Host Sabrina Baker shares lessons from 14+ years of delivering fractional HR support to companies with 500 or fewer employees. Find out why traditional HR strategies fall short in small companies—and why this HR podcast is tailored to the unique needs of HR in small businesses.

This episode explores how HR in small businesses differs from corporate settings, emphasizing the need for flexibility, personalization, and practical solutions that fit limited resources.

Join Sabrina Baker, HR expert and founder of Acacia HR Solutions, as she shares practical insights on adapting HR practices for small businesses, fostering employee engagement, and building loyalty with limited resources.

Learn how to manage HR effectively, from the first employee to scaling, while creating a positive employee experience and supporting growth, compliance, and retention.

In this episode of The HR Connection, Sabrina Baker shares why HR often gets stuck in an admin role—and how to change that. Learn practical steps to position HR as a true business partner, from understanding company goals to using data and speaking the language of leadership. Perfect for HR pros in small businesses or anyone managing HR on top of other roles.

In this episode of The HR Connection, Sabrina Baker shares why HR often gets stuck in an admin role—and how to change that.

Learn practical steps to position HR as a true business partner, from understanding company goals to using data and speaking the language of leadership. Perfect for HR pros in small businesses or anyone managing HR on top of other roles.

Think you can’t compete with the Googles and Amazons of the world? Think again.

In this episode of The HR Connection, host Sabrina Baker debunks the myth that small employers can't win the war for talent. If you're working with limited resources (or no HR budget at all), this episode is for you.

If you’ve ever wondered why people stick around in chaotic work environments or why some small teams seem unusually loyal, chances are… it’s culture.

In this episode, I’m breaking down what a healthy culture looks like in small orgs, why it’s a stickiness factor, and how to build one that keeps people engaged—without needing big budgets or ping pong tables.

Let’s talk about gratitude, behavior modeling, and how to make culture intentional—not accidental.

Managing HR in a small organization can feel like you’re on an island. No backup. No one to bounce ideas off. And certainly no roadmap for how to handle the day’s crisis.

In this heartfelt episode, Sabrina opens up about her own struggles with networking, why connection is critical for HR professionals in small businesses, and how to begin building a support system — even if you're starting from scratch.

Struggling to choose the right HR tech for your small business? In this episode, we break down what to look for in a system, why all-in-one platforms are a smart move, and how to approach demos with confidence—plus, grab our free HR tech buyer’s checklist in the show notes!

Growing a business? Then your HR game needs to level up too. In this episode, I’m breaking down when to start scaling, what to focus on first, and how to build people systems that won’t fall apart as you grow. Let’s make sure your HR can keep up.

Not all CEOs think alike—and if you work in HR at a small company, that matters.
This episode breaks down the difference between Founder vs. Hired CEOs—and how your HR pitch needs to change depending on who's in charge. From new systems to culture initiatives, we’ll show you how to tailor your ask so it actually gets a “yes.”

Can AI really manage HR for small businesses? In this episode of The HR Connection, Sabrina Baker breaks down what AI can and can’t do when it comes to HR, and why real leadership still matters.

Payroll mistakes? They hit way harder in small businesses. One missed paycheck, one “oops” with a contractor classification, and suddenly you’re dealing with broken trust — and maybe even compliance headaches.

In this episode, Sabrina chats with Acacia’s own Payroll & Operations Manager, Penelope Angulo, about what it really takes to run payroll like a pro when you don’t have a giant HR department backing you up.

What’s one thing employees look for in a job besides pay? You guessed it—benefits. But for small businesses, the traditional “big company” benefit model often isn’t realistic. So how do you build a package that employees love without breaking the bank?

In this episode, Sabrina sits down with Acacia HR’s resident benefits expert, Christine Kopp, to break it all down. From creative benefit solutions to common pitfalls and cost-saving strategies, they share how small employers can think differently about supporting their teams.

Employee Relations Issues Hit Different in Small Businesses 

It’s louder, messier, and harder to ignore. With fewer policies and less hierarchy, when things go wrong, everyone feels it.

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In this episode, Sabrina sits down with Acacia HR Business Partner Marie Rolston to talk about the unique challenges of managing ER in small organizations and share practical strategies for handling issues before they blow up.

You don’t need a huge team, a massive budget, or some fancy HR title to do HR the right way. What really matters is knowing how HR works in a small business.

In this season finale, Sabrina’s breaking down the biggest takeaways from Season 1 — including why HR in a small company comes with its own unique challenges and what you can do about it.