Business Operations · Summit Operations Group LLC · April 2026

Operations Stack

Banking — HR — Payroll — Benefits — Scheduling — Time Clock — Expenses — Employee Self-Service
Design principleEmployees should be able to see their schedule, clock in/out, track hours, and access pay stubs from their phone — without asking management for anything
Banking
Relay vs Mercury
Both free • key differences
Payroll (3 employees)
$29–$58/mo
Gusto, OnPay, Patriot
Scheduling + Clock
Free
Homebase free tier covers it
Accounting
$0–$70/mo
Wave free → Xero $30 → Bench $299
Expenses
Free
Ramp card + auto-categorization
Lean total
~$58/mo
Full stack, 3 employees
⚠ Confidential · For authorized recipients only
Banking
Relay Financial vs Mercury
Both are online-first, fee-free business banks built for small businesses. The differences matter depending on how you run your finances.
Relay Financial
relayfi.com • FDIC via Thread Bank • Visa debit
Free — $0/mo
Relay Pro: $30/mo (bill pay + approvals)
Checking accountsUp to 20 accounts
Savings accounts2 accounts
ACH transfersFree (same-day available)
Incoming wiresFree
Outgoing wires$10 (free on Pro)
Debit cardsPhysical + virtual Visa
Credit cardNo
Cash depositsNo ⚠
Team accessYes — per-employee spending limits
Accounting syncQBO, Xero, Wave
Stripe integrationVia Plaid
Payroll integrationGusto, OnPay, ADP
Envelope budgeting20 accounts = built-in buckets
Best for: Operators who want to separate money into buckets (payroll account, tax reserve, rent reserve, operating). 20 accounts is a genuinely powerful cash management feature. Ideal if you want to run the "Profit First" method.
Mercury
mercury.com • FDIC via Evolve + Choice Bank • Visa debit + IO credit card
Free — $0/mo
Mercury Plus: $35/mo (premium perks)
Checking accountsMultiple (less than Relay)
Savings (Mercury Vault)Up to $5M FDIC via partners
ACH transfersFree
Incoming wiresFree
Outgoing wiresFree (domestic)
Debit cardsPhysical + virtual Visa
Credit card (IO)Yes — 1.5% cashback, no fee
Cash depositsNo ⚠
Team accessYes — role-based permissions
Accounting syncQBO, Xero, Wave
Stripe integrationNative — best-in-class
Payroll integrationGusto, Rippling, OnPay
Treasury (savings)4.5%+ APY on idle cash
Best for: Stripe-heavy businesses (yours is — Cents runs on Stripe). The native Stripe → Mercury integration is the cleanest in banking. Mercury IO credit card earns cashback on all supply/utility spend. Better for operators who want one account with great integrations rather than 20 buckets.
⚠ Neither bank accepts cash deposits — this is a real problem for a laundromat
Your kiosk will collect cash daily. Neither Relay nor Mercury lets you walk into a branch and deposit bills. Solutions: (1) Open a secondary account at NWFCU (you're already a member) or a local bank/credit union for cash deposits, then ACH-transfer weekly to Mercury/Relay. (2) Use a smart safe service (Loomis, Brinks) — they pick up cash and credit your account, ~$200–400/mo. (3) Have the attendant deposit at a local ATM or bank branch periodically. Most small laundromat operators use option 1: primary ops at Mercury/Relay, one traditional account just for cash.
Recommendation: Mercury for primary + NWFCU for cash
Mercury's native Stripe integration is the deciding factor since all Cents revenue flows through Stripe. Mercury IO credit card earns cashback on supplies and utilities. Use NWFCU (already a member) as the cash deposit account — sweep weekly into Mercury. Relay's 20-account envelope system is compelling if you want to run "Profit First" budgeting — worth a demo of both.
HR & Payroll
Hiring, onboarding, payroll, taxes, W-2s
The goal: employees complete onboarding from their phone before their first day. Payroll runs automatically. Taxes file themselves. You don't touch paper.
Feature Gusto OnPay Patriot Rippling Homebase
PAYROLL
Full-service payroll (taxes filed)✓✓✓✓✓ Add-on
Direct deposit✓✓✓✓✓
Automatic tax filing (federal + state)✓✓✓✓✓
