Today we’d like to introduce you to Mallory Herrin.
Mallory, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started my career in the same way that many HR professionals do – by accident. I had been working in a clerical role as a teenager where I had some recruiting duties, but even then, the concept of “HR” was foreign to me at such a small company. I was going through a lot at the time, having been the victim of domestic violence. My abuser ended up stalking me after I left him, and I had to change jobs for my safety as he found out where I worked. I was extremely lucky to land my next role at another small employer as the receptionist. The owner of that business really cared about people got to know them, and invested in their development. My work ethic was noticed, and I was quickly promoted into the accounting department after just three months. Then, I was promoted again when we had a big leadership shakeup, and the owner put me over the accounting and HR departments. I was so young and had no business in that kind of a role, but being thrown into the fire like that was an amazing learning experience. There was so much I didn’t know and had to figure out quickly. It was hard, and I messed up a lot, but that job really opened my eyes to what I wanted to do with my life. Getting the opportunity to work somewhere that people believed in me and my abilities, where I was set up to be successful and rewarded for my hard work, did amazing things for my (at the time) complete lack of self-esteem. When you are in an abusive situation, you become isolated and lose all your confidence. This job provided a way for me to feel good about myself when I was doing a good job at work, and I slowly got that confidence back. I was able to start going to community college, too, and through the years I spent with this company, my life turned around completely. I was no longer homeless, I was no longer in an abusive situation, and I’d found my passion for HR. I recognized that HR is responsible for putting the right people in the right positions so that the company can meet their business goals. In doing that, you are offering someone an opportunity to see their worth and grow. We only have one life, not a separate work and home life. We find so much identity in the work we do. Being in the right work environment has a tremendous impact on one’s home life, and HR has the ability to really make a difference, not just for a company but for individuals, and that’s powerful. I knew I wanted to stay in HR (and it didn’t hurt that I learned I really didn’t enjoy accounting nearly as much). From there, I took jobs strategically so that I had the ability to specialize in all the different areas of HR – employee relations, total rewards, recruiting, and more. Then, I got into consulting in the PEO space and fell in love again. Consulting is fast-paced; no two days are the same, and you either love it or hate it. I’ve been doing it since then, and five years ago, I started my own HR consulting company. We’ve grown and now also offer payroll processing, benefits brokering and administration, training on HR and leadership topics, and recruiting – in addition to HR consulting. I’m also the author of Intentional HR: A Revolution in Strategic Thinking and an international speaker.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Sometimes, I look at my life and think, how did I ever get so lucky? Truly, I am so grateful for the opportunities I’ve had and for the success of my company. It’s been a long journey to get here, but each step was crucial in shaping the person I am today. It hasn’t always been a smooth road at all. Early in my career, I really lacked business acumen and, to be honest, professional maturity. It took me failing a few times and even losing a job to understand that and take steps to improve. I think that’s pretty normal for people as they start their careers, but the stakes were high for me. By the time I had kids, I was a single mom working two jobs (HR during the day and bartending at night). I wanted to provide something better for my kids, and I wanted to make something of myself. It has taken a commitment to continuous learning and improvement – even when I’ve been exhausted and overworked. I obtained my HR certifications through HRCI and SHRM and eventually got to a place where I didn’t have to work two jobs anymore. I just kept learning and growing and pushing harder, and over time, it really paid off.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about HerrinHR?
HerrinHR is an HR outsourcing and consulting firm based in DFW. We provide service to clients throughout the United States and internationally. We are known for our strategic approach to HR, offering a wide range of services tailored to meet the unique needs of each client. What sets us apart is our commitment to excellence, our dedication to building strong partnerships with our clients, and our focus on delivering measurable results. We take pride in our reputation for delivering exceptional service and our track record of helping organizations achieve their HR goals. We have maintained a 100% client retention rate and have grown only through referrals, which has been amazing, and I am so grateful for it. Our services include HR consulting, talent acquisition, employee training and development, HR technology solutions, payroll, benefits, and more. We are passionate about helping organizations unlock the full potential of their workforce and thrive in today’s competitive business landscape. We are just as passionate about creating amazing places to work to change lives in a positive way.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
Invest in yourself. Not only in bettering your skills and continuously learning for career advancement, but also in your personal life. Practice healthy habits and self-care, and make sure you are surrounding yourself with people who lift you up and energize you. If you aren’t paying attention to how you care for yourself and you are only ever taking care of others, it’s not sustainable. You will be better able to care for others the higher you are able to climb yourself, and that also means prioritizing family time and work/life balance.
Pricing:
- $250.00 an hour for general HR consulting
- Employee and manager training starting at $1250.00
- Recruiting for management and executive level positions at 25% of first year’s salary
- Custom quotes on our HRIS and payroll processing
Contact Info:
- Website: www.herrinhr.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/malloryherrin/
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/herrinhr/
