A Better HR Business

Group coaching is becoming a bigger part of leadership development, but it is still often confused with training, mentoring, or simply putting several people into the same coaching session. In this episode of A Better HR Business, I speak with Dominique Mas, Co-Founder and CEO, and Priscilla Lavoie, Head of Marketing at Group Coaching HQ. Group Coaching HQ works with HR, talent, L&D, and internal coaching teams to design, run, and grow group coaching programmes inside organisations. Dominique and Priscilla explain what effective group coaching looks like, where it can have the greatest impact, and how organisations can measure results without undermining trust within the group. We also discuss how Group Coaching HQ is growing through events, speaking, founder-led content, and other personal, trust-based forms of marketing. Priscilla explains how the company tracks its marketing activity and supports HR and L&D buyers at different stages of the buying process. In this episode, we discuss: What group coaching is and how it differs from training and mentoring Why it works particularly well for new managers and senior leaders How it can improve leadership skills, connection, and retention How to collect useful data while protecting trust and psychological safety How organisations can measure the business impact and ROI Why human, trust-based marketing is working well for Group Coaching HQ Dominique also shares findings from Group Coaching HQ’s 2026 study, including the growing use of group coaching for leadership development and the need for clear programme structures and evidence of business value. About Group Coaching HQ Group Coaching HQ helps organisations create group coaching programmes that bring people together, improve leadership skills, and give more employees access to coaching. Its work includes consulting, programme design, coach training, ICF-approved group coaching certification, and the delivery of fully managed group coaching programmes. Links Group Coaching HQ Dominique Mas on LinkedIn Priscilla Lavoie on LinkedIn Listen to A Better HR Business on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or the Get More HR Clients website. Check out this B2B podcast launch service. About The A Better HR Business Podcast The A Better HR Business shares strategies, tactics, success stories, and more about marketing for HR consultancies and marketing for HR tech companies, and how to get more clients. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don’t miss future episodes. For show notes and to see details of our previous guests, check out the podcast page here: www.GetMoreHRClients.com/Podcast HR BUSINESS GROWTH RESOURCES Get the new book - Grow A Successful HR Business Your Way Launch your own business podcast: B2B Podcast Agency VISIT GET MORE HR CLIENTS Want more clients for your HR-related consultancy or HR Tech business? Visit the Get More HR Clients website for articles, newsletters, podcasts, videos, resources, and more at www.getmorehrclients.com.

In this episode of the HR business marketing podcast, A Better HR Business, Ben speaks with Caroline Dowling, Executive Coach and founder of Zeal Compass. Caroline Dowling is helping senior leaders navigate the challenges of organisational change with greater clarity and confidence. After more than 20 years at Google, where she led global teams across Dublin and Silicon Valley, she understands that the toughest leadership challenges are rarely technical - they are human. Drawing on her experience in high-pressure technology environments, Caroline helps leaders move from reactive decision-making to grounded, intentional leadership. Her coaching creates the space for reflection, enabling clients to strengthen their self-awareness, emotional resilience, and ability to lead others through complexity. Rather than offering prescriptive advice, Caroline works alongside leaders as a trusted thinking partner, helping them uncover their own solutions. She believes that the most effective leadership begins with understanding people, because no matter how advanced the technology, meaningful progress is always driven by humans. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: How to leverage your internal coaching experience to find your first consulting clients Practical steps for transitioning from corporate roles to running a workplace consulting business Caroline’s unique lessons in experimenting, personal branding, and using LinkedIn as a consulting marketing tool Episode highlights: Why focusing on human relationships is essential for successful change management, and why neglecting this often leads to failure. Caroline’s accidental entry into the tech sector, and early days at Google Ireland. Learning about change in both organisational and personal contexts, and why coaching became her long-term path. How coaching roles evolved within Google, including using an internal platform to connect leaders with coaching mentees. The transition from career coaching to focusing on leadership development, and why supporting other leaders became Caroline’s main focus. How the concept of Zeal Compass was born to support leaders finding meaning and navigating transition. The long, experimental journey from tech leadership to launching an independent coaching business, including study, introspection, and small-scale trials. The structure of leaving a corporate career, including internal role pivots, network conversations, and planning a smooth transition. Shaping a commercial coaching proposition, identifying target clients, setting prices, and the importance of feedback and positioning. Building a first client base through tech industry credibility, referrals, and associate partnerships. Lessons for those facing redundancy or rapid career change - how to learn, unlearn, and rebuild a support network Marketing and Business Growth: Caroline described her approach to growing her business as practical and experimental. She invested in learning the fundamentals through a "Start Your Own Business" course, reconnected with LinkedIn as a key platform for building her profile, and announced her move into executive coaching to her professional network. She also emphasised the value of attending industry events, building genuine relationships, and leaning on her network for support and opportunities. Her experience offers practical insights for senior leaders considering a similar career transition or navigating change in their own organisations. Resources & Links Mentioned: Company's website: www.zealcompass.com Caroline's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-dowling Check out this B2B podcast launch service. About The A Better HR Business Podcast The A Better HR Business shares strategies, tactics, success stories, and more about marketing for HR consultancies and marketing for HR tech companies, and how to get more clients. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don’t miss

