The HR Connection Podcast with Sabrina Baker

Every small business says they want an HR strategy, but most don’t realize their “strategy” is really just a list of HR tasks. In this episode, Sabrina walks through five diagnostic questions that reveal what’s actually standing between your business goals and your people, your real people dependency. You’ll learn how to identify where your growth is stalling because of capacity, capability, reten...

If your idea of HR is a few templates you found on Google and a payroll system that runs itself, you’re not alone. Most small businesses start that way. But at some point, DIY HR stops saving you money and starts costing you growth. In this episode, host Sabrina Baker, CEO of Acacia HR Solutions, breaks down the five signs your “figure-it-out-as-you-go” approach to HR is holding your business back...

PEOs promise peace of mind, one invoice, one system, one solution for all your HR headaches. But what if that convenience is quietly costing your business tens of thousands of dollars a year and holding you back from growing through your people? In this episode, Sabrina Baker breaks down the real PEO price tag,  what you’re paying for, what you’re losing, and how to know when it’s time to move awa...

In every small business, there are a few people who quietly hold everything together — the ones who show up even when budgets are tight, systems aren’t perfect, and no one’s watching. In this episode, Sabrina Baker reflects on the unsung heroes of small business — the employees who fix problems before they escalate, steady the team under pressure, and keep culture alive through consistency and car...

Sometimes, the biggest threat to your company’s growth isn’t who you haven’t hired — it’s who you’re afraid to let go. In this episode, Sabrina Baker unpacks how small businesses can make tough people decisions with clarity, legality, and compassion, and why holding on too long often costs more than letting go.    

If your small business growth has hit a ceiling, it might not be your marketing or sales strategy, it might be your people. In this episode, Sabrina Baker reframes company culture, not as a “nice to have,” but as the foundation of small business growth. She breaks down the three pillars of a thriving employee experience, Connection, Consistency, and Care, and explains how cracks in any of them cre...

Not every messy workplace is a toxic one — but when it is, HR often sees it first. In this episode, Sabrina Baker reflects on 14 years of small-business HR experience and the lessons learned from surviving (and helping fix) toxic work environments. From learning the difference between dysfunction and true toxicity to figuring out how to influence change without authority, this episode blends real...

If you've ever spent more time planning office birthdays than reviewing a performance issue, you’re not alone. In this episode, Sabrina Baker tackles what happens when small business HR becomes the unofficial party planner, and how to start shifting those expectations without losing the heart of company culture.

Do you know what happens when pay isn’t planned in a small business? Chaos. Two employees in the same job can end up making wildly different salaries, and once they find out, gossip, resentment, and turnover follow. In this episode of The HR Connection, I walk you through the step-by-step process to fix compensation chaos and build a fair, consistent pay structure in your small business. And Penel...

At 100 employees, the duct-tape approach to HR — spreadsheets, Google Forms, and manual processes — stops being “good enough” and starts hurting your credibility with employees and candidates. In this episode of The HR Connection, Sabrina Baker breaks down the five HR tools every growing small business needs and why integration is the real ROI. Why This Matters At scale, HR systems aren’t just abo...

If you’ve been in HR for even five minutes, you’ve probably heard it: “HR is not your friend.” In this episode, Sabrina breaks down where that phrase came from, why employees still believe it, and how to answer confidently when it comes up. From a quick HR history lesson to real-world insights from other practitioners, you’ll learn how to reframe this narrative and shift the focus from “friendship...

Are your employees working hard… but not on the things that actually move your business forward? That’s the silent killer of growth in small businesses — and the root cause is often poor performance management. In this expert voice episode, Sabrina Baker shows you how to transform performance management into a true growth driver by combining two critical tools: The Goal Alignment Cascade – cascadi...

The number of interviews doesn’t equal confidence. Clarity does. And clarity starts long before the job post ever goes live. In this episode, Sabrina breaks down how small businesses can create a lean, repeatable hiring process that actually helps you make strong, confident hiring decisions — without dragging candidates through endless rounds. She’s joined by Acacia HR Business Partner Marie Rolst...

