A Better HR Business

Announcing the People Business Growth Summit! It's a one-day online summit on marketing and growing people-focused services and HR tech businesses. Tuesday, 28 April 2026Online eventFree tickets available: https://summit.getmorehrclients.com  The People Business Growth Summit brings together founders and operators from HR consultancies and HR technology companies to share the real decisions that helped their businesses grow. This is not theory or generic advice. Each session focuses on the actual growth decisions leaders made while building traction in their business. You will hear the context they were in, the options they considered, what they chose to do, what worked, and what they would do differently next time. Why attend If you run an HR or people-focused business and want growth to feel more predictable in 2026, this summit is designed for you. Across the day, speakers will share practical insights such as: 💡 What a successful consultancy founder is doing now to prepare her national firm for a future sale 💡 How HR tech and consulting firms win large corporate and enterprise deals 💡 The marketing mix used by successful early-stage HR software companies 💡 Hard-won lessons on scaling, systems, and leadership from experienced founders 💡 How to price HR consulting services so they fuel growth rather than cap it 💡 What to think about before merging with or acquiring another HR-related business 💡 How one consultant won her first client before she had even officially launched 💡 Marketing lessons from growing HR tech companies in recruitment, benefits, L&D and more The goal is simple: practical insight you can actually use. Who this summit is for This event is for people who sell expertise or software, not internal HR teams. You will get the most value if you are: 💡 A growing services firm selling HR, recruitment, L&D or people expertise 💡 A founder or marketing lead at an early-stage HR or workforce technology company 💡 Part of a small marketing team deciding where to focus next 💡 A solo consultant or small consultancy owner If you want growth but do not want to spend the next six months pursuing the wrong strategy, this event will help you get clearer on your next move. What this summit is really about Every session is structured around real growth decisions, including: 💡 The situation the company was facing 💡 The options they considered 💡 What they chose and why 💡 What changed as a result 💡 What stalled or failed 💡 What they would avoid if starting again You will hear about things like: 💡 How demand was actually generated and when visibility backfired 💡 Pricing and packaging changes that made selling easier or harder 💡 Marketing channels that looked promising but quietly failed 💡 The growth decisions founders would make differently today This is real-world growth experience, not theory. Event format The summit includes: 💡 Experience-led sessions from founders and operators 💡 Two focused tracks: consultancies and technology companies 💡 Optional on-demand access 💡 Practical tools available through the Implementation Pass Featured speakers Speakers include founders and operators from across the HR consulting and HR technology ecosystem, including leaders from: NonprofitHRClearwater HR ConsultingThread HCMHiringBranchAllVoicesHumansRCareer Money LifeHubertShrlockPartners+FutureSolveVolman HR StrategyComptKI ConsultingSkillCycleEdLogicsHRTech AdvisorTimeForge Laborand more. Join us! If you run a people-focused consultancy or HR tech company and want clearer insight into how businesses like yours actually grow, this summit will give you ideas you can apply immediately. Join us online on Tuesday, 28 April 2026. Register now for your free ticket: https://summit.getmorehrclients.com  

