Formatting looks correct, timing makes sense and the request fits neatly into an existing workflow.

Common examples include a request to update banking information, a revised invoice or a reminder that a payment needs to go out.

Add urgency, and the email blends into a busy inbox. Nothing about it feels dramatic. That is the core of social engineering: getting people to act, not just to click.

Why Smaller Organizations Are Common Targets

Smaller organizations run lean by necessity. Fewer approval layers and handoffs mean fewer chances for someone to pause and ask whether something looks right.

By Neal Sandin

Economic uncertainty reigns, with concerns about tariffs, rising unemployment and inflation, and the possible “AI Bubble” spilling out from social media feeds and news outlets. With higher costs for groceries, utilities, as well as at the gas pump and seemingly everywhere else, people are becoming more discerning about where to spend their hard-earned money. The challenge for brands and market researchers that work for them is not to focus too much on one single factor: price.

Many companies when faced with economic hurdles immediately reduce prices. This is understandable. After all, a typical question that the market researcher asks is if there is anything preventing someone from buying something. Not surprisingly, the first answer is always cost. If things were only a little less expensive, they would buy. Yet ironically, reduction of prices can actually cause people to not buy from a brand. 

For example, if Rolls-Royce suddenly started selling their vehicles at a Honda Civic price point, many people would wonder about the brand and if the quality was truly there. The true appeal of Rolls-Royce is that it is exclusive. These vehicles belong to a rarefied group, one that is full of brand-loyal customers. The more exclusive, the more exciting the brand, the more it captures the imagination on both an emotional and social level. All of this creates and reinforces customer loyalty. 

Some may conclude from this that a higher price is required to create exclusivity. While it is true that a Rolls-Royce at $30,000 is not nearly as remarkable as a Rolls-Royce at $300,000, it is the stories we tell about the brand that truly makes them something special. Rolls-Royce played a key role in royal weddings, including between Princess Diana and Prince Charles. Yet, that Honda Civic that can last 200,000 miles also tells a story, one that Rolls-Royce never could, that of road trips and memories with loved ones. These stories give people a reason to buy from that brand. They make the customer want to spend their money with a specific company and not anyone else. Stories create loyalty.