Whether you run an HR software company or an HR consultancy, one thing is always true: big annual revenue targets only work when you turn them into simple weekly actions that actually bring in demos, sales calls, consulting calls, and new clients. In Episode 299 of the A Better HR Business podcast, Ben outlines a clearer, calmer way to think about sales planning for the year ahead. The ideas apply equally to software founders and consulting firms. (Full show notes and resources list here: https://getmorehrclients.com/blog/a-clear-sales-plan-for-hr-tech-and-hr-consultancies/). Here is a taste of what is covered... Start with one numberThere is one surprisingly simple number that reveals exactly how many demos or consulting calls you need each week. Most HR businesses never calculate it. Once you do, planning becomes far easier. Work backwards from the goalInstead of trying to be everywhere, there is a cleaner way to map your activity. Ben explains how to reverse-engineer your pipeline so your marketing and sales efforts work together rather than in bursts. Get really good at two or three growth activitiesMore channels do not always mean more clients. Ben shares why most HR tech firms and HR consultancies see better results when they master a couple of activities deeply while using the others to support the core engine. Add small moments of wow to your client experienceA few thoughtful improvements in onboarding or delivery can increase conversions, retention, and referrals. Ben recommends a book that will reshape how you think about client experience. Lead nurturing is the silent deal-makerYou may have heard the old idea of seven touchpoints. Ben explains why that is outdated and why B2B HR often requires many more interactions before someone is ready to talk. He also covers why so many deals are lost long before the sales call or demo. How HR Growth Engine fits into the pictureIf you struggle to follow up consistently, keep leads warm, or manage all your touchpoints across different platforms, Ben gives a short overview of how HR Growth Engine helps HR firms stay in front of their audience with less manual effort. Stories from inside the HR industrySome firms grew with low-cost ads. Others filled webinars with ideal prospects. Others grew simply by improving their follow-up. Ben shares the common thread behind all these wins. Listen nowIf you want a straightforward, practical approach to planning your HR business growth for the year, this episode will help you simplify the process. Listen to Episode 299 of A Better HR Business. If you want help building a simple, consistent growth system for your HR business or want to explore HR Growth Engine, visit Get More HR Clients or go straight to www.getmorehrclients.com/hr-growth-engine. About The A Better HR Business Podcast The A Better HR Business shares strategies, tactics, success stories, and more about marketing for HR consultancies and marketing for HR tech companies, and how to get more clients. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don’t miss future episodes. For show notes and to see details of our previous guests, check out the podcast page here: www.GetMoreHRClients.com/Podcast HR BUSINESS GROWTH RESOURCES Get the new book - Grow A Successful HR Business Your Way Get More HR Clients Business Growth Kit - Get More HR Clients Kit Launch your own business podcast: B2B Podcast Agency Get the powerful marketing platform -HR Growth Engine™. VISIT GET MORE HR CLIENTS Want more clients for your HR-related consultancy or HR Tech business? Visit the Get More HR Clients website for articles, newsletters, podcasts, videos, resources, and more at www.getmorehrclients.com.

Success in business isn’t just about working harder. Dr. Eugene K. Choi highlights the importance of recognizing when we’re stuck in survival mode and intentionally shifting to the executive state, where creativity, empathy, and better decisions thrive. Many of us spend about 70% of our adult lives in a stress-driven survival state. Imagine the impact if leaders could operate from the executive state more often. It starts with self-awareness. Fight, flight, and freeze responses often appear subtly - as overworking, avoidance, or busywork - quietly holding leaders and teams back. In the latest episode of A Better HR Business, I speak with Dr. Eugene K. Choi, PharmD, BCPS, a neuroscience-based leadership coach, about how leaders can rewire their minds to access their best thinking and potential. We’ve talked about: Why most leaders unknowingly operate in a survival state and how it limits productivity. How emotional triggers sabotage decision-making and team culture. Practical neuroscience techniques - meditation, exercise, emotion-labeling—to rewire your brain and shift your mindset. P.I.E. Theory of Success: Performance, Image, and Exposure - and why the right order matters. The power of storytelling, emotional resonance, and authenticity in leadership and marketing. Strategies for breaking free from self-sabotage and building impactful habits. If you’re ready to go beyond “working harder” and lead from the executive state, this episode is full of actionable tools for high-stress business environments. Website: wwwneurohackingschool.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/eugenekchoi About The A Better HR Business Podcast The A Better HR Business shares strategies, tactics, success stories, and more about marketing for HR consultancies and marketing for HR tech companies, and how to get more clients. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don’t miss future episodes. For show notes and to see details of our previous guests, check out the podcast page here: www.GetMoreHRClients.com/Podcast HR BUSINESS GROWTH RESOURCES Get the new book - Grow A Successful HR Business Your Way Get More HR Clients Business Growth Kit - Get More HR Clients Kit Launch your own business podcast: B2B Podcast Agency VISIT GET MORE HR CLIENTS Want more clients for your HR-related consultancy or HR Tech business? Visit the Get More HR Clients website for articles, newsletters, podcasts, videos, resources, and more at www.getmorehrclients.com.