In a recent episode of the HR business marketing podcast, A Better HR Business, Ben and his guest, Val Esway, founder of Work with Val, talk about the challenges of hiring, compliance, and employee management for small and growing businesses across the US and Canada. Val Esway partners with founders and leadership teams to build the recruiting and HR foundations necessary for sustainable growth. With a background spanning early-stage startups, e-commerce brands, and agencies, she has served as a People & Talent Manager, Director of Operations, and Chief of Staff. This unique trajectory allows her to bridge the gap between human-centric HR and the gritty operational realities founders face daily. Val has completed over 150 projects focused on hiring strategy, HR infrastructure, and people operations. She specializes in helping scaling businesses move away from "firefighting" toward practical, hands-on systems that support first hires and beyond. Val brings a grounded, collaborative approach to every engagement, ensuring leaders can make confident people decisions as their teams evolve. Val loves sharing her expertise via talks and training sessions. Popular topics include compliance basics, choosing the right HR tools, and navigating the complexities of pay structures (e.g., W-2 vs. 1099). She’s happy to tailor discussions to what founders and business owners need most. You’ll hear practical strategies for client acquisition, running a workplace consulting business, and packaging consulting offers. Whether you identify as HR, workplace, L&D, OD, recruitment, or people & culture, you’ll discover real stories and actionable advice to attract clients, win contracts, and grow sustainably. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: How to get more clients as a consultant through referrals and personalized service Insights into running a workplace consulting business for smaller and younger companies, including compliance, recruitment, and team development Val Esway’s journey, including lessons from cleaning up compliance issues, helping founders make their first hires, and developing high-touch HR solutions Episode highlights: Val Esway’s background and the types of clients Work with Val serves (00:47) Common HR challenges faced by small and young businesses, especially those without dedicated HR staff (01:12) Navigating performance management and terminations thoughtfully and compliantly (02:42) The impact of terminations on the wider team and why respect matters (03:25) Recruitment support: Helping founders clarify what role they truly need and managing the hiring process end-to-end (05:11) Special considerations for e-commerce founders transitioning from agency relationships to hiring in-house staff (08:01) Popular training topics for business owners, including compliance basics and choosing HR systems (10:01) Common mistakes in hiring, pay structure, and contractor versus employee classification (12:09) Why many growing businesses rely on referrals and the value of a personalized, high-touch consultancy (16:03) Resources & Links Mentioned: Work with Val website: www.valesway.com Val's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/valesway Check out this B2B podcast launch service. About The A Better HR Business Podcast The A Better HR Business shares strategies, tactics, success stories, and more about marketing for HR consultancies and marketing for HR tech companies, and how to get more clients. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don’t miss future episodes. For show notes and to see details of our previous guests, check out the podcast page here: www.GetMoreHRClients.com/Podcast HR BUSINESS GROWTH RESOURCES Get the new book - Grow A Successful HR Business Your Way Launch your own business podcast: B2B Podcast Agency VISIT GET MORE HR CLIENTS Want more clients for your HR-related consultancy or HR Tech business? Visit the Get More HR Clients websit

When companies use realistic job simulations, they can finally see beyond CVs and surface true talent, regardless of background. Removing bias from recruitment isn’t theoretical; it’s achievable. Grounding hiring decisions in real-world, data-driven simulations gives every candidate a fair shot and helps teams identify who will actually succeed in the role. Smart hiring isn’t about who interviews best. It’s about who performs best. Stephane Rivard, CEO and co-founder of HiringBranch, a Montreal-based company using AI and job simulations to transform high-volume recruitment, shares the evolution of Hiring Branch, why traditional interviews fall short, and how data-driven, skill-based hiring can result in fairer, and more consistent outcomes. Other topics we covered in our conversation: Evolution from language and soft-skills training to data-driven, skills-based assessments. Why success in customer-facing roles goes beyond empathy to skills like rapport, grit, and critical thinking. The difficulty of replacing traditional interviews and reducing bias in hiring. How HiringBranch adapts its platform across industries using deep, role-specific data. Go-to-market insights: experimentation, conferences, networking, and customer outcomes. Advice for HR tech firms on partnerships, focus, and differentiation. And much more! If you’re interested in fair and effective hiring practices, data-driven HR, or the future of skills assessment, this conversation offers a grounded, experience-based look at what works and what’s changing in the world of recruitment. Website: www.hiringbranch.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/stephane-rivard-entrepreneur Check out this B2B podcast launch service. About The A Better HR Business Podcast The A Better HR Business shares strategies, tactics, success stories, and more about marketing for HR consultancies and marketing for HR tech companies, and how to get more clients. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don’t miss future episodes. For show notes and to see details of our previous guests, check out the podcast page here: www.GetMoreHRClients.com/Podcast HR BUSINESS GROWTH RESOURCES Get the new book - Grow A Successful HR Business Your Way Launch your own business podcast: B2B Podcast Agency VISIT GET MORE HR CLIENTS Want more clients for your HR-related consultancy or HR Tech business? Visit the Get More HR Clients website for articles, newsletters, podcasts, videos, resources, and more at www.getmorehrclients.com.

