HR Professionals as Entrepreneurs

08
Aug 2022
215
A light bulb is surrounded by colorful splashes of paint.

Author:  Ada Tai, MBA, CPHR, SHRM-SCP

Entrepreneurship seems to be a very trendy word and an occupational choice these days. In my recent conversations with various HR professionals, a common question arose: How can HR people become entrepreneurs? In other words, if I want to set up my own HR consulting practice, how do I start?

Before we dive into “how” to start an HR business, let’s first understand what being an entrepreneur means. My favourite definition of an entrepreneur is: “An entrepreneur is an individual who creates a new business, bearing most of the risks and enjoying most of the rewards . The process of setting up a business is known as entrepreneurship.” 1 This definition emphasizes a few key takeaways: first, being an entrepreneur is a journey of inventing and building something from the ground up. During this journey, you will experience many challenges and joys because of the uncertainty and the potential benefits you will gain through a successful venture. Running an HR consultancy as a business entails helping clients solve problems.

1. A business starts with an idea. (What’s your niche?)

Generally speaking, for HR professionals to utilize their established knowledge and skills, the idea for a business is likely to provide general or a specific area of human resources support, and/or offer training and coaching services. HR consulting is part of the large Management Consulting industry. In the US, the Management Consulting industry revenue is estimated at $250 billion 2 .  In Canada, the industry revenue is estimated to be about $22 billion 3 . Human resources consulting services account for roughly 12% of management consulting revenue 4 .

To set yourself up for success, several key questions to consider include:

  • Do I want to be a generalist or a specialist?
  • Do I want to be a business person or a technical expert?
  • Do I want to eventually build a company or stay as a one-person shop?
  • What is the niche that I can offer to clients?

2. Narrow your ideas down to concrete plans. (What’s your value proposition?)

Although many people prepare great plans, to be effective, these plans need to be tailored to the wonderful service you will provide. Since being a consultant is to solve clients’ problems, your value proposition should clearly communicate the benefit that clients will receive by using your service. In other words, a potential client should be able to distinguish what you offer from the offerings of other consultants. Questions to consider include:

  • Who is my target audience? What are their needs and wants?
  • How will I offer my services? When? Where? And, How?
  • With whom am I competing? What distinguishes my service from theirs?

3. Set up your business or join another business. (Let’s get serious.)

To take the HR consulting idea to the next level, you may set up your business as a Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, or Corporation. Any such form has its pros and cons. Then you will use your creativity to come up with an attractive business name, register for a business number and GST, open up a business bank account, etc. A clear and useful article in which this sort of information can be found is, “Your ultimate guide to starting a business in Canada”. 5

A large portion of the entrepreneurs-to-be choose to join other firms as freelancers or contractors, either full-time or part-time. This gives these consultants who are not ready to go all in on being their own boss a taste of being an independent consultant without bearing the full risk. They also use this option to test whether there is a demand for their skillsets. Some HR professionals decide to be a member of growing boutique companies. Others welcome the opportunities and challenges that large international consulting firms present.

4. Marketing, marketing. (And marketing)

By putting your business plan together, you now know who your targeted audience is. Using different methods to reach your potential clients and convince them to use your service is the magic of marketing. Setting up a website, and creating an email signature and business cards are the fundamentals to get one started. Once you generate a budget and are ready to go one step further, some HR entrepreneurs choose to engage marketing experts who specialize in social media establishment, search engine optimization, advertising campaigns, etc.

What I have found most useful is to create a professional and consistent presence for yourself and your business. This can be done by actively participating in in-person and virtual networking events tailored for your potential clients. Nowadays, while businesses are fighting to hire and retain talents, I find it quite easy to start a chit chat with business representatives about how HR consultants can add value. Be ready to give your elevator pitch about your credentials and your business offerings wherever you go. Furthermore, content marketing has also proven effective. It includes presenting publicly and creating educational articles, blogs, books, videos, podcasts, etc. The key emphasis here is “content.” I firmly believe that without valuable content, marketing becomes meaningless.

5. Let’s get to work! (No promotion can replace quality results.)

Now you have identified your niche area and value proposition, registered a business and utilized marketing efforts to engage one or more clients to understand potential solutions you can offer, the next step is to put a proposal together and present it to the client for approval. Several good templates are explained and included in the book, The Basic Principles of Effective Consulting , by Linda K. Stroh 6 .