If you’re handling HR in a small business — officially or unofficially — chances are you're overwhelmed. Not because you’re bad at time management… but because you’re spending time on things you shouldn’t have to. In this episode, Sabrina Baker breaks down the real reasons HR leaders in small companies feel stretched thin — and why AI alone won’t save you. Instead, she shares: How to leverage simp...

You don’t need a huge team, a massive budget, or some fancy HR title to do HR the right way. What really matters is knowing how HR works in a small business. In this season finale, Sabrina’s breaking down the biggest takeaways from Season 1 — including why HR in a small company comes with its own unique challenges and what you can do about it.

Employee Relations Issues Hit Different in Small Businesses  It’s louder, messier, and harder to ignore. With fewer policies and less hierarchy, when things go wrong, everyone feels it. In this episode, Sabrina sits down with Acacia HR Business Partner Marie Rolston to talk about the unique challenges of managing ER in small organizations and share practical strategies for handling issues before t...

Pop quiz: What’s one thing employees look for in a job besides pay? You guessed it—benefits. But for small businesses, the traditional “big company” benefit model often isn’t realistic. So how do you build a package that employees love without breaking the bank?   In this episode, Sabrina sits down with Acacia HR’s resident benefits expert, Christine Kopp, to break it all down. From creative benef...

Payroll mistakes? They hit way harder in small businesses. One missed paycheck, one “oops” with a contractor classification, and suddenly you’re dealing with broken trust — and maybe even compliance headaches.   In this episode, Sabrina chats with Acacia’s own Payroll & Operations Manager, Penelope Angulo, about what it really takes to run payroll like a pro when you don’t have a giant HR depa...

Can AI manage HR for small businesses? Sure — if we’re talking about the way most small employers handle HR today: reactive, administrative, checking boxes. But what if your HR could be more than that? What if it could actually drive your business forward — not just keep it compliant? That’s where AI hits a wall. So the real question is: Are you managing HR the way a robot could… or the way a real...

When you’re in a small company, the CEO usually is your go-to person—but let’s be real, not all CEOs are wired the same. In this episode, we’re getting into the difference between a Founder CEO and a Hired CEO, and why your HR game needs to shift depending on who’s in charge. Whether you’re trying to roll out a new HR system, pitch a culture initiative, or ask for budget for bonuses—how you ask ca...

Today’s topic is one that comes up all the time in conversations with our clients: “What do we need to put in place before we grow?” Or more often… “We’re growing fast and it’s getting messy—what do we do now?” Growth is exciting. It means your business is succeeding, scaling, expanding its impact. But growth also exposes every crack in your HR foundation. Things that worked when you had 10 employ...

Today we’re diving into a topic that can either be a game-changer or a giant headache—HR technology for small employers. If you’ve ever wondered how to make smart HR tech investments when your budget is tight, or how to streamline your processes without losing your mind, this episode is for you. We’re going to talk through what to look for in a system, why we almost always recommend all-in-one pla...

In this episode of The HR Connection, we’re getting real about something that doesn’t get talked about enough: the loneliness of managing HR in a small business. Whether you're an HR department of one or juggling HR with five other hats, it can feel isolating — and exhausting — to navigate all the people stuff solo. I’ve been there. From being laid off on maternity leave with no network to buildin...

In this episode of The HR Connection, we unpack why company culture is a retention superpower—especially in small employers where every relationship, interaction, and habit is amplified. Host Sabrina Baker shares her candid take on what culture really means (hint: it’s not snacks or slogans) and how to start curating it intentionally, even when your HR budget is tight. You’ll learn: Why culture is...

Think you can’t compete with the Googles and Amazons of the world? Think again. In this episode of The HR Connection, host Sabrina Baker debunks the myth that small employers can't win the war for talent. If you're working with limited resources (or no HR budget at all), this episode is for you. We’ll talk about: The real value candidates look for beyond pay and benefits Why learning opportunities...