Kira La Forgia Provides HR Services for Businesses Without the Corporate Feel

Hi, Kira! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business:

Hi, I’m Kira. With a decade of experience in People Operations in the corporate world, I am no stranger to the sensitive issues involved in the human side of running a business. There’s a lot to learn from hiring, onboarding, training, and managing the performance of over 1000 employees for a multimillion dollar business. The good news is, I learned it all so you don’t have to. I founded Paradigm to bridge the gap between corporate HR policies and the modern needs of entrepreneurs. Because Google might have almost all the answers, but it doesn’t have what your unique business needs.

Who are your customers?

Female founders with teams of 50 or less.

What was your background prior to starting your own business?

While working in corporate sales, I was simultaneously earning my Masters in Organizational Management. During the day, I would see these terrible examples of leadership, including verbal and emotional abuse and manipulation. Then at night, I was immersed in studying the theories behind strong company cultures. The stark dichotomy between what was taught and accepted as good business practice in the academic world and the actuality of the corporate environment was shocking. From there, I made the decision to work in a small business environment, where I could see the difference I would make in one employee interaction, or make process changes that impacted the staff the next day. Over the years, I optimized and developed processes that resulted in lower employee turnover, higher profits, and the power of a lean and engaged team.

What made you take the leap to start your own business?

After being diagnosed with PTSD from burnout in 2018, I had to learn how to truly let go and step into real leadership. Over the course of a year, I honed in on the Human part of Human Resources, scaling a team of leaders and alleviating my workload into a manageable 4 day workweek while increasing company profits by 30%. However, this was all for another person’s business! During the pandemic, I saw so many of my peers starting and running businesses that were asking for support with remote team management, and navigating the transition from in office work to building cultures outside of the traditional office structure. In my PTSD recovery, I realized how important autonomy and independence is to my best mental health, so diving headfirst into consulting was the natural next step.

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

I knew I wanted to be a consultant for most of my professional career, especially after achieving various leadership development trainings and certifications. I didn’t realize how much what we were doing was needed in the space for female founders and how quickly a consulting side gig would grow into a scaling business. But all that said, I’m happy to have found this path and believe it is where I am meant to be.

Take us back to when you first launched your business; what was your marketing strategy to get the word out and did it go as planned?

It was a completely different business! I have a well known mentor who connected me with a few potential clients and I worked out the path forward from there. Strategy would not be the word I would use to describe what I was doing back then.

What is the biggest challenge you have encountered along the way so far and what have you learned from it?

Letting go of control continues to be my biggest struggle. I know that my need for perfectionism comes from a place of hollowness and achievement. Focusing on progress over perfection and staying steadfastly focused on my big vision helps let the small things go.

What accomplishment are the most proud of to date in your business?

My team of employees! Although we help dozens of female founders build an optimize their teams every year, I have always taken the slow and steady path. In that respect, I have curated a team of incredible women to help move Paradigm forward. I’m really proud of each of them and so honored they choose to spend their time working for our mission.

Do you have any recent wins from the last year that you’d like to celebrate with our community?

We started a brand new department in our business this year and are now a one stop HR and People Operations consultancy for founders. We can now help our clients with the full cycle of their team’s experience from team strategy to compliance to offer and onboarding through a seamless experience.

What’s next for your business? What can we expect to see over the next few years?

Paradigm continues to strive to be a “must have” resource for women owned businesses in the United States. Our goal is to keep HR accessible for female founders but never losing the human touch that helps founders build incredible teams. We hope to make a positive difference in the way that founders and employees see HR and to help small businesses become uplifting work places where candidates are competing to work, bringing the best talent to small business, and giving women a seat at the table.

What is your top productivity tip? 

Time your tasks. Understanding how much time a task actually tasks will help create a more realistic work experience.

On the flip side, how do you avoid burnout?

Given my experience with burnout at an extreme level, it’s less about avoiding burnout and more about enriching my day with fulfilling experiences.

What is your approach to work-life balance / integration?

It’s not about the time you are spending “working”. It’s about the activities you are doing. Some days, if it feels good to work into the evening, then don’t shame yourself. If you are having fun engaging on social or creating stuff on Canva, do it!

What is one thing you wish you had known when you started your Entreprenista journey?

I wish I knew Entreprenista existed sooner!

When hiring, what is your go-to interview question?

This is my bread and butter! The foundational pieces will make or break your success in hiring. First, make sure you are legally and ethically compliant. Next, when it comes to the conversations you have with candidates, your job as the interviewer is to create a space where they are comfortable and free to be themselves. Finally, approach hiring as a best fit for both parties.

What’s the one app on your phone you absolutely cannot live without and why?

The podcast app! I’m not trying to live a life without podcasts ever again.

What is your favorite business tool or solution and why?

I would be in a really bad place without ClickUp and Slack. Communication with clients and team members is made so much easier through Slack, and ClickUp keeps all projects on track.

What advice do you have for aspiring Entreprenistas?

Be kind to everyone you meet. There is plenty of business to go around and your relationships can be the best thing you get out of running a business.

Learn more about the Entreprenista League and join today!