People Operations & Startup Consultant

Advisor to Founders, C-Suite Leaders and Venture-Backed Companies

I work with early-stage, venture-backed companies (or any business that needs to hire quickly) to build out their initial HR & People strategy, from compliance and hiring to benefits and technology.

Work with Me View my Work

Building teams from the ground up

You handle the tech,
I’ve got the people.

Early-stage companies revolve around technology, IP, product launches, and fundraising rounds. As they should! Stay focused on all the things that matter most—and count on me to build and serve as your initial HR & People department.

Early-stage companies turn to me for:

Jenn Nguyen Jenn Nguyen - People Operations and Startup Consultant Services

Strategy & Assessments

I evaluate where you’re at and where you need to go. I sync with C-suite leadership on goals, budget, and an achievable path forward.

Jenn Nguyen - People Operations and Startup Consultant Services

End-to-end Execution

I can fully implement your plan and find additional resources as necessary. Everything I do includes a plan for succession, training, and hand-off.

Hiring

I am an expert at creating and managing hiring plans from compensation structures to full-scale recruiting efforts.

Benefits

I can evaluate and implement comprehensive startup employee benefits packages.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

I demystify DEI for startups, giving you affordable and accessible ways to track metrics and operationalize your commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Employee Health and Wellness

From mental health check-ins to nurturing a wellness first culture, count on me to strategize a plan and create this important recruiting cornerstone.

C-suite Advising

Startup leaders turn to me to serve as their first HR and people leader. That includes CEO advising, interfacing with investors, and setting the right foundation.

Branding

I will help create your company's strategy to manage and influence its reputation among job seekers and key stakeholders to position it as an employer of choice.

Work with Me

View my Work

How we can work together

I work with clients in two main ways: advising services, or an integrated contract.

HR Advisory Services

I serve as a trusted C-suite partner for early leadership teams, guiding them in all things HR, People, and People Operations.

In this role, I can advise the CEO, partake in board meetings, and guide early in-house hires in long-term strategic planning.

Work with Me

Integrated Startup HR & People Leader

My most popular model, in this role I serve as a dedicated resource for your startup. I operate very close to full-time capacity where I become highly integrated with your operations. I learn your business model, needs, and company inside and out to deliver end-to-end HR and People services.

Contracts last 3 months to a year.

Work with Me

Need something else?

Let’s talk. I’m always happy to make a custom proposal for the right opportunity.

Contact Me

My proven framework for early-stage HR and People Operations

Work with Me

View my Work

01

Assess

With any new engagement, I first assess where you are at with respect to the maturity of your HR and People function. This step includes multiple strategy and vision discussions with the senior leadership team, as well as an assessment of team, resources, and tech stack.

02

Strategize

Startups have different needs depending on size, budget, industry, and scale. Every strategy plan is custom crafted to fit your unique needs and timeline.

03

Execute

Next, I roll up my sleeves and get to work. From implementing new software and training guides to recruiting and dashboards, I take our plan from conception to action.

04

Hand Off

I plan for my startups to outgrow me. Our work together almost always includes a seamless transition to an in-house HR and People owner who can continue what I’ve started; sometimes I am kept on to recruit and add headcount on an as-needed basis.

I am an entrepreneur and survivor at heart—

I have been working and on my own since age 14. My early-career sales, management, and startup experience lent itself naturally to recruiting and HR. After starting my own consulting business in 2016, I have never looked back.

More About Me

Jenn Nguyen - Walk with Sally Mentor of the Year

What my Clients Say

I have hired Jenn at two separate companies now and both were true success stories. I have hired 40+ of her Sales recruits and the majority have gone on to have successful careers, received promotions, and produced several president’s club winners. Jenn takes her time to understand the culture and leadership styles of your organization which will allow her to source candidates that are a fit beyond just their resume. She works tirelessly for her clients, which is proven in her response times and the effort she puts in to make herself available – at night and even when she is on vacation. She did more than recruit at one of my companies – she built out the entire hiring process, systems, and model to be sustainable long after she has moved on to her next client. I will not hesitate to give her a call as soon as I need to hire again!

