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Anthony, HR - Start-ups at TriNet Inc. : Advize Career Interview
Anthony, a HR professional at TriNet Inc., boasts an eclectic career path, from medical device CEO to HR sales, fueled by an entrepreneurship degree and hard-won experience.
The role centers on consulting with Series A startups, implementing HR tech infrastructure and streamlining processes. A typical day balances active deal pipelines with passive social media engagement.
Success hinges on a "pleasantly persistent" approach and strategic relationship building.
The greatest satisfaction comes from genuinely helping people and enjoying the autonomy of "a little business." A major challenge involves rapidly building trust to handle sensitive data. What's exciting?
Constant learning about "random fun facts" in HR and risk assessment. Extroverted, persistent individuals who thrive are constantly engaging with the community.
Entry-level opportunities like Sales Development Representative offer a strong foundation, especially at a large company like TriNet.
Key lessons include "always get[ting] three quotations" and leveraging soft skills gained from activities like rugby in college.
Being a multi-ethnic "global citizen" has helped to build rapport across diverse groups, proving to be a crucial career asset. The Edson Venture Competition at WP Carey proved to be an impactful accomplishment with a $10,000 grant.
This unconventional journey offers a unique perspective on the world of HR within the startup ecosystem!
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Anthony M. Gonzales
HR - Start-ups
TriNet Inc.
Arizona State University (ASU) - W. P. Carey
Arizona State University (ASU) - W. P. Carey, MBA - Supply Chain
Entrepreneurship
Insurance
Sales and Client Management
Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Student Athlete
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Career Path of an HR Professional Specializing in Startups at TriNet Inc.
Anthony's career path is "eclectic and non-traditional," starting with an entrepreneurship degree from ASU, followed by a stint at Avnet where they learned what they *didn't* want in a job, which ultimately inspired them to co-found and become the CEO of a class one medical device company, raising millions in funding before losing everything during COVID. Later transitioning into business banking to bank "founder buddies" before experiencing the second largest bank failure in American history, Anthony now leverages experiences as a business owner and knowledge of finance in HR sales at TriNet Inc, helping small businesses navigate the complicated world of HR with "tacit knowledge experience that is only acquired through learning and doing."
Main Responsibilities of a HR Consultant for Startups at TriNet Inc
Anthony's main responsibility involves consulting with startups, typically around the series A funding stage, to implement HR technology infrastructure for compliant and safe employee management; they sell TriNet's "tech stack" to streamline HR processes, addressing pain points like inefficient workflows and outdated systems, as Anthony explained, “my job is to help people navigate through something that they have to do, but they have no specialty in it as it relates to human resources.”
A Day In The Life Of A Human Resources Manager For Startups At TriNet
In the role of an HR sales rep at TriNet, a day involves managing both an "active pipeline" of current deals and a "passive pipeline" through consistent social media engagement, such as using LinkedIn to wish connections happy birthday for years, building "social credits" that can be later debited for favors or introductions. These passive efforts, while seemingly small, contribute significantly to the active pipeline by raising visibility and positioning the professional as knowledgeable in their field, ultimately leading to new opportunities.
Most Important Skills For a Startup HR at TriNet Inc.
Anthony emphasizes that "pleasantly persistent" mentality, involving consistent yet unobtrusive touchpoints is most important. This is achieved through social engineering, focusing on delivering value and building strong network nodes, rather than immediately "asking for things," to cultivate positive relationships and leverage collective influence for a more active pipeline.
Favorite Parts Of Being A Human Resources Specialist For Startups At TriNet Inc.
Anthony most enjoys feeling like they're genuinely helping people by measurably improving their HR situations, offering better plans and saving them money; additionally, autonomy and agency are highly valued, feeling like "my own little business without any of the headache" while representing a large company and avoiding management responsibilities is a key motivator.
Biggest Challenges Faced By An HR Professional For Startups At TriNet Inc
Anthony's biggest challenge is quickly building trust and rapport with complete strangers to the point where they're comfortable sharing sensitive employee data, going from "stranger to like bestie." This requires a strategic approach involving valuable touchpoints, relationship building, and identifying "sales triggers" by researching potential clients and inferring their pain points to offer empathetic and targeted solutions.
Favorite Parts Of Working In The HR Industry As An HR In Startups
Anthony enjoys the "random fun facts" and learning about the "what if situations" that come with working in HR for start-ups, particularly in understanding how insurance works and the logic behind seemingly unusual safety rules, which are often rooted in past incidents of injury or death. Anthony finds it interesting to learn about "unsafe businesses" and why TriNet might avoid working with them due to risk factors, translating into broader understanding of risk assessment in various industries.
What Type Of Person Thrives In The HR Solutions Industry, According To A Startup HR Professional At TriNet Inc.
Anthony from TriNet Inc. suggests that those who thrive in HR at startups are typically extroverted and persistent individuals who are comfortable constantly following up and actively engaging with others, and the ability to be present at community events is crucial, as failing to enjoy this aspect "is a cost, not a reward." This career is well compensated, but requires a "never taking your foot off the gas pedal" approach, and can attract people from diverse backgrounds, indicating that success is less about prior experience and more about personality and drive.
What an HR Professional at Startups at TriNet wishes they had known before entering the HR industry
Anthony from TriNet Inc. wishes someone had emphasized the sheer volume of regulations at the federal, state, county, and city levels, noting that the role has equipped them with "a bunch of stuff that other people don't know" and expertise so specialized it feels like being "professionally bilingual," speaking both business and HR.
Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Sales Development Representatives
Anthony from TriNet highlights the Sales Development Representative (SDR) role as a key entry point, explaining that it focuses on the initial stages of the sales pipeline, such as "reaching out and setting up meetings" by identifying potential clients based on an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and specific "sales triggers." Anthony emphasizes the value of starting at a large public company like TriNet to learn best practices and gain experience, setting a strong foundation for career growth within the organization.
Significant Career Lesson From An HR Professional For Startups At TriNet Inc.
Anthony, an HR professional at TriNet Inc., emphasizes the importance of "always get[ting] three quotations," whether for vendors, attorneys, or CPAs; this "rule of three" has consistently led to better outcomes, providing a sufficient sample size for making well-justified and tactical decisions, even when initially satisfied with the first or second option. Adopting this best practice avoids decisions based on happenstance, ensuring a more informed and strategic approach to various partnerships and professional engagements.
College Experiences That Helped a HR Professional for Startups at TriNet Succeed
Anthony credits being active in college as a key to setting up for later career success, particularly participating in the rugby club as an officer: "it was like just a little taste of like, oh, we're, you know, we're playing adults". He highlights that the soft skills gained, such as conflict management, and interacting with others, are more important than any particular job because these are things that will make or break a career when one can't just run to the teacher or parents to complain.
How Identity Has Influenced a Startup HR at TriNet's Career
Anthony, a multi-ethnic "global citizen," leverages background and experiences to "blend into the community" necessary, whether it's the "rugby team" or a "private equity dinner", and code-switch from one industry to another. This ability to mold identity to build rapport across diverse groups and industries, from "private equity to cosmetics, to startup, to hr," is identified as the strongest skill and has become a crucial part of their career.
How to Win Startup Grants at Venture Competitions
Anthony from TriNet Inc. found the Edson Venture Competition at WP Carey to be the most impactful experience because after applying diligently for years, and facing constant rejection, Anthony finally won a $10,000 grant in the final year, which Anthony calls "a big accomplishment" and is "very grateful for the startup opportunities" that the competition provided.
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