Once upon a time, HR was about compliance, hiring, and the occasional awkward conversation. Today? It’s trauma-informed leadership, menopause accommodations, mental health crises, and navigating generational culture clashes — sometimes before noon.
As a leadership coach, a fractional chief people officer, and the founder of High Voltage Leadership, I focus on helping female founders grow their dream teams and workplace culture.
I’ve also become a menopause advocate. One of the toughest seasons I’ve faced was trying to lead my business while going through perimenopause — brain fog, sleep deprivation, mood swings, the works — all while helping other women grow companies and teams of their own. It’s a part of leadership no one prepares us for, and yet, it shapes us in powerful ways. It’s why I’m passionate about helping women navigate business growth without burning out.
In my podcast, Female Founder Unplugged, I dive deep into the real stories of scaling a business, leading with heart, and building workplaces that work for people — not against them. We talk about the raw, unfiltered truth behind success. Because the curated highlight reel of entrepreneurship doesn’t show the late nights, hard conversations, or hormonal roller coasters — and those are often the moments that define our leadership the most.
Advice for Small Business Owners:
Your team is your most considerable expense — and your biggest asset. If your people aren’t aligned with your business plan, you leave money, energy, and opportunity on the table.
“The most forward-thinking founders I work with are focused on building intentional culture, even when teams aren’t all in the same room.”
Here are three areas founders can focus on:
Leadership – Are you showing up as the leader your team needs now, not just the one you were when you started? Businesses evolve, and so do their leaders. Who you were at launch isn’t who your company needs today. Are you growing alongside your business, or standing in its way?
People Strategy – Do your roles, hiring processes, compensation plans, and performance reviews align with where your business is going — not just where it’s been? It’s not just about getting the work done; it’s about building a team that helps your company grow in the right direction.
Culture – Can your team do their best work and still feel like they belong? Culture isn’t ping-pong tables and pizza parties. It’s how your people feel day to day — and whether they believe their contributions matter.
Remote-first policies and hybrid teams are no longer novel. They’re expected. The most forward-thinking founders I work with are focused on building intentional culture, even when teams aren’t all in the same room. That means real-deal inclusion, psychological safety, and the systems to support both.
And here’s something I want every female founder to know: you don’t have to do it all. You can lead with vision and get support. You can build a thriving company and prioritize your health. The sooner you create a people strategy rooted in your values, the sooner your business stops feeling held together with duct tape and hope.
Canadian business owners, especially in Alberta and BC, are feeling the squeeze from evolving compliance laws and shifting workforce expectations. We’re also seeing a clear trend: as businesses grow past the $1M revenue mark, founders are turning to fractional HR and leadership support to level up without overcommitting on overhead.
I started my career in fast-paced corporate environments, always drawn to the intersection of people, performance, and potential. After managing high-performing teams and watching too many brilliant women burn out trying to do it all, I leapt into leadership consulting.
With two decades of experience in corporate leadership, executive coaching, and HR strategy, I bring a uniquely human — and unapologetically honest — perspective to modern leadership.
Because when you invest in your leadership and your people, the ROI isn’t just profit. It’s clarity, alignment, and a company you actually want to show up for.
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