Octane puts Insperity to work with startups

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The Challenge

• The need for a collaborative, trusted HR partner that could help support a business strategy with a scalable people strategy.

The Solution

• Insperity’s full-service HR solution and dedicated service team that exceeds expectations and works tirelessly to support the organization’s goals.

The Result

• Organizational expansion and a partnership between Octane and Insperity to offer startups a scalable infrastructure for growth.

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Octane puts Insperity to work in Orange County startup ecosystem

From the beginning of their relationship, Insperity and Octane recognized a shared mission: to help businesses and communities thrive.

If you’re a startup in Southern California, you know Octane – an acronym for Orange County Technology Action Network. Befitting its name, Octane helps fuel startups by bringing together people, resources and capital in the technology and medical technology business ecosystem.

When Octane’s leadership was considering how it was going to grow the organization, they looked for a human resources provider to support their goals. They did their due diligence, interviewed various providers and Insperity came out on top. Insperity’s experience in encouraging the entrepreneurial spirit and its ability to take care of people aligned with Octane’s values.

“Octane enlisted the services of Insperity with the goal of really finding a partner that we could trust, that we could collaborate with to take care of our most important asset, which is our people,” said Janelle Brunette, chief operating officer at Octane. “After looking at a variety of different companies, Insperity definitely was the partner that we wanted to move forward with.

“We felt that we were going to be taken care of in so many different aspects that we had not even considered,” she continued. “You know, sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know, and to have a trusted advisor come into your office and take the time to explain all of the different opportunities and benefits that are available, that was really empowering for us as leaders and decision makers for our company.”

The Insperity effect was soon felt across the organization, surprising even the CEO by the breadth and depth of services and level of care that they receive.

“You know, when we started using Insperity, I viewed it as they would administer our payroll and our benefits and all of that, and do it really well,” said Bill Carpou, chief executive officer at Octane. “What I was really pleasantly surprised with was the ability for Insperity really to step in and be our outsourced HR department. It’s excelled and exceeded my expectations in terms of how we help manage our team and the productivity that we get on our team.”

Building a relationship

As an Insperity client, Octane experiences the Insperity differentiator: a level of service that is unmatched in the marketplace.

“We had so many opportunities for direct conversations with individuals at Insperity, not only from the sales side, but from the HR side to the payroll side, to executive leadership. And so, we really felt that we had good relationships across the board, and that was really important to us, Brunette said. “We wanted to feel seen, I think, as a nonprofit, and, at the time, we were much smaller. You know, you don’t want to be overlooked. You want to feel important, and you want to have a partnership with who you’re working with.”

Not only that, Octane’s leadership finds having someone who can provide guidance on HR best practices, payroll or employer liability issues has been a game-changer.

“We’ve utilized a number of services of Insperity, and one that I felt most helpful was probably the HR specialist, because there’s a lot of things that come up throughout the year that you want to talk to somebody about,” Brunette said. “You want to run ideas past them. You want to hear what the proper protocol is, what our options are, and that’s something that I’ve always highly valued. Having that trusted advisor to be able to take those calls and have those conversations is one of the greatest assets we feel we’ve been able to establish with our relationship with Insperity.”

Octane employees rely on Insperity’s contact center team to help them navigate employee paperwork and changes in status or even provide information on benefits that may be available.

“Our employees feel empowered because they know that they can call somebody at Insperity to answer the questions that they have,” Brunette said. “You know, life happens. There’s changes throughout individuals’ lives, and they want somebody to talk to, whether that’s access to new medical plans, options as their families are expanding, as they’re getting married, they always have somebody that they can call.

“I know that Insperity has invested a lot of resources into making wellness resources available, and our team definitely appreciates that, as well,” she said.

Easy technology

From onboarding new employees and providing them 24/7 access to their information to an easy-to-navigate dashboard for administrators, Insperity’s HR technology is a hit with Octane leadership and its employees.

“Everything that you need is nicely laid out and easy to navigate,” Brunette said. “And when you’re trying to run a business and you’re moving quickly, that really matters. Technology matters. And to be able to utilize such innovative technology that Insperity offers is another great point for why we love them.”

“Without Insperity, Octane would not have been able to scale and progress as fast as we have.”

Janelle Brunette
Chief Operating Officer
Octane

Agility and growth

When Brunette started at Octane, there were four employees, and she recalls the time before she had Insperity as a trusted HR partner as “a blur.” The organization has expanded, and she recognizes Insperity’s contribution to their growth story.

“I couldn’t think of a greater partner to experience that journey with us, and to help us on our way, other than Insperity,” she said. “They have helped our organization grow, and what more could you ask for, truly.

“Without Insperity, Octane would not have been able to scale and progress as fast as we have. And as we look ahead in our trajectory, we move fast. We need a partner that is with us every step of the way,” Brunette said.

“At the end of the day, we’ve been really, really happy with the personal relationships, with the quality of service, and with the assistance that Insperity has been for us as we grow as an organization,” Carpou said.

Sharing with startups

Through various programs, Octane brings together investors, services and resources that startups and emerging companies need to build and scale.

Insperity plays a part in its program by being a preferred advisor for human resources.

“Now we offer the Insperity services to those companies that are coming through our accelerator. We’re in a position that we have Insperity on our platform as a service that’s offered to our portfolio companies,” Carpou said. “And we would never do that unless we have great results.”

While Octane’s leadership recommends Insperity’s services because of the experiences they’ve had, they also know what it takes for an entrepreneur to get and keep a business going – and how having a trusted HR advisor can make a big difference.

“I feel confident in recommending Insperity to our network and I know that they need a partner like Insperity, because the resources that are available to them are just unmatched. The service is unmatched,” Brunette said. “And I get excited about that opportunity to introduce people to Insperity, because I know it will change their lives from a company perspective, from a people perspective.”

Similar views and values

Because Octane works so closely with its startups, there is a level of trust that is built. That same level of trust is needed when making introductions to other resources. A cornerstone to that trust between Octane and Insperity is their shared values.

“One of the things that drew me to Insperity, and it’s been proven out, is both Octane and Insperity have the same type of values,” Carpou said. “I mean, that is really helping people be successful, helping people reach their maximum productivity, their maximum performance.”

And the values go beyond business objectives to include a commitment to the community. Insperity’s mission statement is: Helping businesses succeed so communities prosper. That’s right up Octane’s alley.

“As we look at partners and partnerships, it’s critical that we have aligned values, and that we are focused on serving our communities. Octane? That’s in our blood. That’s our mission is to convene the ecosystem and to drive social and economic impact,” Brunette said.

“The relationship that we’ve had with Insperity, it’s just been highly productive over the years. And we look for it to continue for many, many more in the future.”

Bill Carpou
Chief Executive Officer
Octane

The value of Insperity

With aligned values and a trusted partnership, the relationship between Octane and Insperity is strong, with all signs pointing to continued growth.

“I can’t think of a moment that we’ve ever wavered and not thought that this decision has been exceptional for us,” Carpou said. “The relationship that we’ve had with Insperity, it’s just been highly productive over the years. And we look for it to continue for many, many more in the future.”

Clients who know that their people are the key to business success are a wonderful fit for Insperity’s services – because taking care of your people is at the heart of everything Insperity does. It’s clear in the relationship with Octane.

“As business owners and as business leaders, we experience a lot of challenges and we want a partner that can help us through those challenges, to work through those, to look at the different options and scenario-plan to not only what’s best for the business, but what’s best for our people,” Brunette said. “Because at our core, it’s the people that matter. And to have Insperity with us for that ride, through that journey as a trusted partner, is something that is absolutely priceless.”