Ann Walsh, SPHR's Linkedin Analytics

I see it all the time with scaling startups: “We use a PEO, so HR is covered.” That’s a costly assumption. Think of it this way: PEO = HR infrastructure Strategic HR leader = Your architect for growth One keeps the lights on. The other builds what’s next. 𝐈𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫. Your PEO is excellent at: ✅ Payroll processing ✅ Benefits administration ✅ Employment law compliance ✅ Risk management It keeps the engine running, but it doesn’t build the machine. Here’s what a PEO won’t do: ❌ Design your org structure for hypergrowth ❌ Build leadership bench strength ❌ Create retention strategies for key talent ❌ Align people strategy with business goals ❌ Navigate complex team dynamics After 20+ years building HR functions, here’s what I’ve learned: The companies that scale well don’t confuse compliance with strategy. They treat their PEO as an operations partner and bring in strategic HR leadership to drive growth. Founders who understand this don’t just scale, they scale with intention. ☘️ If this resonates with you, share and follow for more startup HR insights Ann Walsh, SPHR 33x HR Expert for Startups | Founder ThriveHR

As May comes to a close, so does Mental Health Awareness Month, but the conversation can’t stop here. In the startup world, stress isn’t seasonal. It’s constant. Endless to-do lists, back-to-back meetings, context switching, and the pressure to “always be on” take a toll. One of the best ways I’ve learned to manage stress is by managing my time intentionally. While I prefer the time blocking method, here are a few strategies that work well: 🔴 Pomodoro Technique: Work for 25 minutes. Break for 5. After four cycles, take a longer break. Builds focus and avoids burnout. 📋 Kanban Boards: Visualize your tasks. “To Do,” “Doing,” “Done.” It keeps priorities clear and progress visible. ✅ Time Blocking: Batch similar tasks and carve out real space for deep work. Treat it like a meeting with yourself. 📵 Notification Blackouts: Silence the noise. Most things aren’t urgent. Your concentration is. ✍️ End-of-Day Brain Dump: Plan for next day. Write down tomorrow’s top priorities before you log off. 💬 Talk About It: Stress thrives in silence. High-performing teams normalize conversations about bandwidth, burnout, and balance, not just deadlines. Time management isn’t about squeezing more in. It’s about working smarter, with more clarity and less chaos. Any system works better than no system. Image Credit: r/coolguides ☘️ If this resonates, please feel free to share and follow for more startup HR insights Ann Walsh, SPHR, 33x HR Expert for Startups and Founder ThriveHR

𝐇𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐫-𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞. Startups go all in on personalized customer journeys. You use AI to send the perfect message at the perfect moment, tailor product experiences by behavior, and optimize pricing by user segment. But inside the company? Too often, onboarding is rushed, performance reviews feel transactional, and development conversations are one-size-fits-all. That’s the disconnect. You’ve built a business around meeting users where they are. Now do the same for your team. Personalized onboarding should reflect how someone learns and what they already know. 👉 Engineers may need deep technical immersion. 👉 Sales hires need immediate customer context. 👉 Growth paths should be built around actual strengths and aspirations. 👉 Feedback should be delivered in a way that allows people to take action. Tools like Incompass Labs, Lattice, Culture Amp, 15Five, BetterUp, and Pave make this possible and scalable. This isn’t about making things perfect. It’s about being intentional. It’s about designing systems that evolve with your team, not ones that were “good enough last year.” When you get it right, people feel seen, supported, and set up to succeed. They perform at a higher level, grow in ways that align with the business, and become the kind of leaders who shape culture and drive lasting impact. You've achieved product-market fit; now use personalization to reach culture-market fit. ☘️ If this resonates, please feel free to share and follow for more startup HR insights Ann Walsh, SPHR, 33x HR Expert for Startups and Founder ThriveHR #HyperPersonalization #PeopleOps #StartupLeadership #HRInnovation

