Guide to HR
Building Businesses with a Strong, Tech-Focused People Foundation

For startups and growing businesses alike, navigating HR complexities can be daunting. Unlike established corporations with large HR departments, smaller companies need a more streamlined, data-driven, and technical approach. This is where Guide to HR comes in, offering transformative HR solutions to empower businesses for sustainable growth.

Visionary Team

Guide to HR is a full-service people and culture consulting firm led by the dynamic duo of Gwenevere Crary, Founder & CEO, and Dena Andre, Partner & HR Executive Consultant. Crary and Andre first met at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) while obtaining their respective degrees in Mathematics, with a focus on Actuarial Science. Through a unique twist of fate, both Crary and Andre found themselves in HR and have now reunited to continue to push the boundaries of HR.

Crary has over two decades of HR experience, holding top certifications like SPHR and SHRM-SCP, plus a Master’s in Human Resources. She’s a proven leader with a background in startups, B2B/B2B2C companies, and family-owned businesses across various industries. Crary excels at managing rapid employee growth, gaining cost-efficiencies, and streamlining processes. Her experience spans building and strategizing HR for high-growth companies across the globe, bringing her analytical mind to transform HR challenges into opportunities. As an active contributor to the HR community, Crary participates on advisory boards, volunteers, and is the host of the podcast Scaling with People.

Andre brings over 15 years of HR leadership experience along with holding top certifications like CEBS, GBA, and RPA along with her MBA. She is an expert at building HR teams, guiding companies through mergers and acquisitions, and boosting employee satisfaction and performance. She is a recognized leader in the employee benefits space, honed by her time at Aon, which enabled her to design cost-effective plans and navigate large-scale consolidations.

"This partnership is like having a strategic teammate in your corner, not just an HR vendor"

Under this impressive leadership, Guide to HR has assembled a team of best-in-class HR experts at all levels, providing its clients access to significant depth and breadth of knowledge, leveraging more than 100 years of combined experience. Their team of specialized HR experts includes Trina White (HR Executive Consultant), Vyckie Truong (Generalist), Melody Kunold (Talent Acquisition), and many more talented professionals who are joining the growing team. The team is known for its ability to translate data insights into actionable solutions. Pioneering the future of HR, Guide to HR unlocks significant value for its clients by combining exceptional interpersonal skills, in-depth analytics, and cutting-edge technology, resulting in an optimized HR function aligned with the goals of the business.

Offload HR to Elevate the Business

Guide to HR’s services are designed to be adaptable and scalable for any size organization, from businesses just starting out to those continuing their growth journey towards the $1 Billion revenue mark. They offer a comprehensive range of HR solutions delivered through Fractional, Interim, and Project-Based support.

"This partnership is like having a strategic teammate in your corner, not just an hr vendor"

Guide to HR doesn’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, they focus on tailoring their services by meeting clients where they are. They start by understanding both current- and future-goal states, risk tolerance, financial framework, cultural philosophy drivers, and the existing People Operations structure. By identifying areas for improvement across all HR functional areas, Guide to HR will develop a customized HR strategy and roadmap – both short-term and long-term – to address their clients’ specific needs.

For startups, a customized HR approach is a secret weapon for optimizing runway and securing continued investment. Guide to HR doesn’t just build a foundation; it crafts a launchpad. Their focus is on streamlining processes serving as excellent stewards, mindfully making the most out of company resources, lowering burn rate, and extending the runway for long-term success. From cost-effective recruitment strategies to efficient onboarding that gets new hires productive quickly, Guide to HR helps businesses maximize their people resources gaining a critical competitive edge.

For growth-driven clients, Guide to HR evolves the HR strategy alongside the growth. They develop and implement efficient HR practices that are built for scalability, allowing clients to effortlessly attract and retain top talent. This talent pool becomes the engine that propels businesses toward their strategic goals. Guide to HR integrates industry-leading and compliant policies while leveraging progressive technology to keep HR practices future-proof, ensuring their client’s competitive edge remains razor-sharp.

At Guide to HR, they go beyond traditional HR consulting. They take the time to understand a client’s unique business needs, then capitalize on their extensive network to make critical introductions for the perfect fit, whether it’s a vendor in finance, a fractional expert to boost revenue growth, or an advisor to optimize operations. This allows their clients to access comprehensive support for all of the business needs, not just HR, freeing founders and executives to focus on the strategic initiatives that will move the business to the next level.

