The HR Happy Hour Media Network has launched The HR Connection, a new podcast tailored for HR professionals and leaders in small to scaling organizations (1–500 employees). Hosted by Sabrina Baker, Founder and CEO of Acacia HR Solutions, and Marie Rolston, HR Business Partner at Acacia, the show delivers practical, experience-based guidance on leadership, accountability, hiring, performance, compliance, and sustainable people practices amid limited resources.
Quick Intel
The HR Connection fills a critical gap by providing relevant, operator-focused advice for the growing segment of small and mid-sized businesses, where HR must deliver strategic impact with constrained budgets and teams. Unlike content geared toward large enterprises, the podcast emphasizes creativity, prioritization, and practical solutions grounded in day-to-day realities.
Practical Guidance for Growing Organizations Each episode reflects the hosts' extensive hands-on experience supporting startups and scaling companies. Topics cover building structure while preserving agility, fostering manager accountability, designing effective programs without large support teams, and elevating HR as a driver of business growth rather than solely a compliance function.
Credible Voices from the Field Sabrina Baker and Marie Rolston bring deep expertise in fractional HR, organizational development, leadership coaching, and small-business realities. Their perspective highlights the unique pressures on HR in smaller settings and offers proven strategies to build confidence and deliver results.
"Small and mid-sized organizations are where an enormous amount of innovation and employment growth is happening, yet too often the HR guidance available to them is built for large enterprises," said Steve Boese and Trish Steed, Co-Founders of H3 HR Advisors and Co-creators of the HR Happy Hour Media Network. "Sabrina and Marie bring credibility, practicality, and an operator's mindset. The HR Connection will quickly become essential listening for HR and business leaders who need advice they can use immediately."
"HR in smaller organizations requires creativity, prioritization, and a deep understanding of people and business realities," said Baker. "We want listeners to walk away from every episode feeling more confident about what to do next."
"Our conversations reflect what we see every day," added Rolston. "Leaders trying to build structure while staying agile, managers learning accountability, and HR professionals building programs without big teams behind them. There are proven ways to make it work."
The podcast joins the HR Happy Hour Media Network's established lineup, which has amassed millions of downloads and views by featuring trusted voices on leadership, culture, HR technology, compliance, Generation Z, and the future of work.
The HR Connection premieres February 20, 2026, with monthly releases. Subscribe and learn more at www.hrhappyhour.net.
About the HR Connection Hosts Sabrina Baker is the Founder and CEO of Acacia HR Solutions, a fractional HR firm supporting startups and small-to-mid-sized businesses across the full employee lifecycle. With a background spanning HR leadership, organizational development, and executive advising, Sabrina works closely with founders and leadership teams to build people strategies that scale with the business. She is the co-host of The HR Connection podcast and a long-time advocate for elevating the voice of SMB HR as a strategic driver of growth, not just a compliance function. Marie Rolston is an HRBP with Acacia HR Solutions and host of The HR Connection podcast. After 12 years in retail management, Marie transitioned into HR and discovered her calling: supporting the underrated and under-supported HR professionals working in small businesses. With over 10 years of hands-on HR experience, Marie has facilitated leadership development workshops for organizations large and small. Through The HR Connection, she builds community, designs practical curriculum, and helps small business HR leaders gain the confidence and tools they need to drive real impact. Marie believes small business HR deserves a seat at the table and she's here to make sure they get it.
About HR Happy Hour Media Network
Founded in 2009, and now in its 18th season, the HR Happy Hour Media Network is the premier independent media platform dedicated to human resources, leadership, and workplace technology. Through podcasts, video, research, and live events, the network connects industry leaders with the ideas and innovators shaping the future of work. The HR Happy Hour Media Network continues to set the standard for elevating conversations about the world of work.
About H3 HR Advisors
H3 HR Advisors is a strategic advisory and media firm focused on human capital management and workplace technology. The firm works with leading solution providers and HR organizations to inform strategy, elevate market understanding, and amplify innovation.
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