W-2 / 1099 generation✓✓✓✓✓
Same-day / next-day payroll✓ Plus+✓○✓○
Tip tracking✓✓○✓✓
HR & ONBOARDING
Digital offer letters✓○✗✓○
Digital I-9 + W-4 onboarding✓✓✓✓○
Employee does onboarding from phone✓✓○✓○
E-Verify✓✓✗✓✗
New hire state reporting✓✓✓✓✗
Employee document storage✓✓○✓✓
PTO / time off management✓✓○✓✓
EMPLOYEE SELF-SERVICE
Employee mobile app✓✓○✓✓
Employee views own pay stubs✓✓✓✓✓
Employee updates direct deposit✓✓○✓○
Employee accesses W-2 in app✓✓✓✓✓
Spanish language support○○✗○✓
INTEGRATIONS
Homebase hours → payroll✓ Native✓ Native✓○Is payroll
QuickBooks / Xero / Wave sync✓✓✓✓✓
Mercury / Relay integration✓✓○✓✓
PRICING (3 employees)
Monthly cost~$58/mo~$58/mo~$29/mo~$80+/mo$20+$35/mo
Base fee + per employee$40 + $6/emp$40 + $6/emp$17 + $4/emp$8+/emp (all modules)$20/mo + $35 payroll
Recommendation: Gusto for payroll + HR
Gusto is the cleanest all-in-one for onboarding, payroll, W-2s, and employee self-service. Employees complete their own I-9, W-4, and direct deposit setup from their phone before Day 1. Pay stubs and W-2s are always accessible in the Gusto app. Integrates natively with Homebase (hours sync automatically before each payroll run). If budget is tight, Patriot at $29/mo does full-service payroll at half the price — just less polished onboarding.
Scheduling & Time Clock
Shift management, clock-in, accountability
This is where employee accountability lives day-to-day. The right tool means employees know their schedule, clock in from their phone, and managers can see who's there without calling anyone.
⭐ Most Popular for Laundromats
Homebase
homebase.com • Built for hourly shift workers
Free
1 location, unlimited employees. Teams plan $20/mo adds time off + HR docs.
SchedulingFree
Time clock (tablet kiosk)Free
Mobile clock-in (GPS)Free
Employee schedule appFree
Shift swap requestsFree
Team chatFree
Time-off requests$20/mo
HR document storage$20/mo
Payroll (add-on)$35+/mo
Gusto / OnPay syncNative
Spanish languageYes
Overtime alertsYes
The standard choice for laundromats, restaurants, and retail. Manager sets schedule → employees get notified → employees clock in on a shared tablet or their own phone → hours sync to payroll automatically.
Best for Accountability + Tasks
Connecteam
connecteam.com • Deskless / frontline worker platform
Free
Up to 10 users free. Small Business: $29/mo for first 30 users.
SchedulingFree (<10)
GPS time clockFree
Task managementFree
Digital checklists / formsFree
Employee training modulesFree
Team chat + announcementsFree
Time-off requestsFree
Document hubFree
Payroll integrationGusto, QuickBooks
Spanish languageYes
Geofence clock-inYes
Stronger than Homebase for employee task accountability — employees see assigned tasks, check them off, and managers see completion in real time. Good for WDF workflow checklists, opening/closing procedures, cleaning schedules.
Clean & Simple
When I Work
wheniwork.com • Scheduling + time tracking
~$2.50/emp/mo
~$7.50/mo for 3 employees. No free tier.
SchedulingYes
Time clock (mobile + tablet)Yes
Shift swap + cover requestsYes
Team messagingYes
Payroll exportYes
Overtime alertsYes
Task managementNo
Spanish languageYes
Clean, modern UI. Cheaper than Homebase paid tiers. Good if Homebase's free tier isn't enough but you don't need Connecteam's task features.
Employee Benefits
Health, 401k, and what you can realistically offer
Benefits matter for attracting reliable attendants. You don't need a Fortune 500 package — a few well-chosen options go a long way for a small team.
Options available through Gusto
Health insurance (brokered)Gusto brokers small group health plans. You choose employer contribution %. Employees enroll from their phone.
Dental + visionAvailable as add-ons through Gusto's brokerage
401(k)Gusto integrates with Guideline ($49/mo flat). No per-employee fee for basic plan.
HSA / FSAAvailable through Gusto benefits admin
Commuter benefitsPre-tax transit passes — useful in NoVA
