How It Began

After two decades in high-level finance roles at JPMorgan, HSBC, and Bank of America, Cate Luzio recognized a critical gap in professional development and networking opportunities for women. In 2018, she self-funded the launch of Luminary, a global, gender-inclusive platform designed to uplift, upskill, and propel women and their allies forward through all phases of their professional journeys – Luminary​.

Luminary offers a dynamic ecosystem featuring events, co-working spaces, and personal development programs, serving thousands of members across more than 30 countries. The platform has hosted over 3,000 in-person and virtual events, workshops, and programs, fostering a vibrant community of professionals, entrepreneurs, and organizations. 

To streamline HR operations and focus on expanding support for women entrepreneurs and leaders, Luminary partnered with Justworks. This collaboration has allowed Cate and her team to concentrate on delivering curated experiences and resources to their growing community while leaving the stress of benefits and HR compliance to Justworks.​

We’ve accelerated the growth of the business,  scaling to a global education and networking platform that supports both individuals and companies through our B2C and B2B offerings. We have always been gender inclusive; that’s a big part of our mission. Our goal is to bring impact and support to people who are part of our core community.

- Cate Luzio, Founder

With a dedicated team of nearly 30 employees, Luminary continues to champion professional growth, diversity, and inclusion, making a lasting impact on the global workforce.

Founder-Friendly Support

​As a founder, balancing the demands of business growth with the complexities of HR, compliance, and benefits administration can be overwhelming. Many small business owners believe they must handle everything themselves, from managing HR tasks to navigating the intricacies of employee benefits. However, incorporating these responsibilities into your financial model and seeking trusted partnerships can alleviate these burdens. 

Cate Luzio, founder of Luminary, emphasizes the significance of such collaborations:​

A lot of small business founders think that they have to do everything themselves — HR, benefits, etc. I built those costs into my financial model from the beginning. The importance of having a trusted partner like Justworks as you start to hire and scale, especially if you have employees in different states and you have to deal with different state laws and the complexity of hiring."

By partnering with Justworks, Luminary has been able to streamline its HR operations, allowing Cate and her team to focus on expanding their support for women entrepreneurs and leaders. Justworks' comprehensive platform handles payroll, benefits, compliance, and HR tasks, providing peace of mind and freeing up valuable time for strategic initiatives. Cate reflects on this partnership:

So many things I don’t have to deal with as a founder by working with a PEO. It's one of the best investments we made for our business.

This collaboration has enabled Luminary to grow its team to nearly 30 employees, all while maintaining a strong focus on its mission to empower women in business.

Personalized Partnership

The importance of having a trusted partner to navigate the complexities of HR and compliance was invaluable to Luminary. By collaborating with Justworks, Luminary benefits from a dedicated account manager who understands the company's unique challenges and provides tailored support. This personalized partnership allows Cate to focus on expanding Luminary's core mission. 

"Understanding our pain points, I can actually talk to someone because we have an account manager [or Customer Success Manager]. I look at Justworks as more than a partner; they are an extension of my own business," Cate shares. This close relationship ensures that Luminary receives proactive guidance and solutions aligned with its goals.​

Justworks' customer success managers act as strategic partners, offering expert-level guidance and facilitating new opportunities. They serve as the primary liaison between the customer and Justworks, ensuring a seamless experience throughout the customer journey. With this personalized support, Luminary can confidently navigate HR complexities, allowing the team to concentrate on fostering a thriving community for women and allies.

Robust Benefits

Cate recognized the importance of offering comprehensive benefits to attract and retain top talent. By partnering with Justworks, Luminary was able to provide a range of health insurance options that appealed to their diverse team. This collaboration led to a significant increase in benefits participation. 

Benefit plans were a big part of why we switched. Now that we’re with Justworks, more 70% of our employees take our benefits.

- Cate Luzio, Founder

This uptick not only reflects the value employees place on accessible and robust benefits but also underscores the effectiveness of Justworks' platform in simplifying the enrollment process.​

By streamlining benefits administration and providing a user-friendly platform, Justworks empowers companies to focus on their strategy while ensuring their teams are well-supported. For Luminary, this means dedicating more resources to expanding their support for women entrepreneurs and leaders through curated experiences and resources.​

Empower Your Mission with Streamlined HR Support

Luminary has built a global platform dedicated to advancing women and allies in the workforce. By partnering with Justworks, they've streamlined HR operations, allowing their team to focus on delivering impactful programs and fostering a thriving community.​

Justworks provides comprehensive solutions for payroll, benefits, compliance, and HR, enabling businesses like Luminary to grow confidently and efficiently.​ Ready to elevate your business and support your team's needs? Partner with Justworks today.