Stephanie Zakariasen

Stephanie has been with Advance for over 12 years, with six years as a FS Customer Service Supervisor before moving into her current role as a Relationship Manager. She started in invoicing and worked her way up through the department, from payroll to CSR to supervisor. This experience gave here a deep understanding of how all the different aspects of the business function, which enables her to help her clients with a wide variety of questions and requests. She loves problem solving, and doing the research to figure things out, and this role offers a lot of opportunity for that – it’s constant learning and growing, which keeps things fresh and interesting.

“I really focus on the Paychex values of Partnership and Service, as we have an amazing team here, always willing to help each other out and work collaboratively to solve problems, and customer service is the main goal of that teamwork. I enjoy working with my clients, building relationships and trust, and being a solid partner they can count on.”

She loves traveling, and has lived in or visited over 20 countries. She spent four years living in Europe, most of it in France: “I loved the time there. The food, architecture, art and languages are all very appealing to me, but ultimately there’s nothing like home and I came back to the US a few years before moving to Cleveland.” Her family origins are Scandinavian, so her two most recent international trips were see the glaciers, waterfalls, lagoons, and fjords of Norway and Iceland. She is married with two 3.5-year-old twins running around and talking up a storm.

Favorite food: cheese (especially triple-cream French cheeses, lol)

Favorite movie: Princess Bride or Inception

Favorite hobby: reading and traveling

Read Insights from Stephanie Zakariasen

  • Net 30 vs. Net 60 vs. Net 90: How Payment Terms Impact Staffing Agency Growth
    Staffing firm owners have, on average, about 15 million things on their plate. It’s no wonder marketing sometimes takes a backseat. With lean staff and budgets, and time constraints, it’s often the first thing to get cut. You’ll get more business, you might think, by just focusing on sales.
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  • 7 VMS Features Staffing Firms Should Actually Use
    Staffing firm owners have, on average, about 15 million things on their plate. It’s no wonder marketing sometimes takes a backseat. With lean staff and budgets, and time constraints, it’s often the first thing to get cut. You’ll get more business, you might think, by just focusing on sales.
    Read More >

  • When Should a Staffing Agency Outsource Its Back Office?
    Staffing firm owners have, on average, about 15 million things on their plate. It’s no wonder marketing sometimes takes a backseat. With lean staff and budgets, and time constraints, it’s often the first thing to get cut. You’ll get more business, you might think, by just focusing on sales.
    Read More >
  • Business meeting discussing economic outlook and cash flow strategies for staffing agencies.

    How Economic Uncertainty Is Changing Cash Flow Planning for Staffing Agencies
    Staffing firm owners have, on average, about 15 million things on their plate. It’s no wonder marketing sometimes takes a backseat. With lean staff and budgets, and time constraints, it’s often the first thing to get cut. You’ll get more business, you might think, by just focusing on sales.
    Read More >
  • employees-deciding-to-outsource-back-office

    How Back Office Infrastructure Impacts Staffing Agency Growth
    Staffing firm owners have, on average, about 15 million things on their plate. It’s no wonder marketing sometimes takes a backseat. With lean staff and budgets, and time constraints, it’s often the first thing to get cut. You’ll get more business, you might think, by just focusing on sales.
    Read More >

  • Best VMS Software for Staffing Firms: What to Look For
    Staffing firm owners have, on average, about 15 million things on their plate. It’s no wonder marketing sometimes takes a backseat. With lean staff and budgets, and time constraints, it’s often the first thing to get cut. You’ll get more business, you might think, by just focusing on sales.
    Read More >

  • In‑House vs. Outsourced Back Office: Cost, Risk & Scalability for Staffing Firms
    Staffing firm owners have, on average, about 15 million things on their plate. It’s no wonder marketing sometimes takes a backseat. With lean staff and budgets, and time constraints, it’s often the first thing to get cut. You’ll get more business, you might think, by just focusing on sales.
    Read More >
  • Shot of a young woman using a laptop and going through paperwork while working from home

    Common Funding Mistakes Staffing Agencies Make as They Scale
    Staffing firm owners have, on average, about 15 million things on their plate. It’s no wonder marketing sometimes takes a backseat. With lean staff and budgets, and time constraints, it’s often the first thing to get cut. You’ll get more business, you might think, by just focusing on sales.
    Read More >

  • What You Need to Know About California Senate Bill 1032 – the SAFE Act (SB 1032)
    Everything you need to know about California Senate Bill 1032, also known as the SAFE Act, and how it impacts staffing agencies in CA.
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  • Why Even Profitable Staffing Firms Struggle With Payroll During Economic Slowdowns
    Staffing firm owners have, on average, about 15 million things on their plate. It’s no wonder marketing sometimes takes a backseat. With lean staff and budgets, and time constraints, it’s often the first thing to get cut. You’ll get more business, you might think, by just focusing on sales.
    Read More >

  • Why Staffing Agencies Struggle With Cash Flow (Even When They’re Profitable)
    If you run a staffing agency, you’ve probably lived this paradox: the P&L shows profit, but cash feels tight every Friday. You’re not alone. Staffing firms can be operationally sound, winning new business, and still struggle to fund payroll. The reason isn’t mismanagement – it’s the math of the business model. Key Takeaways: Overcoming the…
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  • Why IT Staffing Firms Face Unique Working Capital Challenges
    If you run an IT staffing firm, you know the P&L can look healthy while cash feels tight. That’s not a management failure—it’s the math of IT staffing. High bill rates, long client terms, complex approvals, and evolving delivery models (staff aug vs. SOW) create a cash conversion cycle that’s very different from light industrial…
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