Hiring for remote roles sounds easy in theory. In reality? It’s noisy, rushed, and increasingly flooded with AI-generated applications. That’s why I enjoyed learning about Isidora Mayer, CEO of FlatWorld and her very human take on global hiring. FlatWorld isn’t just about skills matching. It’s about fit: company culture, personal happiness, and long-term success on both sides. Isidora’s own leadership journey says a lot. She went from candidate to CEO by believing deeply in the mission and keeping people at the heart of every decision. Proof that rejection isn’t the end, it can be the beginning. So what does Flatworld actually do? They help companies overwhelmed by AI noise find real human candidates fast. What makes it different: 12-minute pre-employment assessments that filter for real skills Asynchronous video responses (less stress, more authenticity) Personality fit tailored to each company—not cookie-cutter profiles The process is sharp but thoughtful: ~70% of applicants filtered via technical tests Short video answers for the rest A final, company-specific personality fit layer Most growth comes from long-term partners and word of mouth, because trust still wins. And the business model? FlatWorld only gets paid if you hire No upfront fees No subscriptions No risk FlatWorld is especially well-suited for: Growing tech companies hiring remote dev or product talent US & EU companies making cross-border hires Teams who care about real happiness—not just filling seats What’s next? Cutting through the AI noise. Helping companies spot real humans and helping real humans find companies who’ll truly value them. If you’re building a remote tech team or trying to make sense of AI-driven hiring, Isidora’s story (and FlatWorld’s model) is a good reminder that putting people first still works and still wins. Website: www.flatworld.co LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/izimayer Check out this B2B podcast launch service. About The A Better HR Business Podcast The A Better HR Business shares strategies, tactics, success stories, and more about marketing for HR consultancies and marketing for HR tech companies, and how to get more clients. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don’t miss future episodes. For show notes and to see details of our previous guests, check out the podcast page here: www.GetMoreHRClients.com/Podcast HR BUSINESS GROWTH RESOURCES Get the new book - Grow A Successful HR Business Your Way Launch your own business podcast: B2B Podcast Agency VISIT GET MORE HR CLIENTS Want more clients for your HR-related consultancy or HR Tech business? Visit the Get More HR Clients website for articles, newsletters, podcasts, videos, resources, and more at www.getmorehrclients.com.

Employee benefits aren’t about money.They’re about how people feel. When leaders offer personalized perks, employees feel seen, valued, and more connected to the company. Genuine care in culture beats bigger paychecks. A strong workplace isn’t built on swag. It’s built on choice, recognition, and everyday experiences employees actually enjoy. On my latest episode of A Better HR Business, I sat down with Jordan Peace, CEO & Co-Founder of Fringe, to explore why personalized perks are reshaping recruitment, retention, and engagement. Fringe is built on a marketplace of lifestyle benefits - everything from massage memberships and clothing subscriptions to larger, meaningful purchases. The goal? Immediate value and real excitement. As Jordan shared: “We wanted to put the power in the hands of employees to choose what benefits were most relevant to them and their families.” In this episode, we cover: Why traditional benefits often miss the mark How personalized perks fit into daily life Closing the gap between employer spend and employee value Using tailored benefits to boost loyalty and engagement Building trust through authenticity and transparency We also had an interesting conversation about the value of Fringe's B2B podcast. Jordan discussed: Podcasting makes it easier to start conversations with the exact people you want as customers, partners, or investors. Podcast conversations often open doors that cold emails never will. A podcast gives you a reason to reach out that feels generous, not salesy.  Long-form conversations build trust faster than ads, posts, or cold outreach. Podcasts reward honesty and stories more than polished messaging. You don’t need a complex content plan if you can show up and talk like a real human. Podcasting works best when it reflects how you actually think and speak. A show can double as relationship-building, learning, and brand visibility. Being a podcast guest or host positions you as a peer, not a vendor. Marketing works better when it feels like a conversation, not a campaign. Check out this B2B podcast launch service. If you’re building or marketing an HR business, this episode breaks down how personalized perks can drive retention, loyalty, and real engagement, without increasing payroll. Website: www.fringe.us LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-peace-fringe About The A Better HR Business Podcast The A Better HR Business shares strategies, tactics, success stories, and more about marketing for HR consultancies and marketing for HR tech companies, and how to get more clients. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don’t miss future episodes. For show notes and to see details of our previous guests, check out the podcast page here: www.GetMoreHRClients.com/Podcast HR BUSINESS GROWTH RESOURCES Get the new book - Grow A Successful HR Business Your Way Get More HR Clients Business Growth Kit - Get More HR Clients Kit Launch your own business podcast: B2B Podcast Agency VISIT GET MORE HR CLIENTS Want more clients for your HR-related consultancy or HR Tech business? Visit the Get More HR Clients website for articles, newsletters, podcasts, videos, resources, and more at www.getmorehrclients.com.