Jenn Nguyen People Operations and Startup Consultant - client recommendations

Terry McDonald

Director of Sales & Compliance Solutions, Rectangle Health

Jenn did a great job helping us staff up our growing company. She helped us in all areas of our business, product, sales and marketing. She's tenacious and delivers. Her economic model is also much better for a company with multiple hires. Will definitely use her services again.

Laurence Stosky

CEO & Director, Incentify

Jenn is a great recruiter and really took care of me in landing my gig after Amazon. Professional and candidate obsessed. You’re in great hands if you have the privilege of working with her.

Allen Wu

President, Apex Growth

Jenn filled numerous roles during her time with us. As a fast growing business we have open positions in just about every department and she constantly had to multi-task to get them filled. I would highly recommend her if you're looking for someone who cares about the company beyond just getting a pay check.

Nima Hakimi

Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder, Convoso

Fabulous recruiter! What I would particular recommend about Jenn is her ability to synthesize the official job recs with some of the squishier components of potential candidates. Definitely an asset.

Nick Laurrell

Vice President of Growth, Incentify

Thanks Jenn for your help and feedback getting my real estate startup get off the ground! We're now looking to partner with Keller Williams, the largest real estate brokerage in the US. Couldn't have done it without the support of great friends like you along the way. Stay tuned! ;)

Dyson Worth

President, Worthy Homes

Quick thinker and master of multi tasking! Enjoyed working with her, can handle strong personalities, understand whats needed and is very sharp!

Bobby Hakimi

Chief Product Officer & Co-Founder, Convoso

Jenn is a fantastic recruiter. She's got a great mix of interpersonal skills and a huge network in tech. Highly recommend!

Dave Riggs

Co-Founder, Apex Growth

Jenn was excellent to work with! She was very knowledgeable and friendly, flexible and an overall pleasure to work with. I'd definitely recommend her services to anyone needing an energetic, fun yet professional service provider.

Nyree C. Reed

Director of Business Development, Rectangle Health

Jen is one of the most tenacious recruiters I have ever had the pleasure of working with. She is incredibly well-connected, thoughtful and fearless in her approach. She comprehends new technology concepts quickly, and stays current with trends. Jen is a leader and champion at identifying inefficient systems and enacting strategies to reduce bottlenecks and create better workflows that impact the entire organization. When it comes to building a robust team, Jen is your best ally.

Evanna Shaffer

Founder & CEO, Legal Technology Staffing

In our short time working together, Jenn showed great knowledge, relatable interpersonal skills, keen on harvesting an inclusive diverse atmosphere, strategic people mindset and forward thinking insight when it came to all things recruiting. A pleasure to work with and a great person. Highly recommend for all things recruiting.

Kevin T.

Employee Relations Manager, Robinson Pharma, Inc.

Jenn is one of the most talented people I've had the pleasure of working with. As a fast growing business we have open positions in just about every department. She consistently delivered and was able to get those roles filled quickly. I would highly recommend her if you're looking for someone who cares deeply about your company.

Daniel Cox

Chief Financial Officer, Incentify

Pursuing a career change can be a daunting engagement, especially for a professional early in their career. Jenn is a world-class expert in the field of matchmaking skilled individuals and thriving work environments. Few can rival Jenn's balance of communication, industry knowledge, and tactful candor. I recommend Jenn without hesitation to anyone contemplating career development.

Ryan Logo

Sr. Enterprise Sales Specialist, Incentify

I had the pleasure of working with Jenn as I was looking into a new role, she is fantastic to work with! She was always clear, concise, and timely in responses and was very knowledgeable. I wholeheartedly recommend Jenn to anyone looking for their next role.

Jake DePass

Enterprise Account Executive, Incentify

I’m so grateful to Jenn for connecting me with my new role. She was consistently communicative and so helpful through the entire hiring process. Any questions, at any time, she would answer. Not a lot of recruiters operate like Jenn. Not only did she check if I was the right fit for the role, but if the role was right for me. It was great working with her. I got the role and am thrilled for the opportunity. Thanks again, Jenn!