A strong HR foundation in small business isn’t just about compliance - it’s about retention. When employees feel valued throughout their journey, your business and culture grow. Too often, small businesses hand HR to office managers, leaving critical practices to chance. Real expertise ensures a positive, compliant, and trust-filled workplace. Handled well, tricky situations are de-escalated, protecting both team culture and your reputation. I recently spoke with Sarah Chang, CEO of Clearwater HR Consulting, a firm helping small businesses across the US navigate the complexities of HR. Here are some of the topics from our conversation: ✅ Clearwater HR’s services, team, and focus on small businesses.✅ Common HR challenges, from infrastructure to employee relations.✅ Mistakes owners make handling HR in-house and value of guidance.✅ The evolving HR landscape: social media, awareness, and legal issues.✅ Building a successful HR consulting business and aligning HR with goals.✅ Advice for improving workplace culture, retention, and growth.✅ And much more. Most small business owners want to build great teams and cultures - they just need the right support. By partnering with proven HR experts like Sarah Chang and Clearwater HR Consulting, they can minimize risk while unlocking the real benefits of a healthy workplace. Website: www.clearwaterhrconsulting.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-chang-77825411 About The A Better HR Business Podcast The A Better HR Business shares strategies, tactics, success stories, and more about marketing for HR consultancies and marketing for HR tech companies, and how to get more clients. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don’t miss future episodes. For show notes and to see details of our previous guests, check out the podcast page here: www.GetMoreHRClients.com/Podcast

High-growth organizations succeed when their culture grows alongside their leaders. There’s no universal playbook for scaling - what works is authentic, people-driven leadership that empowers others, strengthens relationships, and creates space for growth from the inside out. When companies plateau, it’s often a signal to grow internally. Defining roles, streamlining communication, and empowering leaders are the keys to getting unstuck. The real turning point comes when organizations focus on building leaders, not just managing teams. For many founders, the hardest part is letting go - allowing others to step up, take ownership, and make decisions. That’s exactly what my next guest on the A Better HR Business podcast helps organizations achieve. In the latest episode, I spoke with Ed Brzychcy, Founder and President of Lead from the Front, about the challenges organizations face as they scale and the transition leaders must make to guide their teams through change. Key topics from our conversation: ✅ Moving past growth plateaus by redefining internal structures.✅ How Ed blends coaching and consulting with executive teams.✅ Lessons from military leadership that translate to business.✅ Insights from Ed’s HR “roadshow” and leadership interviews.✅ Building and sustaining referral-based business growth.✅ Why consistent networking fuels long-term opportunities.✅ And much more! Listen in for a grounded conversation on leadership, organizational transformation, and how persistence and people skills form the backbone of a successful HR business. You can also find the 'A Better HR Business' podcast on all the main podcast players, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Feel free to tag in or share the show with any friends who are busy growing an HR-related business (recruitment, employee engagement, diversity & inclusion, HR admin, etc). Website: www.leadfromthefront.net LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ebrzychcy/ About The A Better HR Business Podcast The A Better HR Business shares strategies, tactics, success stories, and more about marketing for HR consultancies and marketing for HR tech companies, and how to get more clients. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don’t miss future episodes. For show notes and to see details of our previous guests, check out the podcast page here: www.GetMoreHRClients.com/Podcast HR BUSINESS GROWTH RESOURCES Get the new book - Grow A Successful HR Business Your Way HR Business Growth Hub - HR Business Growth Hub VISIT GET MORE HR CLIENTS Want more clients for your HR-related consultancy or HR Tech business? Visit the Get More HR Clients website for articles, newsletters, podcasts, videos, resources, and more at www.getmorehrclients.com.