Overwhelmingly, media coverage of team building, hiring, training, etc. is often geared towards the issues faced by HR at Fortune 500 sized companies. Even when it’s positioned as advice for small business owners it is often coming from an executive or consultant working primarily with giant corporations. We think it’s far more relevant to hear from small and medium business owners who have successfully grown their businesses – and so we asked some very talented folks to tell us the stories of their initial hires and the struggles and lessons they can share.
Primitiva Hernandez
For most of 2024, it really was just me — wearing every hat imaginable: Executive Director, fundraiser, crisis responder, HR, communications, and at times janitorial staff. In the early months, the work felt both exhilarating and overwhelming. We were a newly independent 501(c)(3) with a huge mission and very limited staffing capacity. Read More>>
Shivani Malik
I was hired as the first lab scientist for the company. In a quiet yet confident and unhurried tone, my boss—who became more of a mentor over the year—told me my first task was not to do an experiment but figure out how to order lab supplies. We had never ordered a reagent for in-house experimentation. We outsource everything, you see. Read More>>
AnnMarie Kirkpatrick
Front Range Elite is a grassroots racing team built on big goals, strong work ethic, and a vision that began with supporting women and girls, but was always intended to grow far beyond that starting point. Read More>>
Candace Esparza
When I opened Devine Childcare Development Center, I didn’t start alone — but it also wasn’t the large team we have today. In the beginning, it was just a handful of us trying to bring a vision to life. I jumped into everything right alongside my staff: rocking babies, prepping meals, cleaning classrooms, doing paperwork at midnight — whatever it took. Read More>>
Serena LoPiccolo-Smith
When I started my real estate team, it was technically just me on paper, but I did not stay solo for long. I brought on three agents almost immediately, full of drive and possibility. Over time, each of them chose a different path and moved into other careers. At the same time, I hired three virtual assistants and an inside sales agent. Read More>>