Leverage Fractional HR Services Without Breaking the Bank

Fractional workers differ from traditional consultants in several ways. Unlike consultants who come in for a specific project and leave, fractional workers become embedded within the company culture and team. They typically don’t have a pre-defined end date, allowing for ongoing guidance and support. Further, they often represent the company, leading teams when their expertise aligns with business needs and operational directives.

In essence, fractional work provides businesses with a cost-effective way to leverage top talent and foster a deeper integration for a long-term impact.

Guide to HR levels up fractional work by offering expertise across all levels of HR beyond the executive level. This means companies get the right talent for the job when they need it, neither too soon nor too late for that matter, whether it’s day-to-day tasks handled by a mid-level professional or strategic guidance from a seasoned HR executive.

“As a non-profit, keeping a watchful eye on expenses is crucial. Thankfully, I discovered Guide to HR. Their services are a perfect fit! Instead of an expensive executive model, they assigned an experienced HR Generalist who understands the intricacies of our organization. Through this approach, Guide to HR is able to complete our tactical business needs while staying within the budget. This partnership is like having a strategic teammate in your corner, not just an HR vendor. They understand our business, assess our needs, and assign the right level of support to get the job done efficiently,” says President & CEO of a California Big Brothers Big Sisters Chapter.

This flexibility is a win-win for any budget. By leveraging Guide to HR’s customized fractional model, businesses can satisfy standard HR needs at a lower cost as opposed to following the traditional fractional model. The business will also gain access to top-tier leadership for crucial, strategic advice. This allows clients to once again, optimize the HR function while maximizing available financial resources.

Additional Flexible Solutions for Every Budget

Guide to HR understands that every business has unique needs and budgets. That’s why they offer a variety of flexible service modules to find the perfect fit for each unique business. Beyond the Fractional HR option, Guide to HR offers both Interim and Project-Based support.

“I want to thank you for being so calm and reassuring when I called you in a panic! You understood exactly what we were looking for [immediate HR leadership support for an interim period] and promised to tap into your large network. Even better, you said you’d find multiple strong candidates, not just one. We talked on Friday, and you promised to have options by Monday for our global company of over 1,600 employees. I was still nervous, but by Monday, I was truly impressed by what you delivered. And we were working with your team for less than one week. You went above and beyond!” says Skyler Mattson, Former President of WONGDOODY.

For clients facing a temporary gap in their HR team, Guide to HR’s Interim offering can bridge the transition seamlessly and at any level from day one. For specific initiatives, their Project-Based HR service offers targeted support to tackle any immediate business needs.

Optimizing HR Technology

Guide to HR fully grasps that navigating the complex and quickly evolving world of HR technology can be overwhelming. To ensure a smooth and successful selection process, they take a client-centric approach to the request for proposals (RFP) process. Collaborating closely with their clients to gain a deep understanding of current HR challenges against long-term goals is the key. This comprehensive needs assessment allows Guide to HR to analyze existing technologies and identify any gaps or inefficiencies that an enhanced HR tech stack can address.

“Guide to HR was a game-changer for our recent HR software selection process. They didn’t just throw a bunch of options at us. They took the time to understand our specific needs, goals, and budget limitations and factored in our timeline. After the in-depth assessment, they presented us with a short list of well-matched vendors, saving us countless hours of research. And their support didn’t end there. Once we chose our preferred vendor, Guide to HR stepped in and helped us negotiate a winning quote. It felt like having a trusted advisor on our side, ensuring we got the best possible solution for our company,” says Ryan Ripley, Chief Accounting Officer of Caliente MX.

Unlock the Most Valuable Asset: People

Guide to HR’s team combines deep industry knowledge with an analytical, data-driven, technological approach. This ensures a strategic yet human-centric approach to HR. Their commitment to client success is evident in their customized solutions and focus on long-term growth.

Partnering with Guide to HR will build a strong HR foundation that empowers employees, fuels business growth, and positions clients for sustainable success.

Guide to HR understands the unique challenges faced by growing businesses and is honored to serve as a trusted partner, providing the expertise and necessary technology to build a strong HR foundation. Contact Guide to HR today for a free consultation and discover how their customized HR solutions can help your firm achieve its strategic goals.