Saelee Rose

Business Development Representative, Rectangle Health

Let me start of by saying Jenn makes connection with people like a magician, there is something about her, and she understands and knows how to read people well, what a gift!

I was in medical sales, with history of growing dental practices through marketing and referrals. I applied for a health tech partnership position, Jenn called me, and you can tell, she has such expertise and innate brilliance, she can detect it all in a 5 min convo. Not only that, she is so transparent, supportive and ethical. The process was long, but she walked me through every step, being supportive and reassuring. I think that without her I would have given up half way and probably missed out on a great opportunity. My whole trajectory of my career has changed and I have her to thank!! I know a 100 % I couldn’t make it on the path I am on without her!! She was instrumental and crucial, and godsend! I am so glad to meet professionals like her, such a breath of fresh air! So amazing to know there are good humans who are rooting for you, and she treats you like a real human being, not just some candidate she is trying to sniff out. She is amazing at what she does, and a real blessing in her field! If I had to pick 3 words: BRILLIANT. GIFTED. LEADER.

Shirley Devi

Partner Manager / Business Development Manager, Rectangle Health

It's been my pleasure working with Jenn at Robinson Pharma. She is one of the most caring and dedicated people I have known. I admire her skill set and a kind heart that always offers help to all of us. Her knowledge in Talent Acquisition is beyond measure and she is a Talent. I highly recommend Jenn!

Tien Van

Recruiter, Robinson Pharma, Inc.

Jenn is one of the most talented people I've had the pleasure of working with. She is extremely savvy and has always excelled on the job. Under her control at Convoso, we had scaled every department with very talented individuals thanks to her. I highly recommend her!

Gregory Tillery

Account Executive, Convoso

Jenn's ability to develop deep connections with potential candidates is unparalleled. She goes deeper than solely checking requirements and experience. Her unprecedented approach is what makes her exceptional at recruiting and sourcing candidates.

Betty Ly

Senior Product Manager, Convoso

Jenn is a trustworthy recruiter who genuinely cares about people over products. She takes the time to empathize and listen, both of which are rare these days especially in the role of a recruiter. So, Jenn has earned the, "Not your typical recruiter," title by her actions.

Jake Lynn

Senior Account Executive, Convoso

Jenn is not only a top notch recruiter, but I also consider her a close friend. Jenn really knows how to connect with people and develop a relationship from that first call. As a candidate you always feel like Jenn is in your corner truly looking out for you. And from a corporate perspective Jenn truly understands the needs of each department as a whole and comes up with a plan to strategically approach recruiting.

Rigo Garcia

Head of Product Management, Convoso

Jenn is a first rate recruiter. As someone looking to switch roles, products, and industries, I was apprehensive about being able to find something new. However, with Jenn in my corner, I put those concerns to rest. Jenn was able to streamline the recruitment process, and within two weeks I went from resume submission to offer acceptance!Throughout the whole process, Jenn maintained contact and I always felt like we were moving forward. It was smooth and efficient experience—thank you Jenn!

Ron Velasco

Salesforce Project Manager, CloudMyBiz, Inc.

Jenn is truly a top tier recruiter. I had a great experience working with her from the beginning. She made herself available to me when ever I had any questions, and was very prompt with her responses. I felt like we were on the same page from day one. I would recommend her to anyone looking for guidance on their career path.

Ethan M.

Director of Global Technical Support, Convoso

In the age of covid19 when there are very limited job opportunities and little follow up from most employers or recruiters Jenn is a super star. Her very personnel approach to what she does from interviewing me to the follow up is so refreshing. I'm so lucky to have her representing me and I'm sure Harbour 1976 knows how lucky they are to have her finding great candidates to fill critical rolls. I highly recommend her on a great job and amazing follow through on all aspects of her job!

Robert Soussana

Designer, Harbour

Jenn is a highly skilled recruiter and communicator. During her interview process, it is apparent her focus is not only on a candidate's experience but whether they will fit within the culture. Her communication lends itself to long-term hires as she aims to ensure the candidates are a mutually beneficial fit. Her tenacity and transparency are rare qualities, making her an exceptional recruiter and a pleasure to work with.

