June 29, 2026
Reflections from the Summer Board Meeting
This was my first Summer Board Meeting, and it gave me a whole new appreciation for why this gathering matters.
I work with multi-unit and franchise builders across the state through Paylocity, so I had spent plenty of time on calls and in email threads before this. But there's nothing quite like sitting down face to face with the people actually running these businesses for the first time. Walking in, I wasn't sure what to expect. Walking out, I had a much clearer picture of what BIAW members are actually navigating day to day.
What struck me most was how candid members were about what's keeping them up at night. It wasn't abstract. Builders talked openly about staffing headaches, new compliance requirements they're scrambling to understand, and the sheer amount of administrative weight that's been added to their plates in just the last year or two.
A few themes came up again and again.
- Washington Saves, the state's new retirement mandate, is still being finalized, but members are already asking questions about what it means for them and how to get ahead of it.
- Labor tracking and prevailing wage documentation are getting more scrutiny than ever, and several builders mentioned feeling like the rules shift faster than they can keep up with.
- And the recent changes to Paid Family and Medical Leave, especially the new 25-employee threshold, caught more than a few people off guard. A lot of members who assumed they were too small to worry about it are finding out otherwise.
What I'll remember most, though, isn't any single compliance topic. It's how close this community is. Members weren't just talking about their own challenges, they were swapping advice, checking in on each other, and genuinely rooting for one another's success. That kind of camaraderie isn't something you see everywhere, and it says a lot about an industry that's so vital to the well-being of society. Builders quite literally create the places where people live, work, and raise families, and it was clear that same sense of purpose carries over into how this community supports one another.
Being able to sit with members and really understand what they're going through helped me see how Paylocity can actually support each member's specific needs, whether that's retirement plan setup, labor tracking, or staying ahead of leave requirements. It's a good reminder that the best way to help is to listen first, not pitch first.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to talk with me, especially given this was my first time at the table. These conversations were the best part of the event, and they've already shaped a lot of what I'll be focused on going forward.
Looking forward to the next one.
A valuable member benefit
Paylocity offers BIAW members a discount as part of its partnership with our association. Contact:
