Striving for the Best

Jay Feilen founded ERC Benefits shortly after Congress passed the Cares Act. Part of the Cares Act included a new tax credit specifically designed to incentivize businesses to keep their employees on the payroll during the Covid-19 pandemic. At that time, Jay estimated that several million businesses would be eligible to receive these tax credits, and he knew that those businesses would need someone to guide and assist them in navigating the ERC qualification process. This was a challenging process because it required Jay’s team to quickly get oriented in a brand-new industry and bring in new people with the necessary skill sets.

ERC’s greatest strength is that the whole team has shared values. And it is because they share the same values, communicate effectively, empathize with each other, and look at everything from the client’s perspective, the competition’s perspective, and so on. “Our organizational chart is almost completely horizontal. Our team looks each other in the eye and says what’s on their mind. It’s a safe space for growth, and we are all working for the betterment of each other,” explains Jay. “I’m proud of the culture we’ve created. When it comes to our clients, they are on a first-name basis with their project manager from beginning to end. We work closely with each one, doing our best to understand their unique business situation. Once a project is complete, we regularly request feedback and reviews so we can get better.”

One of Jay’s mentors once told him to flip the organizational chart upside down and that it was his job to ensure that each team member succeeded. “I took that to heart and began spending more time with my team, working closely, listening carefully, and providing constructive feedback. Another important trait is to continue to educate yourself, read, watch podcasts, and stay knowledgeable and on top of your industry or service sector,” states Jay. “We expect our teammates to always strive for the best. To be the best they can be at their various job skills and have a sense of urgency and attention to detail. We keep our employees united by encouraging a collaborative environment, and we have regular group meetings to discuss how we are trending, how we can improve and to celebrate our big wins.”

Having built his career on having strong relationships with his teams and clients, Jay is not one to mince words because he believes that open communication is vital in a team. He strongly advises everyone—when it comes to clients, be considerate of their time. Be efficient, but also be a human being. Not just considerate of their time by rushing through a conversation but also by making them feel heard and leaving them better off than before the discussion.

The ERC team is working on several initiatives at a time across departments and skill sets. It’s a challenge many businesses face of having a few people do the work of many. Jay feels that charting a course for their team isn’t just about throwing out everything essential and seeing how fast they can all work. It’s about prioritizing, understanding that the business changes daily, and being flexible. “There is a lot of give and take when you manage multiple priorities. I’m proud of how our team took the ERC brand to market in a matter of weeks and then slowly grew that brand into what it is today,” elucidates Jay. “I think my role in that was simply to navigate the priorities with them, listen to what they need, and try to clear any roadblocks.

Jay and his team are very excited about their ongoing development of new methods and techniques to identify and capture tax incentives and other cost savings opportunities for the clients. In addition, ERC is working on an AI platform that will drive several new efficiencies for the business and the client’s business. “We are in the business of creating financial wellness for the clients we serve. In the last two years we have brought over $200 million in tax credits and savings to our clients. Our objective is to continue to identify new and unique tax incentives and cost savings opportunities for our clients as we continue to develop our technology platform,” concludes Jay.