Ariane Laird
LinkedIn Profile
Why I started ConnectsUs HR
After years in HR consulting, I saw a gap. Small businesses were struggling with HR because they lacked simple, effective tools. So, I built a team of HR pros, writers, trainers, and employment lawyers to create HR toolkits tailored for small businesses. They worked. Clients loved them. "Instant ROI." "Indispensable." "No-brainer."
Then HR consultants wanted in, so we built solutions for them too.
We provided HR Services for Small Business, and began offering services to transition small business HR to the cloud with HR Sync.
What I do @ ConnectsUs HR
Founder. CEO. Product Manager. HR Consultant. Jack of all trades.
Remote work? We were there before it was a thing.
We've been remote since 2006, long before it became mainstream. Why?
- Productivity > office distractions.
- No commute. No suits. More family time.
- Lower environmental impact.
My Background: A Rebel with a Cause
I was that kid—politely challenging the nuns in grade school and spending quality time in the Principal’s office. (Sorry, Mom.) I questioned everything, which later translated into challenging the status quo.
I started my career as the classic mailroom-to-boardroom story. Thanks to some incredible mentors, I moved through Admin, Finance, and into HR, taking on projects no one else wanted (hello, Employment Equity audits). Turns out, I loved fixing messy HR problems and making things better, faster.
I've worked with nearly 60 companies, from small startups to big names like Avon, Amcor, and Glenayre Electronics. I co-founded the HR Tech Group and partnered with BC Social Venture Partners.
Through it all, I saw small businesses struggle with HR, not because they didn’t care, but because HR was a tangled mess. So I built ConnectsUs HR. What started as print-and-ship HR manuals, now lives in the cloud-helping thousands of businesses and consultants with HR.
Beyond HR
When I’m not working, you’ll find me:
- Salsa dancing
- Breathing! and Yoga
- Learning new languages
- Mountain biking & hiking
- Spending time with my family and favorite people.