A Taste of Kentucky owner talks human resources and HR Affiliates – HR Affiliates Blog
John and Sherry Hassmann have owned A Taste of Kentucky for over 30 years. What started in a little kiosk at Mall St. Matthews has grown to three locations across Louisville. We sat down with John at the Middletown location to talk about the store’s relationship with HR Affiliates.
When did you know that you needed help with Human Resources?
“One of the things about running a business is knowing what you do well and what you don’t. As we grew, it was painfully evident that I didn’t know anything about human resources. The more you grow, and the more the economy and the laws change, it’s more important to have key people that you can call on.”
Why did you choose HR Affiliates?
“HR Affiliates was our client first. They bought some gifts from us for their staff and customers at Christmas time. We always try to reciprocate, so we began to use them. They continue to do their gift purchases through us and we’ve continued to work with them. As they’ve grown, we’ve grown.”
What’s it like to outsource HR?
“If I need something, [HR Affiliates] either answer the phone, or they’re 5 minutes from calling me back. They’re like an extension of our business, like they’re just another office down the hall. When I need HR, I get the answers I need. They respond professionally and quickly. They’ll come out and see me. It’s not all over the phone or through email. A lot of face to face, and that’s important.”
What advice do you have for small business owners?
“Do what you’re good at. Most entrepreneurs are optimists. They think things will just work out. Realistically there’s a lot going on in the world that affects us on almost a daily basis and unless you’re prepared to keep up with that and understand it all and react according, you need some help. HR is tricky. You can do your own payroll, you can do your own interviewing, but you have to figure out if that’s the best use of your time. You can’t do everything every day. So eventually you have to ask for some help. So if you’re smart, you’ll do your homework and find some good HR companies, interview two or three of them and figure out who’s going to work best for you. As you grow, or even if you don’t grow, the landscape changes and you have to stay on top of it.”
To learn more about how HR Affiliates can help your business through consulting or outsourcing, give us a call at (502) 706-6731.