{"id":610576,"date":"2026-08-27T16:13:01","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T16:13:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.olympiajournal.com\/news\/story\/610576\/new-payroll-launch-lab-podcast-explores-whether-and-how-to-start-a-payroll-company.html"},"modified":"2026-08-27T16:13:01","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T16:13:01","slug":"new-payroll-launch-lab-podcast-explores-whether-and-how-to-start-a-payroll-company","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.olympiajournal.com\/news\/story\/610576\/new-payroll-launch-lab-podcast-explores-whether-and-how-to-start-a-payroll-company.html","title":{"rendered":"New Payroll Launch Lab Podcast Explores Whether and How to Start a Payroll Company"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"New<\/a><\/div>\n
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\u201cShould I Start a Payroll Company?\u201d is a podcast from The Payroll Launch Lab featuring candid conversations with payroll founders and industry leaders about starting and growing an independent payroll company.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
The Payroll Launch Lab podcast features payroll founders and industry leaders sharing candid advice on whether and how to start an independent payroll company.<\/div>\n

RICHMOND, Va. – August 27, 2026 – <\/strong>The Payroll Launch Lab has launched a new podcast for entrepreneurs considering whether to start an independent payroll company.<\/p>\n

Hosted by payroll entrepreneur John Mason-Smith (JMS), “Should I Start a Payroll Company?”<\/a> features candid conversations with payroll founders, CEOs, and operators about what it actually takes to build a payroll business.<\/p>\n

The idea behind the show is simple: instead of giving aspiring founders another checklist, ask people who have already done it what they got right, what they got wrong, and whether they would make the same decision again.<\/p>\n

“I wanted to make the show I would have wanted before I started my own payroll company,” said JMS. “There are plenty of places to learn how payroll works. It is much harder to find people willing to tell you what they got wrong, what they would do differently, and whether they would still choose this business knowing what they know now.”<\/p>\n

The first three episodes feature leaders with very different paths through the industry.<\/p>\n

Lori Brown<\/a>, CEO of PayNW and President of the Independent Payroll Providers Association (IPPA),<\/strong> shares her perspective on how the economics of entering the payroll business have changed and why she still sees room for new independent providers.<\/p>\n

“There’s a huge opportunity… you can do it with a lot less risk now.”<\/p>\n

Brown also talks about leadership, delegation and the ways a founder’s role changes as a payroll company grows.<\/p>\n

Jeff Plakans<\/a>, Founder and President of Commonwealth Payroll & HR,<\/strong> brings the perspective of a multi-generational payroll entrepreneur. He helped grow his family’s payroll company from approximately 500 clients to roughly 8,000 before its sale in 2005, then later returned to the industry as a founder.<\/p>\n

When JMS asked what he would tell someone considering starting a payroll company today, Plakans answered:<\/p>\n

“It’s a great idea. What’s your value proposition? And if the answer is weak, I’d say go think about it some more.”<\/p>\n

His answer gets to one of the recurring themes of the series: access to payroll software makes it easier to enter the industry, but it does not replace the need for a clear reason customers should choose a new provider.<\/p>\n

Nate Pollak<\/a>, General Manager and Head of GTM at Earnin Payroll,<\/strong> approaches the industry from a different direction. His conversation with JMS covers technology, automation, and what happens when businesses become so focused on efficiency that they lose the human side of the relationship.<\/p>\n

“We’re just gonna keep being humans, and that’s gonna be a unique thing in this world.”<\/p>\n

For aspiring founders, the first three conversations point to a similar conclusion: there is still opportunity in payroll, but the opportunity is not simply in offering payroll processing. New firms need a strong value proposition, a clear market position, and a reason to exist beyond having access to the technology.<\/p>\n

The podcast is part of The Payroll Launch Lab<\/strong>, a free training and resource platform created specifically for entrepreneurs who want to start and grow independent payroll companies.<\/p>\n

The platform includes practical education, business tools, vendor resources, and access to industry professionals, with the goal of helping new founders make better decisions before they invest heavily in launching a payroll business.<\/p>\n

“A lot of the best knowledge in this industry gets passed from person to person,” said JMS. “I’m trying to make more of that accessible so new founders do not have to learn everything the expensive way.”<\/p>\n

Entrepreneurs looking for information on how to start a payroll company<\/strong> can access The Payroll Launch Lab for free at:<\/p>\n

ThePayrollLaunchLab.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Episodes of “Should I Start a Payroll Company?” are available through major podcast platforms and through The Payroll Launch Lab.<\/p>\n

About The Payroll Launch Lab<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Payroll Launch Lab<\/strong> is a free education, resource, and community platform for entrepreneurs starting and growing independent payroll companies. It provides training, tools, vendor resources, and industry education focused on launching and operating a payroll business.<\/p>\n

The Payroll Launch Lab is operated by Sticky Niches LLC.<\/p>\n

Media Contact<\/span>
Company Name:<\/strong> Sticky Niches LLC<\/a>
Contact Person:<\/strong> John Mason-Smith (JMS)
Email:<\/strong> Send Email<\/a>
Phone:<\/strong> 804-466-4904
City:<\/strong> Richmond
State:<\/strong> Virginia
Country:<\/strong> United States
Website:<\/strong> stickyniches.com<\/a><\/p>\n

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