How an S-Corp owner planned for time away, before life made the decision for him.
By Steven Fielding — Owner, Fielding Creative
Each month, we share stories from Coloradans who’ve used paid family and medical leave to navigate real life. This month, Steven Fielding shares his story.
When you work for yourself, there’s no such thing as “out of office.”
I started my digital marketing company after 9 years in the agency world, trading a steady paycheck for autonomy. That part was intentional. What I didn’t fully appreciate at the time was how the freedom of running your own business comes with a few opportunity costs.
That reality didn’t fully hit until my family started growing.
When my first son was born, I was still employed at a company. I took paid leave, handed off my work to other teammates, and enjoyed time off helping our family and bonding with our new little one. By the time my second child was on the way, my situation looked different. I was running my own business, managing my clients’ marketing, and wondering how people like me were supposed to step away.
I didn’t want to lose momentum in my business, and it seemed like the cost of taking time off was too high. I was preparing to power through, work when I could, and just do the best I could with a new baby, 3 year-old son still at home, and recovering partner.
That’s when a friend casually mentioned Colorado’s paid family and medical leave program. He was an S-corp, single-employee business owner like myself. I remember thinking, “Wait, this could actually be an option for me! It’s not only for people working at traditional companies or larger businesses!” It turned out it was, but it wasn’t without a little learning curve.
Like a lot of small business owners, I’d structured my business as an S-Corp. When I initially signed up, I categorized myself incorrectly, which led to some confusion and eventually a reconsideration. I won’t pretend that was fun, but my experience working with Famli to fix the issue was one of the best customer service experiences I’ve had in a long time!
I missed an initial call from a FAMLI representative named Brandi. She followed up anyway, sent clear instructions, and walked me through everything step by step, making sure I actually understood what applied to me as a self-employed person.
That distinction matters, by the way: if you’re a single-employee S-Corp, you’re treated as self-employed for FAMLI purposes, which is what tripped me up in the first place. You’re not supposed to set yourself up as a business with employees, even though you are the employee of your S-Corp. That’s where I went wrong. It’s a small detail, and easy to manage once you know.
My daughter was born in December. Because I’d opted in to FAMLI beforehand and stayed current on my premiums, I was able to take bonding leave.
Running a business still meant planning and front-loading work. That doesn’t disappear. But the difference with FAMLI is that I was able to take a step back and spend time with my family with reduced stress and less financial worry! Right now, my days are filled with helping my wife recover, bonding with our new baby, and taking care of my 3-year old son. It’s been great!
I’d wholeheartedly recommend opting into FAMLI if you’re self-employed and are planning on a growing family. The team at FAMLI has been great, and while some of the systems can be complex, they are there to help you if you’re ever in need.
People talk a lot about risk when it comes to entrepreneurship. We’re used to taking it financially, professionally, and creatively. But I’ve learned there’s no reason your family’s well-being has to be part of that gamble.
Knowing there’s a system you can opt into before life happens makes all the difference.