Respiris

My Journey as a Fractional Head of Human Resources: Key Lessons Tech Stack: Google, Workable, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Pipedrive, LemList, ContactOut, Crunchbase, Sequoia Consulting Group, Remarkable, MacBook, iPhone 15, 3 external monitors. Since January 2023, I’ve been working as a fractional Head of Human Resources. Along the way, I’ve learned key lessons: 1️⃣ Agency Work Doesn’t Scale: I realized that the agency model wasn’t scalable. By November 2023, I went fully independent to focus on companies that align with my values and pace. 2️⃣ Establish Boundaries: Startups often lack resources and may stretch your time and services. Setting boundaries ensures productive relationships. 3️⃣ Clear SOWs: A well-defined Statement of Work (SOW) is essential to align expectations and avoid scope creep. 4️⃣ Hourly Pay Doesn’t Scale: Invoicing by day rather than by the hour ensures scalability and proper compensation. 5️⃣ Transition Takes Time: Moving to fractional work required confidence and a solid framework to manage multiple clients. 6️⃣ HR Services Can Be Hidden: Making your impact visible while scaling HR services is an ongoing but rewarding challenge. 7️⃣ Seamless Transitions: At Respiris, I’m focused on building a company that supports transitions smoothly. 8️⃣ Multiple Time Zones Increase Revenue, Not Balance: Clients across time zones can boost revenue, but they don’t provide work-life balance. 9️⃣ Iterate & Over-Communicate: Quick iterations and multiple devices (two MacBooks, iPhone 15, etc.) help me stay agile. 🔟 Treat Every Day Like a SATURDAY: I treat every day with flexibility, reserving Fridays for operations and personal work. 🔥 ⛱ ❄ BONUS ⭐ 🌈 📣 Network Selflessly: Networking and sharing without expecting anything in return builds long-term trust and success. Want to network, grab 15 minutes on calendly.com/angelcruzado

The future of work has changed, but will we adapt? Covid and Generative AI has disrupted how we work, but it hasn’t altered what we do. Yet, there seems to be a growing disconnect in how we relate to each other, especially as expectations shift back to full-time, on-site work. As some teams return to the office, we can’t lose sight of the deep empathy and human connection we embraced during Covid. We can’t unlearn the lessons of working remotely and asynchronously—these are now part of our work culture. Post-Covid, I’ve designed quarterly offsites to bring teams together, similar to how sales teams meet to align goals and development. Working synchronously and asynchronously is the new norm, and companies will need to adapt by creating business rhythms that allow teams to gather in person for a week each quarter while continuing to work remotely. I foresee companies embracing shared office 'company spaces' like WeWork, where teams can collaborate when needed while maintaining flexibility. The real shift isn’t just about technology or location — it’s in how we come together, collaborate, and lead with empathy. As we navigate this evolving landscape, I’m curious how leaders, companies, and employees will adapt. There is likely to be a distinction between hardware, software, professional services, etc. with some industries needing to paying an "on-site premium tax." In HR, it’s our responsibility to ensure that every interaction—whether in person or remote—is grounded in empathy and community. How will we support our clients adapting will be interesting. #corevalues #revisitingcorevalues #humanresources

As of recent I have been fully embracing “alive time” — taking more meetings, connecting with more people, and traveling to broaden my impact. No regrets, no holding back — just continuous growth through iteration. For years, I’ve been focused on supporting others in their transitions: ❗ From college to private sector as a university recruiter; ❗ From dissatisfaction in a job to fulfillment in a new role; ❗ From a termination referral event to a new role in the private sector; and ❗ From hiring based on performance alone to supporting organizations to hire for both performance and potential. While the HR industry may see us as outplacement specialists, at Respiris, we see ourselves as B2B2C and B2G2C transition experts. The hardest part in building a marketplace that serves others effectively is getting the MVP and Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) right — and scaling in a way that truly supports people through every phase of their journey. It’s not about my path — it’s about creating something that helps others navigate theirs. This journey has taught me that building something impactful requires community, asking for help, and giving back. I’m filled with gratitude for those who have trusted me and Respiris, and together, we are reinspiring transitions by betting on the potential of others. It’s always about empowering people to evolve, grow, and succeed—because when we bet on people, we all win. #transitionexperts #careerprayer #outplacementassistance #humanresources