Once the agreement is signed by both parties, you will immerse yourself in planning your project approach and methodologies, diagnosing the client’s issue, proposing solutions, gathering feedback from the client throughout the process, and implementing the solutions (if required). In my experience, great consultants are also great business people who can see client’s issues from 3000 feet and offer scalable and sustainable solutions.

Many of you are probably already performing the HR consultant role for your organization as an internal consultant. You may have also helped friends fix resumes, advised your family about workplace situations, etc. In this sense, we are all consultants utilizing our expertise. In my recent webinar, “ HR Entrepreneurs - Have You Ever Thought About Becoming an HR Consultant? ”, invited and hosted by CPHR AB, I shared that to be an effective consultant in this competitive environment, it is critical that we adopt a life-long learning approach with the ability to continuously innovate. The problems we are helping clients solve today may not be the problems the clients face tomorrow.

Reference:

1 Hayes, A. (2022, July 19). What is an entrepreneur? Investopedia. Retrieved July 25, 2022, from https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/entrepreneur.asp

2 Industry market research, reports, and Statistics. IBISWorld. (n.d.). Retrieved July 26, 2022, from https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/market-research-reports/management-consulting-industry/

3 Government of Canada, S. C. (2022, February 17). Consulting Services, 2020. The Daily - . Retrieved July 26, 2022, from https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/220217/dq220217e-eng.htm

4 Industry Overview: Management Consulting in Canada. Industry Overview: Management Consulting in Canada | Small Business Accelerator. (n.d.). Retrieved July 26, 2022, from https://sba.ubc.ca/industry-overview-management-consulting-canada

5 Your ultimate guide to starting a business. BDC.ca. (2022, July 20). Retrieved July 25, 2022, from https://www.bdc.ca/en/articles-tools/start-buy-business/start-business/how-start-business-canada

6 Stroh, L. K. (2019). The basic principles of effective consulting. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.

 

I see. I hear. I experience . is a column created by and written by Ada Tai, a chartered member of CPHR Alberta. The column is written in a blog format where Ada and invited co-authors will present their own experiences and interpretations of the world of human resources and its impact on business management. This and the subsequent posts are copyrighted materials by the author(s) and only reflect their personal views, not CPHR Alberta’s.

Author bio: With an MBA Degree, a CPHR, and an SHRM-SCP designation, Ada Tai has been working as an HR professional in a variety of industries for over a decade. Through her consulting firm, Ada and the team provide a variety of strategic and pragmatic management consulting services.  Ada’s public speaking skills have enabled her to be regularly invited to speak about HR, people management, career search, and networking topics throughout the province. She is also a well-respected Instructor at the University of Alberta and MacEwan University.

Contact information:

BadaB Consulting Inc. provides a wide range of human resources solutions, including Strategic HR and Succession Planning, Organizational Design & Development, Diversity & Inclusion Program, Merger & Acquisition Support, Recruitment, Skills Development Training, Compensation Design, Performance Management, Workplace Investigation, Policy Development, etc. Another specialty of BadaB’s services is a personal job search and career coaching. The team has effectively helped over 500 people to find work.

 

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post belong solely to the original author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of CPHR Alberta.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post belong solely to the original author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of CPHR Alberta.



