Today we’d like to introduce you to Chantel Griffin.
Hi Chantel, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Honestly, HR was never the plan. I went to school for Computer Science and had my sights set on a career in tech. A serious car accident changed all of that. I spent eight months recovering and relearning how to walk, and while it was one of the hardest experiences of my life, looking back, I don’t regret how it reshaped my path.
After I recovered, it was 2010, right in the middle of the recession, and I needed a job, any job, to help pay the bills. I found work as a canvasser for the U.S. Census. When that role wrapped up, I heard the office needed help and jumped at the opportunity. That role turned out to be a payroll and HR clerk position, and it was my first real taste of HR. As chaotic and unorganized as the government office could be, I loved the work. I knew the position was temporary, so from that point on, I made it my mission to find a permanent role in HR, and I never looked back. That was 17 years ago.
In a lot of ways, I grew up in HR. And much like an actual childhood, it had its share of great moments and tough ones, plenty to learn from, and plenty of “what not to do” lessons along the way. Those lessons are a big part of what shaped me into the leader I am today, and eventually led me to found The Griffin Collective, where I get to help other organizations build stronger, healthier HR foundations than the ones I sometimes learned from the hard way.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not even close to smooth. Along the way, I worked for a number of leaders who stifled me rather than supported me, the kind of bosses who made me feel small, insecure, and like I wasn’t good enough, even in roles and organizations I genuinely loved. That disconnect made the work so much harder than it needed to be.
There’s a saying that people don’t leave jobs, they leave managers, and I lived that firsthand. It’s telling when the very people who are supposed to champion healthy workplace culture, HR professionals, are the ones who end up unpaid, undervalued, and underutilized. I experienced all three at different points in my career.
That’s not the case anymore. Those experiences, as frustrating as they were, taught me exactly what kind of leader I never wanted to be, and exactly what kind of organization I wanted to build with The Griffin Collective: one where people are seen, valued, and paid what they’re worth.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
The Griffin Collective is a full-service HR consulting firm, and I built it to be the partner I wish more organizations had access to. We work with clients in various industries across the country, offering everything from compliance and recruiting to compensation studies, people operations, employee relations, and full HR infrastructure builds.
What sets us apart is that we meet businesses where they are, at every phase, stage, and budget. We believe every organization deserves access to quality HR, regardless of what they can afford, so whether you’re a small nonprofit stretching every dollar or a growing organization scaling fast, we tailor our support to fit your reality, not a one-size-fits-all package. And everything we offer comes from having actually done the work. We know what breaks when HR is an afterthought, and we know how to build it right the first time.
We’re also proud to be a woman-owned and minority-owned firm, which shapes how we show up for our clients: with an understanding of what it means to be undervalued or overlooked, and a commitment to making sure the organizations we work with never treat their people that way.
If there’s one thing I want readers to take away, it’s that good HR isn’t a luxury or a “nice to have.” It’s the foundation that lets organizations actually grow, retain great people, and avoid the kind of leadership failures that drove me to build this firm in the first place. That’s what we specialize in, and it’s what we’re known for.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
This might not be the popular answer, but I don’t really believe in good luck or bad luck. I believe in God, and in positioning yourself for the right opportunities when they come. My faith is a core part of who I am, personally and professionally, and I don’t separate it from how I show up for my clients or how I run my business. What some might call “luck,” I see as preparation meeting purpose, and staying obedient enough to walk through the doors that open.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thegriffincollective.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegriffincollective_/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561220319048
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-griffin-collective/?viewAsMember=true
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@tgc_hr