Workers' compGusto integrates with pay-as-you-go WC (Next Insurance, Pie)
Life / disabilityAvailable as group policy through Gusto
What makes sense for a laundromat with 3–5 employees
Must have
Workers' comp (legally required in VA for >2 employees). Pay-as-you-go through Gusto runs ~$80–120/mo depending on class code.
Strong differentiator
Health insurance — even 50% employer contribution on a basic plan signals stability. Helps retain good attendants in a competitive labor market. Expect ~$200–400/mo for 3 employees at 50% contribution.
Nice to have (year 2+)
Simple IRA or 401(k) via Guideline ($49/mo flat). Commuter benefits for Metro/bus (tax-free, costs you nothing). PTO policy (use Homebase or Gusto to track).
Skip for now
Dental, vision, disability, life — fine to add later. Health + workers' comp covers the essentials in Year 1.
Expense Management
Tracking every dollar out
The goal is zero manual receipt entry. Every purchase auto-categorizes and syncs to your accounting software.
Ramp
Free
ramp.com • Corporate card + expense management
Corporate cardFree Visa
Auto-categorization (AI)Yes
Receipt capture (mobile)Yes
Accounting syncQBO, Xero, Wave
Vendor cards (per-supplier)Yes
Cashback1.5% on all spend
Spend limits per employeeYes
Best free expense tool. Auto-syncs to Xero/QBO. Cashback on supplies and utilities adds up. Give an attendant a virtual card with a $50 limit for small supply runs.
Brex
Free
brex.com • Similar to Ramp, startup-focused
Corporate cardFree
AI auto-categorizationYes
Accounting syncQBO, Xero, NetSuite
CashbackPoints (redeemable)
Bill payYes
Slightly more startup-oriented than Ramp. Better bill pay features. Comparable overall — test both and go with whichever interface you prefer.
Mercury IO Card
Free
If using Mercury as your bank — built-in credit card
Credit card (Visa)Yes — no annual fee
Cashback1.5% on all spend
Accounting syncNative to Mercury dashboard
Expense categorizationBasic
If you go Mercury for banking, the IO card keeps everything in one dashboard. Less powerful than Ramp for expense management, but zero friction — one login for bank + card + expenses.
Employee Experience
What an employee actually sees from their phone
The design goal: an employee hired at Eleven Laundry should never need to call you to find their schedule, their paycheck, or their hours. Everything is in their pocket.
Before Day 1 — Onboarding (Gusto)
Step 1
You send a Gusto inviteEmployee gets an email/text with a link. Opens it on their phone.
Step 2
Employee fills out their own W-4 + I-9No paper. No PDF. Forms completed digitally in Gusto's mobile-friendly flow. Takes 10 minutes.
Step 3
Employee sets up direct depositEnters their own bank account info. You never see their account number. Money goes directly on payday.
Step 4
Employee accepts digital offer letterSigned electronically. Stored in Gusto forever. No printing, no scanning.
Step 5
Employee downloads Homebase appYou send an invite. They join the team. They can already see their first shift.
Day-to-day — Every shift (Homebase)
Sunday
Employee sees their weekHomebase app shows every shift for the week. Push notification when schedule is published. No more "when do I work?" texts.
Shift start
Clock in from tablet or phoneShared tablet at the store: employee taps name + PIN. Or they clock in from their phone (GPS verifies they're at the store). Timestamp recorded.
During shift
Team chat + task checklistManager posts opening/closing checklists in Homebase or Connecteam. Employee checks off tasks. Visible to manager in real time.
Shift end
Clock out + any tipsEmployee clocks out. Tips entered if applicable. Total hours auto-calculated. No paper timesheet.
Time off
Request in appEmployee submits time-off request from Homebase. You approve or deny. Employee notified. Calendar updated.
Shift swap
Employee-driven swapEmployee posts shift as available. Coworker picks it up. Manager approves. No calls, no texts to you.
Payday (Gusto)

