We recently connected with Bayley Simmons and have shared our conversation below.
Bayley, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?
In January 2019, I was told by friends, family, and colleagues that I should start a business because I had a gift for writing and conveying information. So, at that moment, a seed was planted to start a career coaching business that would help job seekers at any level transition into the career they wanted by crafting a well-written resume that displayed their ability to do their job, and an enthusiasm for their field. I was dead set on calling the business “8071 Solutions” 8071 was the address number to my childhood home and my favorite aunt has a business called “Solutions Dot Org”. So, I wanted to honor both my roots and the family member who was a living testament to how successful an entrepreneurship journey could be. When I went to file my paperwork, I had an epiphany that I not only wanted the name to have meaning but I also wanted it to speak to what I did. I decided to rely on my very keen memory, and I ended up having a flashback to a career day resume workshop I attended at LSU about 15 years back. The highlight of that core memory was the workshop facilitator saying that a resume should have a “polished appearance.” So, I knew I had to incorporate the word ‘polished’ in some way. Because career coaching was the lane I wanted to travel in I decided I wanted to attract people who wanted to be polished and ready for every scenario in which they could make a good impression including interviews, networking events, and career expos. I wanted to take their natural talent, shine it up, repackage it, and have them put it on display. So, in that respect, I was polishing the professional. “The Polished Professional” was my dream title BUT it was taken. To my dismay, I was going to let it go completely until a mentor and friend said I could reverse the words, keep the overall meaning, and be able to “polish” anything. Thus “Professionally Polished” was born (and available in the state of Louisiana) and I was able to seamlessly add HR Business Consultation to the brand.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Hello there! I am Bayley Monica Simmons, a proud native New Orleanian who has learned the importance of tradition and impact by bearing witness to the worldwide cultural impact my city has in real-time. My journey weaves through the vibrant streets of this city, reflecting a life-long dedication to community, culture, and human connection. As a proud LSU alum, Saints and LSU fan and a huge fan of our local festivals and eateries, I believe I embody the spirit of our unique community. My professional voyage has spanned over 13 years in Human Resources, wherein I have also explored various sectors from early childhood education to social work, but my overarching focus stood on HR, particularly in compliance, payroll, and benefits.
Community service forms the cornerstone of my identity. My engagement with St. Raymond and St. Leo the Great Catholic Church, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., the Young Leadership Council, and PLTI NOLA, among others, represents not just volunteerism but a commitment to nurturing and uplifting those around me. This ethos of service seamlessly transitioned into my career, particularly during the challenging times of the pandemic. As the restaurant industry faced unprecedented trials, I moved from being gainfully employed to leveraging my skills in a volunteer capacity, assisting with unemployment claims and, eventually, redefining my role from administrative to operational to support the recovery of the local restaurant that employed me at the time.
The pivot in my career came from a place of introspection and opportunity, sparked by meaningful conversations and the encouragement of my closest allies. I had a very transformative conversation with a staff member with a director title, who also works in an operational capacity with me. He poured into me and said how gracious he was for me and the whole staff being willing to serve the business by working in the field, but that he did not want us to lose our passion for the things we were good at and what we were originally hired to do. Following that conversation, he encouraged me to do some market research on local HR consultants and firms. It became glaringly apparent that I could make a business of providing these services at market cost without exceeding my bandwidth. The following week I shared the plan with my two best friends, one an attorney and the other also an HR Professional with an educational law degree in Labor and Employment Law. They both encouraged me to take some stabs in the dark. I did some email marketing and followed up on their referrals and had my first HR client by October 2020.
Recognizing the potential to extend my HR expertise beyond traditional roles, I embarked on a full-time consultancy journey. In July 2021 I left the corporate sector through proactive outreach and leveraging my network. This marked the beginning of Pro-Polished HR, a consultancy dedicated to providing comprehensive HR solutions to small and medium-sized businesses and non-profit organizations.
At Pro-Polished HR, I specialize in process optimization, system building, and tuning into employee needs to create sustainable workplace environments. My approach is deeply personalized, integrating into each client’s culture to develop and implement tailored HR strategies that support their overarching goals. My proudest accomplishment to date has been the development of the HR infrastructure for a prominent environmental organization in New Orleans. Entrusted with creating all HR materials and spearheading recruitment, I contributed to a stable, engaged workforce that thrived for two years without turnover.
