Ten years ago, I was sitting at my Harry Potter desk under the stairs with redundancy papers in one hand and cake in the other, agreeing to “give consulting a go” for six months.

Well. Those six months escalated.

In this special anniversary episode of Buzzing About HR, I look back on the last ten years of building Kate Underwood HR. From burnout and uncertainty to building a business that supports small companies through the people stuff that keeps them awake at night.

I talk about what those ten years have really taught me. Not the polished business-owner version. The real version. Like learning that not every client is your client. That some people expect HR support, and others seem to want a referee for family politics and Christmas bonus arguments. The pandemic had some of us working flat out while the rest of the internet was making banana bread.

At the heart of it all, one thing has never changed. Small businesses deserve proper HR support. Not watered-down advice. Not scary legal jargon. Not big business prices. Just practical, commercially sensible help that actually works in the real world.

What has changed is how we deliver it. Online training. Fractional HR Director support. Better systems. Smarter tech. More ways to make compliance feel manageable instead of miserable.

I also share what I have learned about people. That policies matter, but honest conversations matter more. That recognition is not fluffy nonsense; it is often the reason people stay. And that the best HR work is not about sounding impressive. It is about making difficult things feel clearer, calmer, and more human.

Mostly, though, this episode is a thank you. To clients, listeners, supporters, and everyone who has been part of this slightly chaotic, cake-fuelled journey.

Subscribe, have a listen, and come with me into the next chapter. There is still plenty more buzzing to do.

If you’re not 100% sure how your HR is really holding up, take our free HR Health Check. It’s short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what’s working — and what needs a bit of love.

And if you do it before 1st April 2026, you’ll get a bonus 7 Pillar Strategy-on-a-Page, tailored to help you manage HR brilliantly for the year ahead. That’s it for today, but if you fancy a bit of friendly HR advice in your inbox (with zero waffle), come and join our newsletter.

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If you're not sure how your HR is really holding up, take the free HR Health Check. It's short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what's working and what could do with a bit of love.

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe so you never miss one, and leave a review if you've got thirty seconds. It honestly does help more small business owners find the show, and it's the cheapest good deed you'll do all week.

Got a question or need actual HR support? Find Kate at kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email [email protected], or follow along on social.

Until next time, keep buzzing, and take care of your people.