In over 14 years of managing human resources in small businesses, I've learned a few truths. One of them is that in every small business, there are a few people who carry that business on their backs—the ones who show up even when the budget is tight and when the systems don't work perfectly. They are often overlooked and underappreciated. But if small business growth really happens through people— And it does—then those people deserve to be seen. So if our next few minutes do anything for you, I hope it does this: help you identify who those people are in your business and encourage you to stop what you are doing and go say thank you. Welcome to the HR Connection, the podcast proving that small business growth happens through people, and HR is how you make it happen. I'm your host, Sabrina Baker, CEO of Acacia HR Solutions. After more than a decade helping small employers build people strategies that actually drive results, I've seen one truth hold steady: growth doesn't start with your business plan; it starts with your people. Every week, we unpack how HR, when done right, becomes the engine behind every great small business. So whether you're the one-person HR department, a founder figuring it out, or someone who just got HR added to your job description, this show is for you. The unsung heroes of small businesses are usually not the ones in big fancy titles. They may not make major headlines or be your absolute top performer by metric standards. In fact, you probably aren't even thinking about them as a hero. But if they left, your business would feel it. They would be missed sometimes because of the workload that they carry, but more often than not because of the emotional stability they bring. These warriors are the ones who are willing to help out however and whenever is needed, and they are the literal heartbeat of your small organization. There are a few standard behaviors I see in unsung heroes, and a quick scan of your business can usually identify at least one person who embodies many of these qualities.  Let's run through them. They are the ones to fix problems before they escalate, indicating strong ownership and foresight in their work. They are the first to help a teammate, even without credit, because they value collaboration over their ego. They ask really thoughtful questions because they care about the bigger picture. They stay calm under pressure with an emotional steadiness that stabilizes the team and sometimes your entire business. They consistently deliver and are reliable rather than moving through performative busyness. And then finally, others name them as a go-to, indicating this really strong informal influence and trust capital that they have. As business leaders, we praise the top performers and forget about these quiet giants who the business would suffer without. So here's an exercise you can do with your entire leadership team to identify all of these employees across your organization. As you do this, make sure that everybody is thinking about the entire organization, not just their team, especially if you work cross-functionally. You're going to sit them down, have them have a piece of paper and pen, and you're going to ask them these questions. First, who do people naturally turn to when something goes wrong? Who's that first person people go to for help? Unsung heroes are often the internal problem solvers. Who makes others better? Who lifts the performance or morale of everyone around them without needing recognition? Unsung heroes often coach, mentor, and calmly fix chaos behind the scenes. Number three, who would cause panic if they gave notice? It's not always the top performers by metrics. Sometimes it's the person who serves as the glue who holds everything together. Number four, who do you never have to worry about? Who just gets it done and usually more than you ever asked for? Unsung heroes are often quiet achievers who keep things stable. Number five, who's doing invisible work that makes visible success possible? This one's really important. What parts of your success depend on things we don't see every day? Payroll is right. Client deliverables going out on time. These are your cultural linchpins, and those people are crucial. And then number six, who's living our values when no one is watching? Whose behavior models what we say we value even when it's uninconvenient? Unsung heroes protect trust and standards when it would be way easier not to. Once all leaders have answered, you compare your notes. You look at which employees were on everyone's list. You ask yourself which employees were a surprise, meaning that you didn't even realize how valuable their presence was to the business. And then you also look at which employees you expected to be there, like maybe your high performers, but actually they weren't. And then you ask yourself, when is the last time you said thank you to these individuals? And how are you going to be sure to recognize them going forward? For the business owners and leaders listening, I see you too as a fellow business owner. It's not easy to care about people and profit at the same time. It's this constant tug of war between what's right for your employees and what keeps the lights on. You don't always get it perfect. None of us do. But choosing to lead with empathy, to ask how your team is really doing, to say thank you, that's leadership that lasts. It can be really lonely running a small business when you're the only one executing on strategy and driving business goals. Your hard work is not praised, but your mistakes are certainly called out. No one told us how to do this. We are figuring it out as we go, but we keep showing up and trying our best to make something for ourselves and the employees who have trusted us with their livelihood. Those small, consistent acts are the employee experience. That's what turns a job into a place where people want to stay. And that's how growth truly happens through people who feel valued and trusted. If you're listening right now and you're managing human resources in a small business, I see you too. Maybe you've had one of those years. Take a breath. The work you're doing is not invisible. Every onboarding call, every benefits renewal, every uncomfortable conversation that helps someone grow, it all adds up to something bigger. You are building workplaces that work for real people, and that is something to be thankful for. So today, wherever you are, I hope you'll take a moment to thank the people who carry your business. And if you are that person, it's okay to thank yourself. You are the reason growth is possible. Next week, we'll be talking about the PEO price tag and how to know when you're paying too much for too little. If you aren't already subscribed, now would be a great time to do so in order to hear how dropping the PEO could save you $20,000 a year. Thank you so much for listening to the HR Connection.