I flew up from LA to San Francisco yesterday — not knowing what to expect but ready to invest my time, money, and energy into this opportunity. And wow, it was absolutely worth it! The Sequoia team pulled off an event that was so well-organized and inspiring that I’m seriously considering catching their next one in New York with Mark Cuban. Met some amazing people, learned a ton, and even got to spend time with the incredible Samara Jaffe. We dove into being founders, learning from feedback, how Transform is building micro communties, and how Respiris is innovating in the last mile of the employee lifecycle journey. On Tuesday we shared our pitch deck with Berkeley SkyDeck. For anyone who has pitched before, each slide takes about 4-6 hours to create. I W a s T i r e d ! But this event with Michele Floriani and the Sequoia team exceeded my expectations. It was like having a POWERBAR! This trip wasn’t just about meeting new people; it was also about deepening relationships I’ve been building for years. And running into Samara? Total bonus! San Francisco, you never disappoint. Grateful for the experience and looking forward to seeing where these new and existing connections with Jason Aceituno, Joleen Eeson Ruffin, Omar Gomez, Koryna Turner, Bryan Flemming, Chrissy Selva, Theresa. Dahdouh, and Dana Mason, PMP/SHRM-CP take us next! 🚀

✈️ Heading to San Francisco for a quick trip to attend The Grove Conference hosted by Sequoia! I’ll be there learning, building relationships and sharing the story behind Respiris to re-inspire transitions together. 🌟 Attached is the agenda: 📅 Wednesday, September 25 🕐 1-5 pm PT, followed by happy hour 📍 St. Regis Hotel It’s a short visit, but if you’re around, hit me up! Need to be back in time to pick up Iris from school and take her to gymnastics. Would love to connect. 🙌🏽 #Respiris #EnablingTransitions #Community #SanFranciscoBound

Today we pitch Berkeley SkyDeck. It also happens to be Hispanic Heritage Month. I have so much gratitude in our ability to share our story with SkyDeck on how we re-inspire transitions. I am taking a minute to reflect with café con leche and a double shot of expresso. Please wish us luck… and yes we know that luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Vámonos! We are ready!

Thank you Respiris for sponsoring a table at the NHRA - Los Angeles (National Human Resources Association) event last night. Congratulations to all the nominees and all the HR practitioners doing exceptional work in creating work environments worthy of all employees to do their best work. Looking forward to breaking bread with Jeffrey Emile, Lindsay Benitez, and Jessica Martinez in the next month or so. Eugenia Babaeva, Chris Mason, and Eli Drucker we missed you in our group picture. Thank you for making the time and space to build relationships.

I just had one last minute cancellation for the LA HR Executive of the Year Dinner at the Skirball Cultural Center. Please DM me if you have an interest in joining us. Our table has a mix of Private Equity Finance, HR Executive Recruiting, HR Business Partners, Benefits Consultant, Learning and Development, etc. The event is today at 4:30 p.m. -- like in 6 hours -- and, it is cocktail attire (with an amazing networking happy hour). 😍 😀 https://lnkd.in/g6zzSv5B

In high school, I ran the 100, 200, 400, and 800 yard dash. Occasionally, if the team needed points to secure a win at a school meet, my coach would throw me into the mile, even though it wasn’t my strongest event. While I rarely won 1st place, I consistently finished 2nd or 3rd in my races. Through those experiences, I realized the real lesson wasn’t about winning the race. It was about showing up — first for myself, then for my team. Consistency, commitment, and effort were the true victories, far more lasting than any medal or title. At Respiris I am re-inspired every day but I am also inspired when folks share their journeys with others. Thank you for sharing with me your journey Ed Escobar (and yes I did have hair at one point in time).

When was the last time you swung the bat and lost? Learning how to win and lose is an art, and mastering it takes time, especially in the early days. As many of you know, I co-parent a 9-year-old girl, which means I don’t always have the full story — I get pieces of it as life unfolds sometimes. Wednesday evening, my daughter Iris casually shares she was running for vice president of her class. I asked if she felt confident, if she knew what her classmates needed, and if she’d gone out there and asked for their votes. She admitted she wasn’t sure, but then, in true form, she went the extra mile. Iris not only wrote a letter to each of her classmates, but she also built her speech and practiced it until she felt comfortable. She put herself out there and gave it her all. It was a long night. She lost the classroom election. When she shared with me she lost, I could tell it stung a little. She, however, handled defeat with grace. The prior week, she auditioned for Legally Blonde at her theatre group. Yesterday, I casually dropped her for her weekly class. And… she learned she got the lead role — Elle Woods! Amazing! She was absolutely gleaming with joy, bursting with excitement. At just 9 years old, she’s already learning that some days you win, and some days you grow. Parenting is a full contact sport — it is full of peaks and valleys, and it’s all about taking chances on yourself. Building your career or a start up has peaks and valleys. Thursday evening, I learned that I was invited to interview for the Berkeley SkyDeck accelerator. It’s a 20 minute interview with 8 minutes to pitch to an accelerator group why they should pick you vs 99 other companies. Yes, a 1% chance of being selected. Regardless if we get selected, we swung the bat and applied. Technically, we already won! However, the invitation alone gave me the fuel I needed to keep swinging, giving me the runway to continue building a marketplace and company to support transitions. Sometimes it’s the journey, not just the destination, that reminds us to keep pushing forward — whether we’re 9 or much older! Cheers to swinging the bat! And thank you to my 9-year old for re-inspiring me. #winning #startup