One HR Consultant, Ten Industries, Zero Cookie-Cutter Solutions

Last week looked a little different than most: I moved from helping a heating and air company update their employee handbook to walking a client leader through a difficult conversation about performance. The week before, I was creating a review process for a cleaning company and analyzing compensation data for a school district. It might sound scattered, but here's what I've discovered after partnering with over 15 clients across remarkably different industries in 2025: great HR isn't really about your industry—it's about understanding your people.

A Question Worth Asking

I came across a story recently about an HR professional with just five years of experience, wondering if they should stay in the field because of concerns about AI and automation. At the same time, nearly every business owner I talk with says something similar: "I had no idea I could get this kind of HR support without adding someone to my payroll." That gap is telling. Small and medium-sized businesses are discovering they don't always need a full department —sometimes what you really need is the right partnership at the right time.

What This Year Actually Taught Me

In 2025, I've had the privilege of working alongside interior design firms, cleaning services, school districts, public health organizations, HV AC contractors, carpet and air duct specialists, nonprofits serving underrepresented communities, retail stores, insurance companies, and automotive businesses. On the surface, these organizations couldn't be more different. But when you look closer, they're all navigating the same fundamental challenges. And here's something interesting: every single one had an Office Manager or

Operations Manager who was already handling some HR responsibilities—often without formal HR training or the time to do it justice. They were doing their best with what they had, but they knew something was missing.

Building Strong Foundations

Many of the businesses I work with didn't have much HR infrastructure when we started. Sometimes there were no handbooks, job descriptions that had evolved organically over time, or onboarding that felt more like "welcome aboard, figure it out as you go." Together, we built the essentials: handbooks that actually make sense, clear expectations for each role,

onboarding experiences that set people up for success, and policies that work in the real world. Nothing overly complicated—just the solid groundwork that helps everyone feel more secure.

Navigating People Challenges

One client had a team member whose behavior was affecting everyone's ability to do their best work. Another was dealing with inconsistent approaches to discipline that created unnecessary risk. Still another had let performance concerns go unaddressed for so long that they'd become part of the culture. Sometimes the solution started with creating space for an honest conversation. Other times it meant helping mediate discussions, clarifying what success looks like, building simple tools to track progress, or coaching

leaders through those moments we all tend to avoid. The result? Teams that work more smoothly together, fewer unexpected issues, and leaders who feel more

confident supporting their people.

Improving How You Hire

Whether you're competing for limited talent, searching for skilled technicians, or hoping to find people who truly connect with your nonprofit's mission, getting hiring right matters more than ever. I've helped create interview frameworks, screening approaches, and onboarding plans—the foundational elements that many businesses skip in the rush to fill a position, then regret later when turnover becomes costly.

Staying Compliant (Without the Stress)

Here's something most business owners don't realize until it's too late: compliance risks often hide in places you'd never think to look. Employee classification issues, documentation that's slipped through the cracks, required postings that never

made it to the wall, discipline approaches that vary from person to person—these small gaps can become significant liabilities. Through confidential HR reviews, we've uncovered these kinds of challenges before they turned into real problems. Then we simply address them. There's real value in that peace of mind.

Finding the Right Level of Support

The beautiful thing about HR partnership is that it doesn't look the same for everyone—and it doesn't have to. Some organizations need a one-time build: create the handbook, establish the hiring process, conduct that compliance audit, set up the performance review system, and you're good to go. Your Office Manager or Operations Manager can take it from there with confidence, knowing the foundation is solid. Others benefit from ongoing support—a trusted partner who's there when questions arise. Regular check-ins, strategies to keep employees engaged, policy adjustments as things evolve, and guidance when situations get complicated. Someone your internal team can reach out to when they're not quite sure how to handle something, or when they simply want a second opinion before moving forward. Most small and medium-sized businesses can't justify a full HR team. But having the right level of strategic support—whether that's a focused project or a long-term partnership—often makes all the difference.

What Connects Them All

From interior designers to insurance professionals, every business I've worked with has shared one core need: HR support that feels practical, makes financial sense, and fits their unique situation. Not generic templates downloaded from the internet. Not rigid policies designed for Fortune 500 companies. Not expensive solutions built for organizations ten times their size. They needed someone who gets both the best practices side of HR and the reality of running their specific business. Someone who can make compliance feel less overwhelming and more human. Someone who can help them create workplaces where people actually want to work—with systems that support their team as it exists today.

There's this thing my real estate agent told me over 20 years ago when my husband and I built our home: the day you move into a house you customized, you'll find something you want to change. I think about that often, because workplaces are similar. The processes and structures that served you well a few years ago might not fit quite right anymore. Sometimes you just need a fresh perspective to help you see what's ready to evolve.

Here's What I Believe

It doesn't matter whether you're restoring carpets, designing beautiful spaces, educating children, advocating for housing justice, helping people protect what matters to them, or keeping vehicles running smoothly. Your industry doesn't determine whether you need thoughtful HR support. Your people do. The challenges you're facing do. If you're running a small or medium-sized business without the budget for a full HR team, but you're carrying

all the complexity that comes with managing people, there's another path forward. One that doesn't involve either winging it or overpaying for services that don't quite fit. Strategic HR partnership means getting experienced support when you actually need it, tailored to what you're genuinely dealing with, at an investment that makes sense for your business. Just like the 15 organizations I've had the honor of supporting this year—across ten different industries— who've moved from constantly reacting to challenges toward building something more sustainable.

If you're curious about what practical HR support could look like for your business—whatever industry you're in—I'd genuinely enjoy exploring that conversation with you. Sometimes just talking through what you're navigating can bring clarity, even before any formal partnership begins.