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What is your role at Frontier Growth?
I am an Operating Partner assisting our companies with “all things” human resources. This can include everything from helping them set up recruiting practices and management training through to onboarding programs and supporting mergers and acquisitions. Basically, anything to do with human capital where I can bring my expertise and experience to their businesses.
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What does that involve on a day to day basis?
I share proven methods and resources right across the portfolio. So, for example, I run a quarterly HR webinar for our companies focusing on key challenges they may be facing. These webinars are interactive and provide an opportunity for HR leads to share their experiences, ask questions and nurture an interactive peer network.
I also help with due diligence on potential acquisitions; meeting with senior leadership, assessing their capabilities, and providing an organizational assessment back to the firm. I identify where there might be gaps, what we may need to put in place to support them in achieving their growth objectives.
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Is there one area of human capital that companies need more help with than anything else?
It really does vary. Some companies do not have an existing (or experienced) HR function. HR matters will have been handled by the founder or CFO. Others have more experienced HR leadership.
Most need help in one or more of the core areas of recruiting, onboarding, talent development, and performance management. Some need more strategic input on organizational design or defining their core values as a business. It runs the full gamut, no one size fits all.
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What are your ambitions for the portfolio companies you work with?
Fundamentally, I want all the companies I engage with to be successful! Ultimately, my goal is to make sure that the human capital in the company is aligned and driving to help the business achieve its goals. People are generally one of the larger items on the balance sheet, so companies need to be really focused on making sure they’ve got the right people in the right positions with the right focus. I’ve seen amazing things happen in businesses when the organization has clear alignment and focus.
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What do you love about the growth equity business?
The thing about growth equity is that it can provide the resources to help organizations achieve what they want to do.
It’s very focused—especially in a firm like Frontier which specializes in the software industry. I get to meet, experience and learn from very smart people looking to build scalable, repeatable processes within the businesses they partner with.
It’s really energizing to be a part of these fast-growing businesses as they discover they can do things they never thought they could do.
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What is it about the Human Resources profession that drives you?
My focus has always been to help people develop and grow. I love to see the development in the HR leaders I work with—how they think, how they approach things, how they’re working with their senior leadership. It’s very rewarding.
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What makes you a good fit for the companies you work with?
People tell me I’m easy to get along with. In every situation, I take the time to ask questions and listen. It is important to understand what is going on in these companies before suggesting possible solutions to the challenges and opportunities they are facing.
I love what I do, I have fun doing it and I am always learning something. I think that comes through when I meet people. I have a lot of experience working with growth-stage businesses which I can bring to bear in the work that I do.
