My name is Sean and this is my story...

I started life as a tradesman, before realising that I liked to work with people, while also doing good work for customers. I also wanted to do something for the country, so joined the Army to start the process of reinvention. After 10 years I was in a HR Business Partner role prior to transitioning into a senior HR role in an international IT company, providing HR support to the Australian-based resources and reporting to the Corporate Director based in London.

After a few years, I was worn out operating in two time zones and worked out that it was time for me to explore setting up my own HR consulting business based in regional Victoria, where my family and I lived. I considered the options of either going alone but realised that I needed a proven solution that worked in the SME space, which also allowed me to be in control of the work that I did – I valued both relevant research and being in control!

The Academy was a challenge as I was still working part-time while trying to take it all to and learn a more effective way to ‘do HR’. Finally, I had found a solution that made sense to me, was pragmatic and systemised and based on sound research of the Australasian SME sector.

The pandemic hit as we finished the Academy so the business got off to a much slower start than I had hoped. Having a part-time job when building a consulting business was also a challenge, as my client responsiveness was negatively impacted. Nevertheless, as I consolidate my circumstances and the business environment moves to something more normal, I am ready to kick-start my goal to make HR Headquarters a premier supplier of HR services to Victorian SMEs.

• I needed to learn a more effective way to do HR that was research-based

• Being positioned as a generalist HR service provider will increase my consulting opportunities

• I am good at networking, so following the bouncing ball will be critical to my business success

• New IP means that I don’t have to think – someone is doing it for me

• I love building my business on my terms, and I know that the harder I work, the better my business will be