What sets Pro-Polished HR apart is not just the services we provide but the ethos behind our work. It is about partnership, understanding, and a shared commitment to your mission and vision. Through bespoke HR solutions, we navigate the complexities of human resources, allowing you to focus on what you do best. I want potential clients, followers, and fans to know that Pro-Polished HR is here to submerge into your culture, align with your values, and drive meaningful progress together.
As we look to the future, I am excited about the possibilities of forging new paths, creating lasting impacts, and continuing to serve the community that has shaped who I am today. The journey of Pro-Polished HR is not just about where we have been but where we are going together, embracing challenges, celebrating achievements, and always remaining true to our mission of service and excellence.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
Building a reputation within any market is a multifaceted endeavor, heavily reliant on the quality, consistency, and visibility of one’s work. In my case, the cornerstone of building my reputation was the meticulous and transparent approach I applied to every task, particularly within talent acquisition projects. By developing a comprehensive dashboard, I ensured that progress was not only measurable but visible in real time to all stakeholders involved. This dashboard provided a holistic view of the recruitment process, displaying candidate lists, credentials, interview responses, process dispositions, and my notes and recommendations, all accessible through an easy-to-use shared drive.
This level of detail and accessibility facilitated a transparent and collaborative environment, allowing clients to feel more connected to the process and confident in the decisions being made. It is the embodiment of my commitment to not just meeting but exceeding client expectations through innovation and diligence. This approach naturally fostered word-of-mouth promotion, as clients appreciated the value added to their projects and were compelled to share their experiences with colleagues.
The conversation around my expertise and professionalism was significantly amplified by this proactive approach to project management and client engagement. It was not merely about completing tasks; it was about elevating the experience of working with me and ensuring that every interaction and outcome was a testament to my commitment to excellence. This, in turn, cultivated a reputation for reliability, transparency, and superior service quality within my market.
My reputation was built on a foundation of transparency, innovation, and meticulous attention to detail. These principles guided my approach to every project, transforming routine tasks into opportunities for demonstration of professionalism and expertise. The positive feedback loop created through client satisfaction and word-of-mouth endorsements has been instrumental in establishing my standing in the industry, highlighting the importance of not just what you do, but how you do it.
Do you have any stories of times when you almost missed payroll or any other near death experiences for your business?
During the pivotal moments of early 2023, I found myself at the helm of my burgeoning business, navigating through uncharted waters marked by personal loss and professional challenges. The recent passing of my grandmother had profound effects on both my personal and professional life, thrusting me into a reality where my responsibilities extended beyond task completion to encompass the vital commitment of compensating my first contract employee bi-weekly. This period was a true test of my resolve and capability as a business owner.
The stretch from May to July of the same year was particularly harrowing. The consecutive loss of three clients, each contributing a sizable portion of our revenue, placed the very survival of my business in jeopardy. The financial stability that these clients provided, acting as the lifeline for our operations and enabling us to afford help, was suddenly pulled from beneath us. Facing the grim prospect of failing to meet payroll—a commitment I held sacred—I found myself in a position I never anticipated: seeking financial assistance from my family.
It was a moment of humility and stark realization when I approached my mother for help. Her response, both generous and grounded, provided not just the financial means to cover four weeks of payroll but also a piece of sobering advice: the necessity of finding a more sustainable income source. Her support during this critical juncture was nothing short of a lifeline.
With her help, I managed to navigate through July and August, maintaining our commitment to our employees without interruption. This period was a testament to the power of resilience, faith, and preparation. Miraculously, during this time of uncertainty, we secured a contract in response to an RFP I had pursued. This contract not only replaced the lost revenue but also reinforced the viability of our business model, pulling us back from the brink of a near-death experience.
This experience was a pivotal moment in our journey, highlighting the vulnerabilities inherent in entrepreneurship and the importance of adaptability, support networks, and the courage to seek help when needed. It taught me invaluable lessons about fiscal management, the importance of diversifying income sources, and the profound impact of community and family support in navigating business crises. This near-miss with payroll failure was not just a narrow escape; it was a crucible that forged a more resilient, strategic, and grateful business owner.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.getpropolished.net
- Instagram: @getpropolished
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getpropolished
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/professionally-polished-llc/?viewAsMember=true
Image Credits
Jordanne Guerin Photography