Beyond the Boardroom: Why Motherhood is Your Greatest Leadership Asset

By Jessica Jaithoo • May 5, 2026
Author: Nidhi Gandhi , 2026 Social Media Committee Volunteer Motherhood is often described as the world’s most demanding job, yet it rarely comes with a job description, a performance review, or a manual. It is a profound and often relentless act of stewardship that asks us to be an anchor, a strategist, and a source of support, sometimes all at once. For modern HR executives, this reality carries added complexity. Our professional lives are spent navigating organizational health, talent development, and culture. We shape workplace policies, advocate for employee well‑being, and bring the people perspective to the leadership table. When we step into the dual role of executive and mother, we aren’t simply balancing two lives; we are bringing together two complementary skill sets. 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I go from solving activities, snack logistics, and figuring out the root cause of meltdowns, to solving organizational challenges and understanding what motivates and engages people in the workplace. But at the core, both roles are about supporting people and making good, informed decisions, just at different complexity levels. A deep breath, a chai latte, and I’m in an executive mode. What I find a bit more challenging is transitioning back to ‘mom mode’ at the end of a long, busy day.” In this conversation, we look beyond titles to discuss the realities of nurturing a high‑level career while raising the next generation. Whether you are climbing the ladder, building a team, or navigating your own career path, this dialogue offers both reflection and reassurance that your path can evolve, and that is okay. How has motherhood shaped your approach to HR policies? Does it change how you view things like flexible work, benefits, or performance management? Motherhood has deepened my understanding of how policies land in real life. It’s made me more attuned to what employees are balancing outside of work, including growing demands related to child care, elder care, and mental health. That perspective has strengthened my support for flexible and inclusive workplaces, not as perks, but as tools for retention, productivity, and respect. Being a mom hasn’t lowered performance expectations; it has clarified how we enable people to meet them by recognizing the realities that shape today’s workforce and equipping leaders to respond thoughtfully. What is the most rewarding “full circle” moment you’ve had where your professional role and motherhood intersected? There are moments when I’m coaching my kids on family values, goal setting, or how to navigate conflict with their sibling, and other moments when I’m coaching leaders through difficult workplace conversations or career development decisions. I’ve realized I draw on the same patience, clarity, and empathy in both settings. Seeing those conversations handled well, and knowing they positively affect someone’s experience at work, feels like a true intersection of both roles. Just as each child is different, even within the same family, employees experience work differently. Understanding those realities helps build alignment and trust. What advice would you give to a mid ‑ career HR professional who is hesitant to pursue an executive role because they fear it will compromise their family life? It’s a valid concern. Executive roles come with more responsibility and mental load, but they also offer greater autonomy to shape how and when you work. The key is being intentional. Be clear on your non‑negotiables, choose organizations whose values align with yours, and remember that strong leadership includes modeling sustainable ways of working, not constant availability. If you could give a Mother’s Day gift to working moms, aside from a day off, what would it be? I’d give them the freedom to be genuine and true flexibility, the kind that is trusted, consistent, and free from career trade‑offs. When people don’t have to choose between being present at home and being seen as committed at work, that’s where working moms can truly thrive. The idea of perfect work‑life balance is overrated. Priorities shift over time, and only you and your family know what the right combination looks like in any given season. Deni’s journey reminds us that senior leadership and motherhood are not competing forces to be managed, but complementary roles that strengthen one another. The empathy cultivated at home makes us better leaders, just as strategic thinking at work helps us build stronger foundations for our families. As we celebrate Mother’s Day, let this conversation prompt reflection. You do not have to choose between being a successful professional and a present, nurturing parent. You can be both, and you can lead through both.

World Day for Safety and Health at Work: Why It Matters

By Jessica Jaithoo • April 21, 2026
Author: Taia Northrup , 2026 Social Media Committee Volunteer Building Safer Workplaces Every April 28th, World Day for Safety and Health at Work serves as an important reminder that workplace safety isn’t just a policy, it is a commitment to people. While procedures, protocols, and compliance requirements are essential, the true foundation of a safe workplace lies in a culture where employees feel valued, heard, and protected. In today’s evolving environment, safety goes beyond hard hats and hazard signs. It includes psychological safety, inclusive practices, and the ability for employees to speak up without fear. As organizations continue to adapt in a tech driven world, the role of Human Resources in shaping and sustaining this culture has never been more critical. Traditionally, workplace safety has been associated with physical risk prevention. While this is still vital, modern organizations are expanding their focus to include mental health, preventing burnout, and overall well-being. Which Leads to the Culture of Psychological Safety A truly safe workplace is one where employees feel comfortable sharing ideas, raising concerns, and admitting mistakes without fear. Psychological safety is essential for innovation, collaboration, and overall organizational success. Safety doesn’t always require large scale initiatives… Often it is small, consistent actions that make the biggest difference, these include: Checking in with employees regularly Offering training and refreshers Celebrating safe practices and milestones Creating opportunities for feedback As we recognize World Day for Safety and Health at Work, it is an opportunity to reflect on how we can continue to build safer, healthier workplaces. By prioritizing both physical and psychological well-being, organizations can create environments where employees thrive. At its core, safety is about people. When we lead with empathy, listen with intention, and act with purpose, we don’t just meet safety standards, we exceed them!

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Chartered Professionals in Human Resources (CPHRs) bring a unique and deeply relevant skill set to senior governance roles—particularly those focused on equity, inclusion, and systemic change. With expertise in ethical leadership, organizational governance, people systems, and inclusive decision‑making, CPHR professionals are well positioned to contribute at the highest levels of public service. The Government of Canada is currently seeking applications for the role of Chairperson of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF) Board of Directors, a Governor in Council appointment that offers an opportunity to shape national conversations on race relations and advance meaningful change across Canada.
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