Meet Mallory Herrin

We recently connected with Mallory Herrin and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Mallory, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I began developing my work ethic in my childhood. I didn’t grow up with a silver spoon in my mouth. My parents didn’t have much, and I saw first hand that it took a lot of work to improve your situation in life, to keep food on the table, to keep the lights on, that sort of thing. I grew up understanding that if you want to better your life, you needed to take control and work for it. My parents set a great example for me.

I had chores to do around the house, and would do extra work to earn some allowance money here and there. When I wanted more, I would babysit. As soon as I was able to, I started working at a local grocery store as a teenager. Even in high school I held two jobs at one time in order to save money to buy my first car, pay for my gas and insurance, etc.

Work has always been a big part of my life and although I’ve not always had it easy, I am very grateful for the experience I’ve had. I know that there isn’t a magic button to push or someone to come swoop in and save you if you fall on hard times financially, so you have to put yourself in the best position possible by working smart, working hard, and saving. Whenever I’ve needed to throughout my adult life, I’ve worked multiple jobs. I don’t need to do that anymore but having that kind of work ethic serves me well now that I have my own company. Starting HerrinHR took a lot of self discipline and long hours, which wouldn’t be possible without the work ethic I’ve developed.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’m Mallory Herrin, the CEO of Herrin HR Consulting, a boutique human resources consulting firm that specializes in strategic HR solutions for small to mid-size companies. At Herrin HR, we’re passionate about helping companies create and implement customized HR strategies that are aligned with their overall business goals.

What makes Herrin HR unique is our focus on the employee experience. We believe that a positive and engaging employee experience is crucial for a company’s success, and we work with our clients to create a culture that values and supports their employees. We don’t just provide HR services, we partner with our clients to help them create a great place to work.

I’m also the author of a book called Intentional HR: A Revolution in Strategic Thinking, which is all about the importance of aligning HR strategies with business objectives. I’m excited to share my knowledge and experience with others and help elevate the HR profession.

As for what’s new, in addition to our a la carte HR services (recruiting, training, benefits, and HR consulting and support) we now also offer a robust HRIS and full payroll processing combined with our award winning HR consulting for a complete HR outsourcing offering. It’s been an amazing journey so far and we have continued growth planned, so stay tuned for more exciting developments from Herrin HR!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back on my journey, I believe the three qualities and skills that have been the most impactful in getting me to where I am today are business acumen, a love of learning and continuous improvement, and resilience.

First, developing my business acumen has been crucial in helping me understand the bigger picture of the organizations I’ve worked with and the industries they operate in. Understanding the financials, market trends, and overall strategy has been essential in helping me create effective HR solutions that are aligned with business goals.

Second, my love of learning and continuous improvement has been instrumental in keeping me up-to-date on the latest HR trends and best practices. The HR field is constantly evolving, and it’s important to stay informed and adaptable. I’ve made a commitment to continuous learning and improvement, whether that’s through attending conferences, reading industry publications, or taking courses.

Finally, resilience has been critical in overcoming challenges and setbacks along the way. In any career, there will be moments of disappointment, failure, and frustration. Having the resilience to bounce back, learn from those experiences, and keep moving forward is key to long-term success.

For those who are early in their journey, I would advise them to focus on developing these three qualities. First, make a point to understand the bigger picture of the organizations and industries you work in. Second, commit to ongoing learning and improvement, and seek out opportunities to gain new skills and knowledge. And finally, cultivate a resilient mindset and approach, and don’t be deterred by setbacks. View challenges and set backs as an opportunity for learning and improvement. Failure is a great teacher.

By focusing on these three qualities, I believe that early-career professionals can set themselves up for success in any field or industry

What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?
I believe that it’s important to strike a balance between playing to our strengths and investing effort in areas where we aren’t as strong. While it’s certainly true that we can achieve great success by leveraging our natural talents and abilities, I also believe that investing in our weaknesses can lead to even greater growth and development.

The key is to approach our areas of weakness with a growth mindset, recognizing that we can always improve and learn. We don’t need to strive for perfection, but by investing time and effort in developing our weaker areas, we can expand our skill set and become more well-rounded.

I’ll give you an example from my own experience. When I first started my career in HR, I quicky became strong in compliance and policy development, but I wasn’t as comfortable in employee engagement and culture building. I could have simply focused on my strengths and continued to excel in those areas, but I recognized that to truly excel in HR, I needed to build my skills in the areas I wasn’t feeling confident in.

So, I made a point to attend conferences, read books, and seek out mentors who could help me learn more about employee engagement and culture building. While it wasn’t always easy, investing in my development in these areas has paid off tremendously. I’m now known for my expertise in both compliance and culture building, and it’s helped me build a successful consulting practice.

At the same time, it’s also important to recognize that we can’t be experts in everything. There will always be areas where we need to rely on others who have more expertise. In business, this is often preferable, as it allows us to focus on what we do best while relying on others to fill in the gaps.

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