Meet Tonyel Thompson-Ibarra | Virtual HR Advisor, Founder, & CEO

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tonyel Thompson-Ibarra and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tonyel, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
When I started Real HR Hero in 2018, I was looking for many things… 1. Real Work-life Balance with the ability to manage my schedule independently to be more present in my children’s lives. 2. Create a business where I can leverage my HR and leadership skills. 3. Develop a culture that aligns with my values and ethics. 4. Fill a gap in HR Services – Real HR Hero’s purpose is to help small to medium size businesses develop an HR infrastructure that works for them – it is not black and white. There are many HR compliance services and HR consulting firms. Still, not many provide the hands-on support needed when a business is growing or looking to develop HR practices that work for their organization. Lastly, growing up with a father who owned several businesses, I always knew I would one day own my business one day. And it was time!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Real HR Hero offers virtual Human Resources (HR) Support Services, HR Compliance, and Recruiting Services to clients across the country. What sets us apart from others? – We are not just a compliance resource, providing ambiguous HR information. We provide real-life advice and hands-on support tailored to the client’s needs. While some things are black and white, we live and operate in the grey. It is not a one size fits all approach.

I am most proud of the culture I have been able to create, even in a remote environment. Work-life balance isn’t only a value for me; we have also built it into our business operations — No employee is expected to work 40 hrs a week. We have a modified full-time schedule for most employees (some are part-time), where their schedule is 30 hours a week. Also, we are real people with real people’s interests, problems, and different personalities. We don’t treat people the way WE want to be treated; instead, we treat them the way THEY want to be treated!

While I have had many great role models in leaders that I have worked with in my career, I have also had horrible experiences with those I was assigned to report to. I learned a lot from both, which has helped me in business, but it has also positively affected how I assess and provide advice to our clients.

It is a goal to get rid of the stigma of the HR persona because we are real people trying to do better for real people. Yes, HR does work for the organization, whether internal or external (like Real HR Hero), but it is one of HR’s objectives to limit risk, not necessarily protect the organization – that is what they have lawyers for. We are here to help companies comply with laws and regulations that are designed to benefit and protect the EMPLOYEE, which in turn protects the organization. The best HR professionals understand the difference.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My best friend lives in Minnesota, so we would likely spend a lot of time at the beach, in the sand, and in beachside restaurants, like Malibu Farm Restaurant. I am not fond of touristy spots like Hollywood Blvd; instead, we would search for pop-up events around the city. See things maybe I haven’t seen. I would also take her to one of the beautiful hiking spots like Escondido Falls. But, there is no doubt we are also having a day at Burke Williams Spa and enjoying time with family.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to give a shoutout to my husband for being so supportive, especially during the start-up stage. His encouragement made it so I never even thought about giving up. And a special shoutout to my children — I hope you find joy and happiness in what you do someday, just like Mommy does now! I would also like to thank my friend Lester Mascon for giving me the not-so-subtle push to take to first steps to jump all in.
And, finally, my dad, Mr. Garry Thompson, and Tim, Lisa, and Frank Flanagan, for their mentorship in learning what it means to be a leader in business.

Website: www.realhrhero.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realhrhero/

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/tonyel-thompson

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/RealHRhero1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/THOMPSONHRCONSULTING

Image Credits
Voyeur Photography