In this episode of Unmute HR, Stephanie and Erin pull back the curtain on one of the biggest myths in business—that HR is simple. From payroll and compliance to culture and strategy, they unpack why HR looks easy from the outside but is, in reality, a complex, ever-shifting orchestra of moving parts.

They share real stories of business owners who underestimated HR, from “simple” payroll setups gone wrong to policies that spiraled into compliance nightmares. Stephanie and Erin also tackle the dangers of relying on accountants or general counsel for HR decisions, the burnout of the “HR department of one,” and why strong, team-based HR isn’t a luxury—it’s essential infrastructure.

If you’ve ever wondered why HR feels invisible until something breaks, this episode will change how you see it. Because when HR is done right, nobody notices—but when it fails, everyone does.

Key themes:

• The myth of “simple HR” and what’s really under the hood
• Why strategy, systems, and culture all live inside HR
• The risks of bad HR advice (and how to spot it)
• Why every growing business needs a team, not a solo act

In this episode of Unmute HR, Stephanie and Erin step away from compliance checklists and corporate spin to tackle something far more human: how HR supports people in a chaotic and unsafe world. From tragic events that shake our sense of safety to the silence that too often follows in the workplace, they unpack the weight employees carry with them every day—and the responsibility leaders have to acknowledge it.

Drawing from personal experiences, stories of silence that caused lasting harm, and examples of when leaders got it right, Stephanie and Erin explore what it really means for HR to lead with humanity. They break down four levels of support—individual, manager, organizational, and systemic—and challenge outdated practices that treat people like machines instead of humans.

If you’ve ever wondered what HR’s role is “in a world on fire,” this conversation is for you. It’s raw, unfiltered, and a reminder that acknowledgment and compassion are not perks—they’re necessities.

🔊 Subscribe to Unmute HR and join us as we continue breaking the silence and reimagining the future of work.

In this episode of Unmute HR, Stephanie and Erin pull back the curtain on one of the biggest myths in business—that HR is just a tiny department focused on payroll and policies. They reveal how this stereotype not only undervalues HR but also creates landmines across organizations: lawsuits, turnover, disengagement, and stalled growth.

From breaking down the 13 disciplines of HR to explaining the critical “sequencing” every company needs at different stages of growth, they show why HR isn’t overhead—it’s the scaffolding that holds companies together. With real client stories, bold truths, and actionable insights, Stephanie and Erin challenge leaders to spot their cracks, rethink their funding, and finally build HR with intention.

If you’ve ever thought of HR as a cost center instead of a growth engine, this conversation will change your perspective.

In the debut episode of Unmute HR, Stephanie and Erin set the stage for a bold new conversation about the future of human resources. For too long, HR has been sidelined—muted by outdated stereotypes, underfunded, and treated as overhead instead of infrastructure. The result? Burnout, turnover, culture collapse, and preventable crises.

Drawing on decades of experience across startups, enterprises, consulting, and leadership, Stephanie and Erin unpack why silence is so costly, what happens when HR is left out of the growth equation, and how unmuting HR transforms not just a department, but an entire business.

This isn’t compliance talk or corporate spin—it’s real stories, hard truths, and the courage to lead differently. If you’ve ever wondered what HR could do if it finally had a voice, this episode is where the volume gets turned back up.