Grateful to have been a mentor at Startup Boston’s Mentor Exchange for Early-Stage Founders last night. The founders came with such thoughtful questions. It made for energizing conversations and a real connection. Events like these serve as a great reminder of the strength and generosity of the Boston startup community. Big thanks to Startup Boston and Stephanie Roulic for bringing us together and to all the mentors and founders who showed up ready to support and learn from one another. Looking forward to the next one! ☘️ If this resonates, I welcome you to share and follow for more startup HR insights. Ann Walsh, SPHR, 33x HR Expert for Startups and founder ThriveHR #startupcommunity #bostonstartups #mentorship

𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬: 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐁𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭? 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐑 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 I recall when HR (then known as Personnel) wasn't involved in core business operations. Back then, we functioned more as back-office compliance and payroll jockeys than strategic partners. Many didn't even understand the business they supported. When your HR truly gets the business, we're not just "handling people stuff." We partner with founders and teams to make informed decisions about growth, strategy, and culture. That's when HR transforms from reactive to proactive. From my experience leading people teams, I know that we add significant value when HR understands the business model, market dynamics, and growth plans. ✅ We forecast talent needs, structure teams effectively, and design comp frameworks that drive business goals. ✅ When planning to expand into new markets, we should already be mapping talent availability, benchmarking competitive pay, and navigating local employment laws, rather than scrambling to catch up after decisions are made. 𝑨𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒖𝒑𝒔, 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝑯𝑹 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒔 - modeling headcount costs with finance, helping product teams structure for rapid iteration, developing leaders alongside founders, and building processes that keep culture strong during hyper-growth. ✅ We anticipate team dynamics challenges before they surface, build talent pipelines ahead of urgent needs, craft L&D programs that prepare teams for future challenges, and design comp strategies that scale seamlessly. 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝑯𝑹 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒌𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒄 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒏𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒖𝒑? 𝑳𝒆𝒕'𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒕. ☘️ If this resonates, I welcome you to share and follow for more startup HR insights. Ann Walsh, SPHR, 33x HR Expert for Startups and founder ThriveHR Image Credit: Dave Bailey, UK #HR #Startups #PeopleFirst #GrowthWithPurpose

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞: 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 There's an old saying, "𝑳𝒐𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒔 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑𝒔." Originally used during World War II to remind soldiers and citizens that careless talk could jeopardize military operations, this phrase holds significance in business as well. In the startup world, timing 𝐈𝐒 everything. Sometimes, the best strategy is saying nothing at all. 🚀 The most successful startups stayed quiet during development. 🏆 Market leaders kept their strategies under wraps until the moment was right. Why? Because true innovation thrives in silence. Your vision is your competitive edge. Sharing too early can invite unnecessary noise and competition or even derail your momentum. "Big moves are made in silence. Loud results follow." 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐞, 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐥𝐚, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐳𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐫. Guard your ideas. Let your work speak when the time is right. ✅ If this resonates, I welcome you to share and follow for more startup HR insights. Ann Walsh, SPHR, 33x HR Expert for Startups and founder ThriveHR #StartupSuccess, #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #Leadership

