Today we’d like to introduce you to Matt Taylor
Hi Matt, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started off as an employee benefits broker in 2001, working with businesses of all sizes helping them manage finances and deliver employee benefit plans to their teams. I loved helping business owners to come up with ideas to overcome their challenges, and helping employees understand what their options were when it came to health care.
The passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2008 brought a tremendous amount of uncertainty to the market. -A lot of brokers, me included, did not even know if our industry would survive the ACA. It was a very scary and uncertain time for me, but at the same time it forced me to look beyond my comfort zone and explore other opportunities. I knew I wanted to continue working with business owners and needed to determine in what other areas I could provide value.
My first idea was getting into the data automation space – technology had always been exciting to me. Every time I walked into an HR professional’s office I would see piles of paperwork -health insurance applications, PTO requests, new hire applications, and write-ups. I thought to myself there must be a better way to do this. So, along with my partners we brought one of the very first HRMS (Human Resources Management Systems) to the market in 2010. So many businesses were eager to embrace technology to increase efficiency, and our HRMS was incredibly successful.
By late 2010, we understood that there WOULD be a place for brokers within the Affordable Care Act. So, we incorporated our HRMS into our brokerage business. We quickly learned that in the data automation space, you must automate everything, or you might as well not automate anything. While we were already automating the entire employee life cycle (from hire to fire), we were not automating payroll, which quickly became a hinderance. In 2012 we decided to enter the payroll space. The market was dominated by the big boys Paychex and ADP – Which in my view are two of the best sales organizations of all time, but somehow had two of the worst customer service and retention departments I had ever seen. Most of our clients were using either Paychex or ADP, and we heard constant complaints.
At this point, our business was doing well, but there still seemed to be a missing piece. When you’re helping employers automate data, there’s a common phrase: “garbage in, garbage out.” In HR, that meant old policies, outdated handbooks, and out-of-date forms were being transferred from spreadsheets or paper into new systems. Businesses needed someone to review and ensure those documents were up-to-date and compliant before implementing them into their new, automated systems.
We realized we needed an HR outsource partner with shared values, and by a stroke of luck, we were introduced to Guardian HR. The owner and I clicked immediately, and we formed a partnership. We took care of employee benefits, payroll, and HR data automation, while Guardian HR handled compliance, handbook updates, HR audits, harassment training, terminations, hiring, and everything involved with being a full-service HR department. It felt like we had finally come full circle, fulfilling my vision of delivering high-value services to small and medium-sized businesses with 25 to 500 employees.
Then COVID hit, and it was a tough time for our business. Many employers were laying off staff or closing entirely. Those who stayed open struggled with new compliance rules that seemed to change every week. Guardian HR was a rock during this time. Despite being overworked and understaffed, they managed to help our clients daily, guiding them through employee management and compliance challenges. Watching Guardian HR support small and medium-sized businesses so well made me realize how much they needed trustworthy, reliable HR services.
That’s when I decided to become a partner in Guardian HR. While we had already been an affiliate, Guardian HR wasn’t a retail-facing brand, and I saw an opportunity to bring their incredible services to the retail market. Nothing about my journey has been a straight line or part of a grand master plan—it all stemmed from my desire to provide massive value to business owners, be a trusted resource, and genuinely care about their success.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Some of my biggest challenges began with the passage of the Affordable Care Act, which brought uncertainty to the broker industry. That was back in 2008, and honestly, a sense of uncertainty has lingered almost every day since. In the data automation space, we faced multiple setbacks, including switching back-end partners and launching systems that didn’t work as planned. The first time we integrated our payroll system with our HR automation, it crashed—while live clients were using it. Those were tough phone calls to make. For a long time, we struggled with managing the business and hitting our KPIs. It felt chaotic, and we didn’t fully understand how to measure or manage our growth properly.
But through all these experiences, I’ve learned invaluable lessons. The challenges forced me to adapt, grow, and ultimately, become a stronger leader. I gained resilience and clarity not only in business but personally as well. Today, I have a deeper appreciation for the journey, the hurdles we’ve overcome, and the strength those lessons have given me. It’s made me and my businesses better for it.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At Guardian HR, I specialize in helping small to medium sized business owners navigate the complexities of HR compliance. We offer outsourced solutions, whether we serve as the entire HR department, or complement an existing HR team.
If there’s one singular thing that we’re known for at Guardian HR, it’s caring. The most important thing to me as we continue to grow our business, is that our clients develop long term trust-based relationships with our team. We live in a world where AI, ChatGPT, offshore call centers, and automated responses are fast becoming the norm. Speaking to a human being who knows your name and knows what problem you’re trying to solve is rare. While I love technology, but at the end of the day, nothing beats the human experience – especially when it comes to HR. No technology can replicate that feeling you get when a problem comes up and you know exactly who to call. You know that Guardian HR is going to understand and be there with you to figure it out. That’s the reassurance that clients of Guardian HR have.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My parents divorced when I was young, and I lived with my mom. We didn’t have a lot of extra money for nice vacations every year, but we had family friends who owned a lake house in Northern California. Every year they were gracious enough to give us the cabin for two to three weeks. – That’s where most of my favorite childhood memories are from – water skiing, jet skiing, fishing, running around in the forest, playing GI Joe with my brothers. In the morning, we would eat my grandma’s homemade coffee cake, and in the afternoons, I would go fishing with my grandfather. Those summers at the lake house created memories I’ll always cherish. It taught me that the best moments in life aren’t about where you go, but who you’re with, and I carry those lessons with me to this day.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.guardian-hr.com