Tiffany Jones

Operational Executive

Jenn Nguyen is a meticulous and extremely enthusiastic recruiter who is the best I have worked with so far in 16 year IT career. She will go the extra mile to see that the situation works for everyone involved. She is very candid and totally honest about the situation as it transpires when working through the interview process. She is always available and makes a point of ensuring that she does not give up until you have the right fit in your next career stepping stone. Working with Jenn is a true pleasure. She is going places very quickly in her life!Your lucky if you get to work with her.

Corey Burke

Systems Administrator

Jenn was incredibly helpful in the job search process. She was great at keeping me updated, and being available for any questions I had. It really felt like I could trust her as a part of my 'team' and be honest about both my strengths and weaknesses, as opposed to having present a perfect picture of myself. I could give her all my information and she would be honest about how to best sell myself to get results. If you're willing to put in the work and give her the tools she needs, she will absolutely go to bat for you and will be completely straightforward and upfront with all her communication throughout the entire process. I will continue to recommended her to any friends and colleagues that are job hunting, as I know she will take great care of them.

Jarrett Portnoy

Software Engineer

Jenn is incredibly talented at what she does. First and foremost, I can speak to how Jenn carries herself when she is conducting interview processes as I had the opportunity to experience her flow. She is incredibly fun to engage with, and makes the candidate feel unique; one of a kind. Her level of transparency and welcomed communication can make any prospect candidate feel that they're in safe hands as she advocates for their needs. Once I got the chance to work alongside Jenn, I was able to see how she strategically sourced candidates. She is able to create a well balanced employee body by identifying the prospect candidates personality types, and their unique skillsets in order to create a community that is willing to work together in order to execute the company's vision. Jenn is willing to go above and beyond, and goes out of her way to always suggest improvements to key business strategies. She exudes qualities that you want to see in modern day leadership. Any organization that chooses to bring her on-board can only experience positive growth.

Cydney G.

Product Support

Jenn is an absolutely amazing recruiter. She's professional, friendly, and works tirelessly to find a solution that works for all parties. She begins by truly getting to know your exact professional strengths and career goals, and then communicates honestly throughout the entire hiring process. I'd love to work with her again!

Justin Emsoff

Senior Solutions Architect

When I choose a recruiter to work with, whether it is for myself or to find resources for me, I always look for the ones who genuinely care. They are relatively rare, but easy to spot. They are the ones who treat everyone with respect, always follow up, and provide honest feedback. I want any candidates presented to me to be treated fairly, and have immediate, honest feedback as I believe the recruiting process reflects on myself and my company. Jenn is one of the select few I personally trust to find high quality candidates and protect my brand and company image in the process.

David Canfield

Independent Contractor

Jenn rocks my socks! She is a killer recruiter. She worked with me tirelessly to help me find what I considered "my perfect job" for well over a year until we found exactly what I was looking for in a job. She is incredibly accommodating and will work to make sure you get exactly what you are looking for. I couldn't recommend her highly enough. Thanks again for all of your work Jenn!

Jordan Rushing

Software Engineer

Jenn is an excellent recruiter, she gets to know both her clients (the businesses she's doing the recruiting for) and the talent that she is recruiting. By gaining an intimate knowledge of what makes both parties tick, she's able to do some excellent match making. Ensuring that businesses get exactly the type of people they're looking for, and the future employees will end up exactly where they need to go. Jenn cares about placing people in a position that they're going to love, and goes above and beyond a "normal" recruiter. This attention to detail was immediately clear when I first started working with Jenn, in the tech industry there are many recruiters that are just concentrated on placing you, with no afterthought into how good of a fit it's going to be. This is not the case with Jenn, I would not hesitate to recommend her services to both candidates and organizations seeking talented individuals.

Adam Runner

Software Engineer

Jenn is an excellent recruiter. She went to work for me, found good potential opportunities, and followed up at every single step. I felt like she was the ideal liaison between me as a candidate, and the potential employer, She went the extra mile, and worked hard to find a good fit. I recommend Jenn with no reservations.