The 30-60-90 day plan is important for new hires because it provides a clear, structured roadmap for success in the critical first months. Here’s why it matters: Sets Clear Expectations New hires know exactly what’s expected of them at each stage, which reduces ambiguity and stress. They can focus on tangible goals instead of guessing what success looks like. Accelerates Ramp-Up By breaking down learning and performance milestones into 30-, 60-, and 90-day increments, the plan helps new employees build momentum quickly and become productive faster. Aligns New Hires with Team and Company Goals It connects their day-to-day work to broader team and company objectives right from the start, creating early alignment and buy-in. Builds Confidence Small wins early on — like mastering tools or completing initial projects — boost confidence and engagement, making new hires feel successful and motivated. Identifies Gaps Early If a new hire is struggling, the plan provides an early warning system, enabling managers to course-correct with support and feedback before minor issues escalate into bigger problems. Supports Accountability Both the manager and the new hire have a shared framework to track progress and have meaningful check-ins, ensuring accountability on both sides. Enhances Retention Employees who feel supported and clear on what they need to accomplish are more likely to feel committed and stay longer. In short, a good 30-60-90 plan turns onboarding from a passive orientation into an active launchpad for success.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐈 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐥 "Your voice is like fingernails on a chalkboard," my manager declared during what was supposed to be a routine feedback session. We were sitting in a conference room overlooking Boston Harbor. The irony wasn't lost on me. I was crushing it at this investment firm. Every metric, every goal, every deliverable exceeded. I'd just successfully transitioned over 90 displaced employees into new positions across the company. The chairman had personally selected me to spearhead a major organizational initiative. My track record was bulletproof. But since she couldn't fault my performance, she targeted something else entirely: the way I sounded when I spoke. That remark cut deeper than it should have. Suddenly, I found myself monitoring every syllable, consciously flattening and adding my Rs, catching myself mid-sentence. In meetings, I'd hesitate before speaking, editing my thoughts not for clarity but for palatability. Colleagues began asking if everything was all right. It wasn't. I was performing a version of myself that felt foreign and hollow. The breaking point came when I realized I was apologizing for existing as myself. So I made a choice. After enduring her repeated comments about my accent, I left the company entirely. That decision led me into the world of startups. What a revelation that was. In these scrappy, ambitious environments, no one cared about where I was from or how I sounded; they cared about impact. It was pure meritocracy. That Boston accent she found so offensive? In 20 years of startup life, not once has anyone even mentioned it. I met incredible people in this startup world, including my friend Adam Soroca. We still exchange over-the-top Bostonism texts that crack us up every time. Those moments of shared humor remind me who I am beneath all the professional polish. Looking back, that painful conversation was a gift wrapped in criticism. Without it, I might have stayed comfortable, climbing someone else's ladder toward their definition of success. Instead, it launched me toward work that actually fit. Now, when I travel, people comment on my accent with genuine interest. Some even say they find it charming. I no longer shrink from these interactions; I lean into them. For anyone starting their career: yes, you'll receive feedback. Learn to distinguish between input that helps you grow versus criticism designed to make you smaller. Your distinctive qualities, your voice, your perspective, your particular way of showing up, these aren't professional liabilities. They're your competitive advantage. Oh, and no, we don't Pahk our Cah in Harvahd Yahd. ☘️ If this resonates, please feel free to share and follow for more startup HR insights Ann Walsh, SPHR, 33x HR Expert for Startups and Founder ThriveHR #embraceuniqueness #Boston #accent

It’s the unofficial start of summer, and time off is on people’s minds. But in startup culture, stepping away, even briefly, can still feel risky. I’ve seen it firsthand. Some employees are afraid to take time off, not because they don’t need it, but because they worry it signals a lack of commitment. And when leaders never unplug, the message is clear: vacation isn’t safe here. Too often, founders treat PTO like a threat to momentum. But if your company can’t function without you for five days, that’s not a sign of importance. It’s a sign of fragility. Time off is not just rest, it’s a test. It indicates whether your team has clarity, shared responsibility, and a real structure, or if it all depends on constant presence. As summer kicks off, here’s my challenge: take the break. Plan it. Communicate it. Step away and actually be gone. Because leadership is not about how much you work. It’s what still works when you’re not there. ☘️ If this resonates, please feel free to share and follow for more startup HR insights Ann Walsh, SPHR, 33x HR Expert for Startups and Founder ThriveHR

Discrimination has no place in the workplace. On June 5, 2025, the Supreme Court reaffirmed what leadership should already demand: equal protection under the law belongs to everyone. Talk doesn’t build trust, and policies don’t drive change. Only action does. As leaders, we must enforce fairness and build it into our hiring, promotion, leadership, and actions. Because if fairness isn’t built into your culture, it will be built into your risk. ☘️ If this resonates with you, share and follow for more startup HR insights. Ann Walsh, SPHR 33x HR Expert for Startups | Founder ThriveHR