NAPEO
THIS MONTH’S FOCUS: PEOs: Small Business Champions VIEW ALL
WHAT SMBS SHOULD LOOK FOR IN AN HCM PROVIDER: PURPOSE-BUILT TECHNOLOGY, PROVEN PARTNERSHIP AND SCALABLE GROWTH
For PEOs, working with an HCM provider that has a mature reseller partner channel can also support business growth.
BY CHRIS KIKLAS
September 2026
TALENT AS INFRASTRUCTURE: PEO IS A STRATEGIC ALLY DURING M&A FOR SMBS
This is precisely the gap a PEO is built to close. Not as a vendor brought in to process paperwork, but as a strategic ally that gives an SMB access to the kind of workforce infrastructure that larger, better-resourced companies take for granted during a transaction.
WHY WINNING TALENT HAS MORE TO DO WITH WHEN YOU PAY THAN HOW MUCH YOU PAY
93% say workplace wellbeing support is as important as salary. Only 38% are satisfied with what their employer currently offers. That's a wide open door for PEOs.
THE GREAT EQUALIZER: POSITIONING THE PEO AS A STRATEGIC TALENT ARCHITECT IN A TIGHT LABOR MARKET
Beyond benefits, employee retention is inextricably tied to workplace culture and professional development. SMB owners are often brilliant visionaries in their specific crafts, but they rarely possess formal training in organizational psychology or human capital management.
EDITOR’S PICKS VIEW ALL
BETTING ON HERSELF: TRACY CULICERTO’S JOURNEY TO BUILDING ASCENDHR
When Tracy Culicerto talks about building AscendHR, she doesn’t start with growth metrics or expansion plans. She starts with people.
BY CHRIS CHANEY
June/July 2026
PRESTIGEPEO’S NEXT CHAPTER
The leadership team represents varied experiences within the PEO industry which combine to create a dynamic group of leaders focused on
BY CHRIS CHANEY
August 2026
In Memoriam: Scott Silva
We are deeply saddened to share the loss of Scott Silva, analyst at Silva Capital Solutions, who passed away on August 14. Scott quite
BY
September 2026
THIS MONTH’S COVER STORY
ARKENSTONE DEFENSE: A MISSION-READY PEO
For Arkenstone, security is not an add-on. It is foundational. The company adheres to rigorous, Pentagon-level data and cyber security protocols.
BY CHRIS CHANEY
September 2026