What you do (manager)

  1. Homebase syncs hours to Gusto automatically
  2. You review hours (takes 5 minutes)
  3. Click "Approve and Submit" in Gusto
  4. Gusto calculates taxes, deductions, net pay
  5. Funds pulled from your bank account

What happens automatically

  • Direct deposit hits employee bank on payday
  • Gusto files federal + state payroll taxes
  • Pay stub emailed to employee + in app
  • Journal entry posts to Xero/Wave
  • Workers' comp premium auto-calculated

What the employee sees

  • Push notification: "Your paycheck is on its way"
  • Pay stub in Gusto app (hours, rate, deductions, net)
  • Year-end: W-2 available in app — no waiting for mail
  • Benefits info and enrollment in app
  • Can update direct deposit themselves anytime
Full Stack Options
Three complete setups — pick your trade-off
Option A — Lean
~$58/mo (3 employees)
Free tools where possible. Everything connects. Works on day one.
Mercury (banking)Free
Wave (accounting)Free
Homebase (scheduling + clock)Free
Gusto (payroll + HR)$58/mo
Ramp (expenses)Free
Synder (Stripe → Wave)$30/mo
NWFCU (cash deposits)Free (member)
Total~$88/mo
Best if you want minimal cost and are comfortable doing some manual reconciliation (kiosk cash, occasional journal entries).
Option B — Recommended ★
~$118/mo (3 employees)
Best Stripe integration. Mostly automated. Professional and scalable.
Mercury (banking + IO card)Free
Xero (accounting)$30/mo
Homebase Teams (scheduling + clock + docs)$20/mo
Gusto (payroll + HR + benefits)$58/mo
Ramp (expenses)Free
Xero native Stripe syncFree (built in)
NWFCU (cash deposits)Free
Total~$108/mo
Xero's native Stripe sync eliminates Synder cost. Mercury IO earns cashback on supplies. Homebase Teams adds time-off and HR document storage. Most automated option at this price point.
Option C — Hands-off
~$415/mo (3 employees)
Human bookkeepers handle the books. You never look at a P&L.
Mercury (banking)Free
Bench (bookkeeping service)$299/mo
Homebase (scheduling + clock)Free
Gusto (payroll + HR)$58/mo
Ramp (expenses)Free
NWFCU (cash deposits)Free
Total~$357/mo
Bench assigns a human bookkeeper who reconciles everything monthly and delivers a clean P&L. You spend zero time on accounting. Most expensive but worth it if your time is better spent on operations and WDF growth.
How everything connects in Option B (the recommended stack)
Cents (machine revenue + WDF) → Stripe → Mercury (deposits)
Stripe → Xero (native sync, auto revenue entries)
Ramp card (supplies, utilities) → Xero (auto-sync, AI-categorized)
Mercury IO card (other expenses) → Xero (manual or sync)
NWFCU (kiosk cash deposits) → Mercury (weekly ACH transfer)
Homebase (hours, clock-in) → Gusto (automatic hours import)
Gusto (payroll run) → Mercury (direct deposit debit)
Gusto (payroll journal) → Xero (payroll expense entry)
Xero (monthly P&L) → tax accountant / annual return