Agenda 09/13/2022 Item # 5B (Collier County Business of the Month 2022 to HR Karen, LLC)09/13/2022
COLLIER COUNTY
Board of County Commissioners
Item Number: 5.B
Item Summary: Presentation of the Collier County Business of the Month for September 2022, to
HR by Karen, LLC. The award will be accepted by Karen Shepherd, Owner. Also present are Red
Gamso, Director of Marketing & Communications, and Melanie Schmees, Director of Business &
Economic Research, both from the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce.
Meeting Date: 09/13/2022
Prepared by:
Title: Customer Service Specialist – Communications, Government, and Public Affairs
Name: Aimee Trochessett
08/26/2022 8:32 AM
Submitted by:
Title: Communications, Govt. & Public Affairs Director – County Manager's Office
Name: John Mullins
08/26/2022 8:32 AM
Approved By:
Review:
Communications, Government, and Public Affairs Deborah Curry Division Review Completed 08/31/2022 2:23 PM
County Manager's Office John Mullins Division Review Completed 08/31/2022 3:45 PM
County Manager's Office John Mullins County Manager Review Completed 09/02/2022 4:09 PM
Board of County Commissioners Geoffrey Willig Meeting Pending 09/13/2022 9:00 AM
5.B
Packet Pg. 41
CONGRATULATIONS
You have been nominated for Business of the Month!
Each month, the Greater Naples Chamber and the Board of Collier
County Commissioners recognize an organization that has enhanced
the community through financial, volunteer and active involvement
in organizations and programs that assist in creating a better quality
of life for all citizens in Collier County.
The honoree is presented with a commemorative plaque at the Board of County Commissioners meeting.
A photo and news release is distributed to all Southwest Florida Media and Chamber Members, as well as
featured in Chamber communications, the Chamber’s website and promoted through social media.
Please email the completed nomination form below to Bethany Sawyer at Bethany@napleschamber.org
Business Name:
Email:
Business Description (50 words or less):
Owner/Executive Name:
Phone:# of Employees:
Year Founded:
1.23.20_BusinessoftheMonthForm
5.B.a
Packet Pg. 42 Attachment: 9.22 HR by Karen (002) (23176 : Collier County Business of the Month - HR by Karen, LLC)HR by Karen, LLC
Karen Shepherd, MSHR, SHRM-CP
Karen@HRbyKaren.com
239-776-5919 1
July 2020
HR by Karen's mission is to offer a unique quality experience by providing expert Human Resources
Services with compassion, empathy, and heart. We believe no business, large or small, should be
without HR Services. We provide solutions for all HR issues relating to recruitment, employee
relations, or training, as well as help businesses stay IN compliance and OUT of trouble.
What makes your company a great place to work?
Describe your culture and accomplishments.
Tell us your story, how has your organization or company given back to the community?
Provide an example.
5.B.a
Packet Pg. 43 Attachment: 9.22 HR by Karen (002) (23176 : Collier County Business of the Month - HR by Karen, LLC)When my mom passed away in April 2020, just as the world shut down for the Pandemic and I had to Zoom my mom's funeral, as she
lived in Cleveland, it made me take a long look in the mirror and hit a reset button on my priorities. At the time, I was a Law Firm
Administrator and in the legal industry for 30 years, 21 years working with the same attorney. During my reset process of
self-awareness, I realized I needed to check back in with the strong foundation my parents left me with, keeping in mind my beliefs, my
values, my why, the importance of community, and giving back. Remembering, it's not about me, it's about human optimization leading
with compassion, empathy, and heart; collaboration; surrounding ourselves with positivity; and making a difference where we can!
Since HR by Karen was created July 2020, it has been my mission to educate small business owners on the importance of leading with
compassion, empathy, and heart; providing solutions on recruitment, the employee life cycle, and retention; and helping businesses stay
IN compliance and OUT of trouble. In addition, HR by Karen has been able to help SWFL's future and current workforce by providing
free resume reviews at various colleges, universities, high schools, and job fair events, as well as interview coaching, mock interviews,
and resume writing.
In 2022, just after a year and half in which HR by Karen began, we were able to provide free community training events with our first one
being in February 2022, "Top 10 Mistakes Small Businesses Make" and in July 2022, in collaboration with the Collier County Sheriff's
Office, an Active Shooter & Situational Awareness Training for the workplace, which $1,000 was collected and donated for the Collier
Community Foundation's Crisis & Disaster Relief Initiative. Our next free community training event will take place on Tuesday, October
18, 2022 on "Risk Management on Hiring" and then in the new year, we will have a workshop on "Envisioning Our Future with Self-Love
and Awareness." The world is too complex to do it alone. With collaboration, education, and resources, HR by Karen is able to help our
communities, our neighbors, our businesses and so on. It makes the heart feel good and after all, you can't spell HeaRt without HR!
Currently, HR by Karen has a part-time employee, who is a senior in high school in Collier County
interested in human resources. We initially met because of a program the school has called "Career
Bound." Juniors spend 8 hours with a mentor in the field they are interested in. After those 8 hours,
it was clear I needed to hire her! She enjoys working at HR by Karen because she is surrounded by
the positivity (owner's and messages all around the office) and is always learning something new
with the various projects whether it be administrative, HR, event planning, social media, or
marketing related. I enjoy mentoring our future workforce and the help!
When you walk into my office, the first thing you see is a huge smiley face that takes up pretty much
the entire wall, which makes everyone smile. One of my clients calls my office having "organized
clutter." As a first-time business owner, I take a lot of pride that a majority of my business is referral
based. A referral is a huge compliment and shows me I get it right most of the time. My biggest
accomplishment these past two years have been the opportunity I have had (and continue to bring)
in educating small businesses and the community with our training.
Thank you for recognizing HR by Karen and it truly is a pleasure to be a servant leader in our
community.