The HR Foundation Leaders Skip Until It’s Expensive
Over the years, I’ve noticed a consistent pattern across leadership teams.
When things feel misaligned, heavier than they should, or strangely unclear, it’s rarely because people don’t care—or aren’t capable.
It’s usually because no one has created the space to slow the business down long enough to get aligned on the HR foundation of the business.
Most leaders don’t avoid HR. They simply don’t know what they don’t know.
That gap is rarely loud. But it quietly creates risk, confusion, and unnecessary drag.
The invisible cost of skipping the HR foundation
When HR hasn’t been examined deliberately, leaders often feel it as:
Hesitation around people decisions
Inconsistent expectations
Compensation discomfort
Unclear employer authority
A sense that the business has outgrown its current structure—but no clear place to start
None of this means something is broken. It means the foundation hasn’t been named.
And unnamed foundations eventually become liabilities.
Introducing the Spring HR Foundations Intensive
This spring, I’m hosting the first of a new quarterly series of HR Intensives, modeled after the single piece of work clients consistently tell me has been the most valuable:
The HR audit.
This is a one‑day, in‑person working session designed for small business owners who want clarity before committing to longer‑term support.
Not theory. Not motivation. Clear employer footing.
What this intensive is designed to do
The Spring HR Foundations Intensive is designed to help you:
Clearly understand your role as an employer
Identify risk before it becomes expensive
Build a people foundation that can actually scale
This is about decisiveness, not urgency.
What we’ll cover together
What HR is (and isn’t)
The employer responsibility mindset
Key legal and compliance risk areas for small businesses
A guided mini HR audit
Employer responsibility checklist
Employee classification (W‑2 vs 1099, exempt vs non‑exempt)
Compensation basics (pay philosophy, equity, common mistakes)
Required vs recommended policies
Handbook structure: what must exist now vs what can wait
This is a working session. You’ll leave with real progress—not just notes.
Format & logistics
Location: The Birdhouse, Columbia, Missouri
Group size: Limited to five companies
Participants: 1–2 leaders per business
Investment: $3,500 (one‑time payment)
We’ll gather for a welcome session and dinner the evening before, then spend the full next day working together.
Meals are included—farm‑to‑table, catered by Matriarcha.
You’ll have my full attention, protected thinking time, and practical tools and templates provided after the intensive.
👉 [Register for the Spring HR Foundations Intensive]
This week’s podcast episode: Indecision isn’t neutral
In this week’s episode, I break down how delayed leadership quietly erodes trust—and what decisive, integrity‑anchored authority actually looks like.
If this episode resonates, subscribing on YouTube helps ensure you don’t miss future conversations.
A note for current and past clients
If you’re a current or past client, check your inbox for last week’s note about customized leadership retreats available exclusively to you. One spot is already spoken for.
