Get To Know Our Founders Part 2
Q & A with Co Founder Shanan Cole
Question: What made you decide to get into a HR career?
Answer: Honestly it’s something that just kind of fell into my lap, and was not initially chosen. I was an area Sales Manager for Belk, and all of these HR duties kept landing in my “to do” list, so I took them over. Within 6 months I fully transitioned into the HR director role, and never looked back.
Q: What is your favorite thing about what you do (HR)?
A: It may sound cliché, but my favorite thing about Human Resources is the people, the employees. Knowing that I can not only make a difference in people’s work lives directly, but also have a positive impact on their personal lives and make them feel heard and appreciated is very fulfilling. Not only do I enjoy this aspect, it makes me perform my job at a higher level.
Q: Why do you think Human Resources is so important to a business?
A: Again, it gives your team a voice to be heard. Having Human Resources and access to all of the features it provides are what set one workplace apart from another. A workplace that is above and beyond others is the place that will attract the most talented candidates, and have a promising future. HR provides the ability to form this very important step, creating a brighter future for the business, which will also lead to a happier workplace.
Q: If you could have a meal with anyone in the history of the world; who would it be and what would you eat?
A: I would have dinner with my mom. She passed away one day before my 18th birthday, and was the strongest and most confident person I have known. A loving fighter who made me the strong woman I am today. Now that I am a mother with a family of my own, there is so much of her I can relate to. I find myself saying to my kids, the same things she had said to me. While her love and affection were obvious, it was her harder strengths like her toughness and confidence that stuck with me the most. For dinner, we would be having her famous Mexican cornbread!
Q: What is your favorite way to spend your free time?
A: Favorite thing to do with free time is to spend it travelling and camping with my family. We’ve enjoyed taking a cruise some years, but usually you can find us camping. More accurately, we enjoy “glamping” in our RV with the dogs and family all in tow. Once you get used to an RV, tents just won’t do! If we can find an RV campsite within shouting distance of good shopping, I am happy. For years we have enjoyed visiting the Pigeon Forge area of Tennessee, but recently have fallen in love with Lake Chatuge in Georgia, and plan to spend a lot of time there.
Q: What is something you gain from doing HR (other than $)?
A: Expanding on my answer from one of the previous questions, I get fulfillment in knowing that an employee has a voice within the company, and they trust me to help solve any issues they are experiencing. Being trusted to have that good relationship with the team, so they know they can come to me means a lot. In my past experiences, some have looked at Human Resources as a scary and intimidating thing, and I aim to make everyone see it as inspiring and uplifting for the team it serves. Being able to do this and see the comfort level my people have with me, gives me great satisfaction.
Q: If you didn't choose HR what would you be doing today?
A: I would probably be an attorney. I have a paralegal degree, and was always interested in being in court. Specifically, I would have practiced Family law, as that would have given me an opportunity to help and defend children that need it. If time and money were never a concern, I may have followed this path. Ultimately, I am glad I didn’t, as it led me to where I am today.
Q: What person or experience taught you the most and why?
A: Some companies have shown me ways things should not have been done. For instance, a previous HR person (before I was in the role) was always unpredictable with how they would respond to an employee needing their help. There was a joke that if you were wondering what type of mood HR was in today, you should throw a piece of raw meat in their office to see how they reacted. While this sounds funny now, this is when I knew that HR should be something that people are NOT afraid of, and can trust and look to for guidance. This was a great coaching experience for me, as I did not have to make the same mistake, and could learn from it. On the other end of the experience spectrum, I had a VP at Belk who was great! He genuinely cared about each employee, and made it a point to spend time with them and learn something personal about each one of them, every time he visited. Not only did he do this, but he trained his leadership team to act this way as well, so everyone was always very happy with and respected by their leaders.