There’s this unspoken rule in the small business world that says:

“You’re small. You can’t offer that.”
“Real benefits are for corporate companies.”
“Startups can’t afford to think that way.”

I don’t buy it.

When I started Studio West seven years ago, I didn’t build it just to create good marketing. I built it so I could provide for my family and still be a present mom. I built it because I wanted freedom. And if I’m honest, I built it because I believed there had to be a better way to do business.

If that’s my foundation, then how I care for my team has to reflect that.

So I’m changing how we do benefits at Studio West.

Not because it’s flashy.
Not because it looks good in a hiring post.
But because it actually matters.

Here’s What I’ve Implemented This Year!

As a small (but mighty) agency, we now offer:

• Profit-sharing opportunities
• Healthcare coverage
• Pet bereavement leave
• Sabbaticals
• Phone stipends
• Additional PTO on top of:
  • 2 weeks paid flex PTO
  • 2 fully paid weeks off at the end of the year

And no… we’re not a giant corporation.
We’re a seven-year-strong digital marketing agency with a lean team and big vision.

So why stretch to do this?

Because I don’t want to build a business that runs on burnout.

Profit Sharing: If We Win, We Win Together

I don’t believe in building something alone while everyone else just clocks in.

If my team is helping grow this company; stewarding client relationships, managing budgets, creating strategy, protecting the brand, then they deserve to share in the profit.

Profit sharing shifts the mindset from “this is my job” to “this is what we’re building.”

Ownership changes everything.

Healthcare: Stability Fuels Excellence

Creativity is hard when you’re stressed about medical bills.

Offering healthcare coverage isn’t just a perk. It’s stability. It’s dignity. It’s peace of mind.

I want my team focused on doing excellent work, not quietly carrying anxiety about whether they can afford to take care of themselves or their families.

That kind of security creates better leadership, better ideas, and better service for our clients.

Pet Bereavement: Because Humanity Isn’t Optional

I’m a mom. I’m a business owner. And I know that grief doesn’t clock in and out.

Pets are family. Losing one is devastating. Pretending that doesn’t matter because it’s “just work” feels disconnected from the kind of culture I want to build.

If I say we’re relational, then I need to mean it in the policies too.

Sabbaticals: I’m Building for Longevity, Not Turnover

I don’t want revolving doors at Studio West.

I want longevity. I want commitment. I want people to grow here.

Sabbaticals reward that. They create space for rest and renewal instead of forcing people to choose between staying and surviving.

Burnout is expensive. Rest is strategic.

Phone Stipends: Work Shouldn’t Quietly Cost You

If someone is using their personal phone daily for business, that shouldn’t just be absorbed as “part of the job.”

It seems small. But small things add up.

If the business benefits from it, the business should help carry it.

That’s stewardship.

More PTO: Because Rest Makes Us Better

Our team already receives:

• 2 weeks of paid flex PTO
• 2 fully paid weeks off at the end of the year

And I’m adding additional PTO on top of that.

Why?

Because I built this business to create margin… not remove it.

I want my team to be present parents. To take trips. To breathe. To handle real life without panic.

Rested people do better work.
Healthy people lead better.
Balanced people stay longer.

It’s not complicated.

Why This Matters Beyond My Company

Here’s what I really believe:

Small businesses collectively employ a massive portion of the workforce. If we all keep saying, “We’re too small to offer real benefits,” then most employees will never experience stability outside of corporate America.

But what if small businesses led differently?

What if we proved that you can be profitable and people-first?
That you can grow and still be generous?
That you can scale without sacrificing your values?

Yes.. benefits cost money.

But turnover costs more.
Burnout costs more.
Disengagement costs more.
Losing great people because they need stability costs more.

I’m not pretending this is easy. It stretches me. It challenges our margins. It requires intentional planning.

But I didn’t start Studio West to build something average.

I’m building something sustainable. Something values-aligned. Something my kids can be proud of.

And if that means rewriting what small business benefits look like?

I’m all in.

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If you’re a founder wrestling with how to build a healthy team while still protecting your bottom line, I see you. It’s possible to do both.

And I’m committed to proving it.