Why Zogics Pays Employees to Launch Their Own Ventures — And How It’s Creating a Culture of Innovation
At Zogics, I’m always looking for talented individuals with entrepreneurial mindsets. I know these individuals possess the creativity, passion, and drive that can help take our company to the next level. That’s why I’ve decided to offer a unique benefit to our employees: seed money to start their own businesses.
Offering seed money can help to create a culture of innovation and creativity within our company. By encouraging employees to think like entrepreneurs and owners, I hope to inspire new ideas and approaches that may not have been considered otherwise.
Startup assistance can also help us create stronger relationships with our employees. By showing that we’re invested in our employees’ success, we can build a sense of loyalty and trust. This can increase employee satisfaction and create a more engaged and productive workforce. Being named one of America’s best workplaces lets us know we’re doing something right.
I know it’s counterintuitive, but paying employees to quit and start their own businesses comes from a place of gratitude. My employees have helped me build Zogics, Zogics Pet, and Ardent Fitness; I want to return the favor someday.
We call this benefit Zogics LaunchCash, which is aimed at supporting the entrepreneurial aspirations of our employees. This unique benefit is designed to provide a helping hand to members of the Zogics team who eventually desire to set out on their own.
Through LaunchCash, eligible employees can receive up to $5,000 towards the launch of their own full-time business. The amount starts at $2,000 for employees who have worked for one year and increases by $500 for each additional year of employment. Of course, these amounts will not cover all the costs of starting a business, but they will help with startup expenses like website development, product purchasing, rent payment, etc. Or, it will provide a little extra financial cushion as things get off the ground.
To qualify for LaunchCash, employees must provide 90 days notice of their intention to leave the company, which gives us enough time to plan for their departure, and find and train their replacements.
Investing in our employees’ personal and professional development is crucial to our success as a company. I’m committed to providing our employees with the tools, resources, and support they need to achieve their goals inside and outside the company.
I’m excited to see what our employees will do with this opportunity. By investing in their success, we’re helping them achieve their dreams and contributing to the success of our company as a whole.
Zogics LaunchCash joins our suite of unique employee benefits, including HealthCash, where employees earn $6.50 for each hour they exercise (up to $100 per month) to spend on health and wellness-related expenses, and CompetitionCash, which provides a $250 annual allowance for entry into competitive athletic events, and a 50% subsidy to join a local organic CSA. We also offer flexible time off and the ability for employees to work from anywhere. Learn more at www.zogics.com/careers.
If you’re a business owner interested in adopting any of Zogics’ benefits programs, feel free to contact me. I’m happy to share how we do things and what we have learned.
